MDS Canada Year in Review: “God’s love is our source”

2025 was a good year for Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Canada, although it was a bit different from years past.

That was the message delivered in Calgary on Nov. 14-15 at the annual Leadership Consultation.

“We didn’t have a large national project during our Canadian building season this year,” said Moses Falco, MDS Canada Operations Manager, noting that in 2024 volunteers from across the country were serving in B.C., and the year before that they were in Cape Breton.

“This year it was about Unit projects, utilizing local volunteers for projects in five provinces,” he said.

Even though volunteers travelled less across the country, a total of 1,072 volunteers served at eight locations in Canada, Falco said, noting that many served for a week or longer.

MDS volunteers together with home owners and community leaders at the home dedication in Constance Bay, ON.

Unusually for MDS, 748 people served for only a few days or hours. That was in Winnipeg, where volunteers in southern Manitoba helped at a reception centre that assisted wildfire evacuees from the northern part of the province. “They stepped up when we issued an emergency call for volunteers,” he said.

Those who answered the call worked alongside the Canadian Red Cross and other organizations to provide evacuees with essential items and support. “We had to swing into action very quickly,” Falco said. “Fortunately, many people volunteered to help us pull it off.”

Other places where volunteers served in 2025 were Lytton and Shuswap (Adams Lake), B.C, Crowsnest Lake, Alta. (youth project), Constance Bay and Orillia, Ont., Libau, Man. and Barrington, N.S.

As well as serving in Canada, between November, last year and October, 2025, 316 Canadians served with MDS in the U.S. This compares to 268 who served in the same time period in 2023-24. Thirty-two are serving there now.

“As in other years, this year MDS volunteers showed up at projects with energy and enthusiasm, said volunteer manager Rose Klassen. “Sometimes we call volunteers to ask them to serve, but very often they call the office saying they want to help. It’s inspiring!”

Donations continued to be strong in 2025. A total of $1,282,000 was donated in the 2024-25 fiscal year, compared to $1,161,000 the previous year. “This meant all projects were adequately funded,” said Finance and Administration Manager Trevor De Ryck.

Ross Penner, MDS Canada Executive Director, reflects on 10 years of experience with MDS.

The Calgary consultation was the last one for Executive Director Ross Penner, who is retiring next March.

Looking back over his ten years in that role, Penner said that MDS Canada used to be seen as a source of volunteers for projects in the U.S. “It was seen as a tributary flowing into the MDS U.S. river,” he said

Today, however, “MDS Canada has grown and developed to be a river in its own right, joining with MDS U.S. to form one mighty river of hope and healing for survivors of natural disasters,” he said.

While there are differences in context and the way the two “rivers” of MDS Canada and MDS U.S. operate, “the headwaters for both are God’s love, pouring out in and through so many who volunteer and work with MDS,” Penner added. “God’s love is our source.”

John Longhurst, MDS Canada writer