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On the afternoon of Sept. 20, hundreds of former immigrants gathered in United Mennonite Church, St. Catharines, Ont. to give thanks to God for their safe journey to a new land 50 years ago.
A choir, with participants from several congregations, offered praises through sacred songs under the direction of Harris Loewen. Jack Dyck opened in prayer. He then mentioned the Chortitza oak tree, comparing its 700 years of growth to the resilience of immigrants that settled in a new homeland.
Henry Paetkau presented stories relating to the immigration. He came to Canada from Paraguay 40 years ago. Over 5600 World War II refugees, mostly from the former Soviet Union, streamed into Canada in 1947 and 1948. Some who went to South America were later able to join their families in Canada in the 1950s. Of the 8500 Mennonites who settled in Canada, about 1000 made their home in Ontario.
The keynote speaker, Ron Mathies, executive director of Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pa., spoke of the importance of "Remembrance, Gratitude and Service". Some memories, he said, are too painful to remember. His father still had nightmares from the terrifying events in the former Soviet Union. He urged his listeners to tell their stories to the next generations. He closed with the words of the psalmist, "Lord, you have been our refuge."
Jack Dyck reported that two official letters were sent. The first went to the Canadian prime minister, thanking Canada for providing a safe haven to the refugees. The second went to the German government, thanking it for giving an estimated 100,000 Mennonite "Aussiedler" an opportunity to make Germany their home in recent years.--Henry Hildebrandt
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