Juan Pablo Plaza prays for wisdom every day. As a husband, a father of two young girls, and a pastor for the Connexiones Church of the Brethren in Pasadena, California, he’s trying to care for a lot of people. Plaza lost his home—a...
Snowdrifts of ash, an acrid smell, a lung-burning toxic cocktail hanging in the air. After the Eaton Fire devastated communities in California’s San Gabriel Valley, the interior of the Pasadena Mennonite Church building was unrecognizable...
Anne Tipton was pointing out normal, everyday parts of her home. “I sat in that chair and did a puzzle. There was the ironing board. Those were our camp chairs.” But her home is now made up of ashes, and her belongings so burnt they’re...
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is mourning the eternal homecoming and celebrating the life and legacy of Lowell Detweiler, who died on March 1, 2025. He was an influential and beloved member of the MDS community of leaders. His career spanned...
During the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Annual Celebration in Wichita, Kansas, two yearlong MDS volunteers, Jonathon Shirk Snyder and Katie Snyder shared their perspectives on how young people view service—and why, more than ever, how it adds...
There’s a house—and a lot of hope—going up at the local 4-H Hall in Wichita, Kansas. Groups of volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), in town for a special 75th anniversary celebration being held at the Ridgepoint Church, were...
In the wake of historic flooding in Kentucky, MDS is communicating with local and national disaster response partners to develop plans for early and long-term response in hard-hit communities. The death toll stood at 14 as recovery efforts...
More than 500 people gathered in-person and online on Feb. 14-15, 2025, at the Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). The celebration honored the past seven-and-a-half...
A group of Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers arrived in Planada—a small community in California’s San Joaquin Valley—on Jan. 5, bringing with them a sense of service and hearts full of hope. They are aiming to repair 182 flood-...
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