MDS makes a big difference in a small Louisiana town

From building new homes to knitting prayer shawls for the homeowners, Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers made a big difference in the small Louisiana town of Ironton.

The unincorporated African American town in Plaquemines Parish was deeply impacted in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which struck in August 2021.

Head Cook Valerie Papple (right)

The area consists of the descendants of freed slaves who bought the land over 100 years ago.

It was a long way from home for Val and Wayne Papple, from Alberta, Canada, who served as office manager and cook, respectively, for a month beginning in February 2026.

“Valerie and I started to serve with MDS in January 2012 – all except the last two were with the RV program,” said Wayne. “Because of the difficulty with traveling, in the dead of winter, 4000km to RV sites in January and February we transitioned to the traditional program. This has been a wonderful change.”

As the couple travels to MDS job sites, Val uses the travel time to knit prayer shawls for homeowners.

Both said they were grateful for the energy of young volunteers. “The amazing skill sets of the young people just blew me away,” said Wayne. “We cannot understand how they can wake up early, work hard all day, and still stay up late playing volleyball or games.”

“They’ve got an amazing work ethic,” said Val.

The couple also witnessed many “God moments” during their time in Ironton.

“We ordered a air nailer from Amazon,” said Wayne. “They delivered it to the wrong address.  But it was delivered to the neighbor of the secretary for the church we call home in Belle Chasse. They put two-and-two together and I was able to retrieve the errant package. Coincidence? I think not!”