“You are a force for good”

Dennis Moninger will never forget Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). In June 2024, he wrote an email to MDS that read, in part: “You are a force for good.”

He went on to describe how his son and daughter have now both graduated from college. “None of this would have been possible without the support you provided our family,” wrote Moninger. “Your generosity after the Bastrop Fire destroyed our home, was instrumental in providing the stable environment my kids needed at that critical time in their lives.”

He concluded with: “We cannot thank you enough. Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.”

Nine years ago…

His home, located about 30 miles southeast of Austin, Texas, burned back in October 2015. “I wasn’t able to get anything out of my house,” Moninger recalled.

How did he find out about MDS? “I didn’t discover MDS—they discovered me!” he said. “My first contact was, I was standing in the ashes of my house, and a van stopped out front.”

A young lady got out. “She didn‘t look like she could be old enough to drive!” said Moninger. “The next day, she came back with a bunch of other young people—with wheelbarrows and boots.”

After the early response crew cleaned up what they could, Moninger connected with the Bastrop Long Term Recovery Committee and was added to the list of people who needed new homes.

MDS Project Director Carl Dube met with Moninger to get the process started. “My place was nothing but ashes,” recalled Moninger

What’s the catch?

When Moninger learned MDS was planning to build a new home for him, he couldn’t believe it was happening. “I was just thinking: is there a catch here? It took me several days to realize these people were for real and they were really going to help me.”

Moninger thinks of that day as an epiphany. “I could see the sincerity in their eyes,” he said. “I felt like I was in need, and once I realized everyone was for real and sincere, I never looked back.”

He also pitched in to help, often working alongside volunteers. He and his two children moved into their new home in March 2016.

“After I received my gift from you all, then we had a massive flood here—and a lot of people lost their homes,” he said. “I was able to join a couple of MDS work crews on a couple homes.”

He wrote his email to MDS—almost a decade after opening the door to his new home—because he wanted people to know he had not forgotten the volunteers who helped him.

He still believes MDS gave his children the stability they needed to thrive. “I’m not trying to say nice things just to say nice things,” he said. “I have become an MDS advocate.”

Funded by Muslims, built by Mennonites

He also noted a special inter-religious aspect related to his home. At that time, the local Muslim community had partnered with Embrace Relief, a nonprofit international humanitarian relief and development organization.

Embrace Relief provided the funds—at that time $55,000—MDS needed to build Moninger’s home.

Carl Dube recalls attending a disaster fundraiser attended by MDS, the Austin Mennonite Church, the local Muslim community working with Embrace Relief, and many other community partners. As he gave the invocation, Dube acknowledged the presence of his Muslim friends.

“I said that MDS gets a lot of kudos and accolades but we don’t do it for the accolades,” said Dube. “We do it for the same reason that Embrace Relief seeks to help. We do it because of our faith and what God has done for us. We are compelled to help where we can.”

As Dube looked out over the audience, he saw people from the Muslim community nodding their heads.

At the dedication for Moninger’s home, there was a joint Christian-Muslim litany. When MDS presented a wall hanging to Moninger, the Embrace Relief partners presented a tea set—a symbol of fellowship and peace.

For Moninger, it was a wonder to behold. “In my eyes, my home was funded by Muslims and built by Mennonites. How often does that happen—anywhere?!”

Both groups approached him with the same attitude: they were there to help. “There was a similarity of intent,” said Moninger. “I have equal admiration for both groups.”