Volunteer reflects on time with MDS in Monte Lake: “A tiny piece of restoring hope”

Now that I’m back to my regular life at work and home in Ontario, I’ve had some time to reflect and look back on my time with MDS. It was a wonderful experience!

Through strong and wise leadership, I gained so much while serving with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS): perspective, knowledge, friendship, experiences and personal growth. This was all made possible because MDS does a wonderful job at creating a safe and fun place for growth, fellowship and relationships.

Getting to know everyone and creating relationships was probably my favourite part during the weeks I spent in Monte Lake. It truly was about laughing together, crying together, learning together, simply just doing life together with strangers who became family.

I went to Monte Lake with the thought that I would be serving and helping others. But I left feeling served, refreshed and renewed, like I’d received more blessings than I had given.

And yet, somehow, we got to be a blessing just by being a group of people who walked where they were called to and trusted God to do the rest. There wasn’t anything I did during my time that was of any real value on its own without the power of Christ.

Many times I felt quite useless. Yet I became a tiny piece of restoring hope in someone’s life. We all, along with everyone who worked on those homes, were small but mighty instruments in God’s plan for the people of Monte Lake—and for each other. I felt unified in spirit with everyone who worked on those homes and made restoration possible.