“I still don’t realize it’s happening”

“It hasn’t been good,” said Dwayne Stewart as he described his long rebuilding journey after losing his home to the Barrington Lake wildfire of May 2023.

As the fire, which burned over 23,000 hectares and was one of the largest in Nova Scotia’s history, approached his property, he thought it would miss him. But “then the wind turned, and it came back along the lake and burned right to me,” Stewart recalled.

Stewart, who had made his living on fishing boats for over 20 years, shared his frustration of having to start from scratch. After everything on his property was lost and hopes of rebuilding there vanished, he was able to secure a different property near Barrington.

Through disaster assistance he purchased a temporary trailer to live in, but two years was longer than anyone thought it would take to find a permanent solution. One side of his trailer had a large hole with make-shift walls that closed in the half that could still be heated.

Dwayne Stewart’s mobile trailer sits beside the MDS house build.

For Shawna Symonds, Senior Safety Coordinator for Shelbourne County, a permanent solution for Stuart that met her standard of “safe, warm, and dry,” was greatly needed. She just never expected that it would take two-and-a-half years.

“There were 7 individuals without insurance, and Dwayne is our last to be housed,” said Symonds. In sharing her journey with Stewart following the evacuations that affected her whole community, she acknowledged the challenge of each individual journey. “It’s not rebuilding, it’s finding a new home.”

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) began a project in Barrington this past fall. From September to October, almost 50 volunteers served at this project to provide Stewart with a new home. “It was completely overwhelming how much support we received,” said Symonds, reflecting on the build.

For Duane Neufeld, one the Project Directors, it was a blessing to see the transformation in Stewart as the project progressed. At first, Stewart was quiet and reserved, but as he got to know MDS volunteers, he opened up more and more, shared Neufeld.

He was touched one day when Stewart, who had to leave for an appointment, called to all the volunteers with a big smile and yelled “Thanks very much!” For Neufeld, “the reward is the interaction.”

Dwayne Stewart (bottom left) together with Shawna Symonds (bottom center) and MDS volunters. Project Director Duane Neufeld sits bottom right.

After nine weeks of building, Stewart received the keys to his new home at a dedication service on October 23, 2025, surrounded by MDS volunteers and many community partners.

Receiving a fresh start was something Stewart couldn’t believe even as MDS volunteers were busy building beside him. “I still don’t realize it’s happening” he said.

When asked how it feels to see Stewart finally receive a new home, Symonds said “peace, it just feels like peace. I can’t explain it to you. It just feels like I can breathe.”

Dwayne Stewart in front of his new MDS house after his temporary trailer was torn down.

We are thankful for the grants received from the Canadian Red Cross, United Way Maritimes, and the Adventurer Foundation that made this project possible.

Moses Falco

MDS Canada Operations Manager