Monte Lake, B.C. – Oct. 9-15, 2022

Another week has passed. We continue to experience beautiful fall weather for which we are so thankful. This week as many have celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada, we at the MDS Monte Lake, B.C. project experienced God’s goodness to us in so many ways.

It has been said before of how God provides for the needs of the project and this past week was no different. Each and every volunteer has been very much appreciated for being here to contribute to the completion of the houses!

A couple of weeks ago, MDS, along with the homeowners, dedicated 2 of the 4 homes (02- Maisonneuve and 03-Hanton) we had committed to build here at Monte Lake, both of which have an “Occupancy Certificate.”

Great progress has been made this past week on the remaining 2 houses. The Peden House -05, has been completed and awaits the “Final Inspection” and the “Occupancy Certificate”. So we are now concentrating on the one house -01-Eager’s where flooring is being completed on the upper level. Tammy and Tristan have been helping with this as well and what a treat it is to work together with homeowner and her son on their home. Painting of the lower level and the doors continues, trim is being applied to the windows and doors and exterior work of putting the railing on the steps into the home.

With the completion of the project comes the closing down of the camp and this week was the start of that process. The cooler weather is coming with frost on the windshield some mornings, so it is time to move on for that reason as well.

The shower trailer, 1 bunk trailer and the MDS RV have been taken to storage. Last weekend one of the trucks started towards the project in Nova Scotia, and this weekend the mini van will be going to Winnipeg.

Our volunteers this week have been a smaller group compared to last week, which makes it feel more family size around the table of great food – thank you Florence! Thank you to Gerald and Lee Dyck for sticking around from last week till Monday. Corney Goertzen and Garth Pearson arrived on Sunday but, due to illness returned home on Tuesday afternoon. Thank you for what you did contribute, we wish you a speedy recovery.

Other volunteers for our week were Alvin Klassen who has been with us for two weeks, and Ardiss Mackie, Bernie Pankonin, Jim Niebuhr, Rudy Martens, and Uve Derksen. On Tuesday, Bonita Wiens joined Florence in the kitchen—the perfect day for an extra pair of hands in the kitchen. For me being in the office upstairs it was good to hear the ladies visiting and enjoying their time together as friends.

Some of the volunteers were here for a second time. Connecting with homeowners they noted a change in the homeowners’ attitude from the anger they had earlier to a mellowing and gratefulness.

Thank you to everyone involved in this project either by volunteering, contributing and or praying from the Long-term Team—Harold Friesen, Florence Walde, Henry Wiens, Priscilla Epp.

Submitted by Priscilla Epp