by Nancy M Bell
“The Birth,” Elsie prompted.
Sadie’s face lit up. “The Birth of Jesus Christ. I remember now.” She sighed in relief. “I believe, as the entirety of the Scriptures testifies, that Jesus Christ came from eternity with God, and was born of God. At the preordained time chosen for the salvation of the world, God sent his Son, conceived through the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Isaiah Chapter Seven Verse fourteen and Luke Chapter One Verse thirty-five. He came from heaven to earth as God in human form. First Corinthians Chapter Fifteen, John Chapter One, John Chapter Six and Timothy Chapter Three Verse sixteen. Jesus was pure and without sin. Hebrews Four. He remained the true God and human in one entity and has saved us through His sacrificial blood, His suffering and His death on the cross. Only through belief in Jesus do we attain heaven. Colossians Chapter Two Verse one, First Corinthians Chapter One Verse thirty and Philippians Chapter Two Verses ten to eleven.
“Next is The Church of God,” Sadie continued. “We believe that God has had, from the very beginning, a visible church or people, whom He loves. Acts Chapter One.”
“Teachers and Servants of the church?” Elsie prompted her to go on.
Sadie nodded, more confident now. “Teachers and servants of the church. We believe the Lord Jesus has ordained shepherds, teachers and deacons to lead the church of God with exemplary teaching and conduct. Mathew Ten and Second Timothy Chapter Two Verse one.” She paused. “The Holy Baptism. We believe Jesus Christ instituted baptism upon confession of faith. Mathew Twenty-eight and Mark Sixteen. The Lord’s Supper. We believe our Lord Jesus ordained a communion of bread and wine for his followers in remembrance of His great innocence, suffering and death, done for sinful mankind. It was out of His true love that He allowed Himself to be sacrificed on the cross and gave His life as a willing Lamb to carry the sins of the world. First John Chapter One and Colossians Chapter One.”
“You have been studying,” Elsie declared. “Do you want to take a break? I can go bring some lemonade from the house.”
“Let me do it. I need to stretch my legs.” Sadie rose with fluid grace. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
Elsie watched the tall slim young woman cross the shade and sunlight spangled grass. She got up herself and arched her back, holding the heels of her hands to the small of her back. The achiness and twinges of pain were the result of weeding and transferring the tomato plants from the cold frames to the garden. Things she’d been doing for years and now gradually the small tasks were becoming more and more arduous. Old age creeping up on her, she supposed. Elsie held her hands out in front of her, the wrists were slim, the fingers tapered and pleasing to look at still. She ran her hands over her waist and hips, still trim and only a tiny bit larger than when she was a younger woman. It pleased her to realize she had aged well and kept her looks intact over the years.
“Here we are, Oma.” Sadie returned with two glasses of lemonade. “I didn’t bring the pitcher in case the sweetness attracted the flies.” She handed Elsie a glass and sat down on the bench.
Elsie joined her and they sat sipping companionably for a few minutes while the birds sang and flitted through the spreading branches overhead. Wiping the condensation from the glass with a handkerchief, Elsie set the glass down beside her.
“Shall we carry on? Agnes will be back from the creek with the twins any time now.”
“Of course. The Washing of Feet is next, right?” Sadie asked.
Elsie nodded.
“The Washing of Feet. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savour, lay his robe aside and washed His disciples’ feet as a symbol of servanthood, whereby, He saved us and purified us from all sins. Therefore, as His followers, we should also serve one another with the same humility and love. John Thirteen.” She stopped and grinned. “Now, the one closest to my heart at the moment. Marriage. We believe God ordained marriage when He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and blessed them. Jesus also spoke various words regarding marriage. Genesis Chapter One Verse twenty-eight, Mathew Nineteen, First Corinthians Chapter Seven Verse thrity-nine, First Timothy Chapter Two Verse fifteen and Mathew Chapter Nineteen Verse six.
“The next one is a little dry, and I can see also how it may have gotten us Mennonites into tight situations in the past. But we have to stay true to the Word of God. Am I right, Oma?” Sadie raised an eyebrow in question.
Elsie nodded. “Yes, we must stay true to the tenets of our faith, even when that means going against government wishes and laws. We follow only God’s laws. Go on.”
Sadie frowned and thought for a moment, taking a sip of her drink. “The Government and Authority. We believe God has ordained the government and placed it in power, and all that oppose the government also oppose God’s ordination. However, in matters that go against the scriptures, we are to obey God rather than men. First Peter Two Verse fourteen, Romans Thirteen Verse four and Acts Five Verse twenty-nine.
“It’s kind of conflicted isn’t it? We need to obey the government, but then, only if their laws don’t contravene our beliefs and faith.”
“I agree. It does kind of say two things at once, but what we must remember is that, as Mennonites, we must always follow the Word of God and God’s laws.”
“Yes, Oma. I just had to puzzle over it for a while to come to truly understand what it was saying. Okay. Now. Revenge, Enmity and Non-resistance.”
“Yes,” Elsie prompted her. “Go on. We’re almost done.”
“Revenge, Enmity and Non-resistance. We believe Christians who have died to the world and were born again in God should not exercise revenge, but repay their enemies good for evil. Matthew Five Verse thirty-eight and Romans Twelve Verse nineteen to twenty-one.”
“The last one?” Elsie asked.
“Man’s Freewill.” Sadie nodded decisively. “We believe everyone has free will with which to choose between good and evil and death or life in Christ, for him or herself. Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty Verse fifteen and Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-one Verse eight. God will judge the world. The righteous will be rewarded and the unrighteous, who have not accepted Christ, will perish eternally. Titus Chapter Two Verse twelve and Matthew Twenty-five.”
“Very good, Sadie. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble when the pastor quizzes you.”
“There might be another question, one they asked your mother when it was her turn. ‘Is it necessary, then, to be born again, to be a true Christian?” Do you know how to answer that one?”
“I think so. Yes, without regeneration no one can see the kingdom of God. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that answer should do nicely.” Elsie patted her hand.
“Thanks, Oma. Oh, I hear the twins!” She laughed and got up to turn toward the house.
Elsie stood up as well gathering up the lemonade glasses. Agnes and the wet bedraggled twins came into sight through the gap in the caragana hedge. It was a pretty picture, Elsie thought, the bushes just starting to go golden with blossoms and the sun highlighting the shining faces flush with youth energy and happiness. “Oh, the innocence of childhood,” she whispered too low for anyone to hear.
“Sadie! Are you around here somewhere? I’m ready to go home,” Abram, Sadie’s brother, called from by the barn.
“Coming!” she answered.
Elsie accompanied her to the barn yard, stopping to kiss the twins on the head as she passed. “Hello, Abram,” she greeted her grandson. “Did you and Opa get the truck fixed?”
“Hi, Oma. Yes, I think we’ve got it in working order.” Her tall dark haired grandson kissed her cheek. “We need to get going. I still have the milking to do when I get back.”
“You run along then. Sadie and I are done now, too.”
“I’m going to run into Landmark to get some fuel and pick up the mail. Do you want to ride along?” Ike arrived, wiping his hands on an oily rag. “Right after I wash up.” He gave her that devilish grin that even after all these years turned her heart over.
“I have some things that need doi
ng, go on without me. I do hope there’s a letter from Sarah and Arnold. They should be in Mexico by now, don’t you think?”
“Depends on a lot of things, Elsie. You know that. Worrying over something never made it happen any faster. There’ll either be a letter or there won’t.” Ike walked away, stuffing the rag in his overall pocket as he went.
* * *
The house was quiet when the crunch of wagon wheels announced Ike’s return. He had taken the horse and buggy into town in order to save fuel. Fuel that could be put to better use in the farm equipment, although when times were a bit tight, the horse powered equipment was still used. The racket of magpies arguing over something in the yard brought a sigh to her lips. With the calendar turning from May to June in a week or so the early wheat would be entering the milk stage when the all-important kernel of grain would be developing. Then it would be a daily struggle to keep the flocks of marauding birds away. Most of the children were old enough now to help with that which would save the men precious time away from the myriad of other tasks which required their attention in the long summer days.
She got up to pour a cup of coffee for Ike at the sound of him scraping his boots at the back door. Opening the ice box Elsie took out the newly churned butter and set it on the table. The bread baked fresh this morning was in the wooden box, she took it out and sliced a few thick pieces, setting them on a plate and adding a small jar of last year’s Saskatoon jam. Which reminded her she needed to keep an eye on the strawberry patch. The first pale green berries were starting to blush pinkish red and soon it would be time to harvest the sweet fruits. There was nothing nicer than opening a jar of strawberry preserves in the dead of winter and eating a mouthful of summer while the winter winds raged outside.
“Let me take that. You sit and have your coffee.” Elsie took the handful of mail from Ike as he came through the door.
Ike handed it over without speaking. After sitting and taking a drink he slathered the brown bread with a thick layer of butter and jam. Elsie caught the amused look on his face out of the corner of her eye as she shuffled though the envelopes. After so many years together there was no chance she could fool him. She knew, he knew, she was anxious to see if the much anticipated letter from Sarah was in the bundle, but didn’t dare mention it and let her thoughts be known in case her hopes were dashed.
Elsie sorted the flyers from the other correspondence with trembling fingers. The letter had to be here, it just had to. Her heart leapt in her throat and a rush of excitement and relief flooded her when she came to the last envelope. From Sarah! Praise the Lord. Postmarked in some strange sounding place so they must have reached their destination and be settling in. For some unexplainable reason Elsie was reluctant to open the letter. While she held it in her hand unopened and unexplored, all things were possible both good and disappointing. Kind of like the idea Erwin Schrodinger talked about in 1935 with the theoretical cat in a box. Ike and Walter had discussed the paradox over the course on a long cold winter a few years ago. Heavens only knew why it stuck in her head. All Elsie had ever thought about was the poor cat. She sighed; even though there supposedly hadn’t really been any cat in a box with poison it still bothered her.
“Are you going to open that letter or just look at it?” Ike’s amused voice brought Elsie out of her wool gathering.
“Open it, of course. It’s just I’m both excited and scared to know what it says. What if Sarah’s sad and thinks she’s made a mistake? What if—”
“What if she’s happy and everything is wonderful?” Ike interrupted her. “Sit down and let’s open it together. You can read it to me.” Seeing the doubtful look on her face he added. “Or I can read it to you if you like?”
Elsie stroked the paper with her fingers and made a decision. “You read it. But wait until I go and get Agnes and Walter. They’ll want to hear the news too.”
“Fair enough.” Ike went back to finishing his coffee and snack, the letter lying by his plate.
By the time he was done everyone was gathered at the table. Taking his pocket knife Ike slit the envelope and took out the folded sheets of paper. Glancing around the table, he met Elsie’s gaze and lingered there a moment before taking the reading glasses out of his shirt pocket and perching them on his nose.
“Ready?” His gaze swept the occupants of the table one more time. When everyone nodded he unfolded the letter. “It’s dated May 7, 1947 and written someplace called Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico in the Manitoba Colony. Now that’s surely a mouthful isn’t it?” He paused and looked up.
“It all sounds so odd and strange. It doesn’t seem possible our Sarah could be living there,” Elsie said.
“Your parents most likely felt the same way when we went off to Paraguay and wrote home to them,” Ike replied.
“You’re probably right, but they never said a word about it to me, or to you.” Elsie frowned.
“Nor will we, to Sarah and Arnold. This is their decision and their life, and I’m sure God has a plan for them and this is part of it.” Ike resettled the spectacles on his nose. “I’ll read it straight through first, and then we can go back and read the parts any of you want to hear over again. So here’s what it says…
May 7, 1947
Manitoba Colony
Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico
Dear Mome and Pape and family,
We have made it to our new home! I must admit the journey was not as exciting as I thought it would be. At first it was, of course, but then it just seemed to take a very long time get to where we were going. I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining, just trying to give you an idea of how long and hot the travel was. Even though it is only May the temperature hovers in the mid 80s. I can’t begin to imagine what it will be like in July and August. Mary assures me we’ll get accustomed to the heat. Right now I’m not so sure. It’s wonderful to see Mary and her family again, it makes missing all of you a little easier.
We have our own small place, not much yet, just a couple of rooms but it is all ours and Mary is helping me make it more homey. We haven’t been allotted any land yet, but Arnold assures me it is only a matter of time. So far everyone has been very welcoming and we seem to be accepted quite willingly by the community. Some of rules are more strict than what they are at home in Manitoba and that will take some getting used to. But I’m sure in time I will not find any of the restrictions onerous.
Arnold and I saw some amazing things on our trip down here. We traveled from Winnipeg to St. Paul, Minnesota and honestly it didn’t look any different than Manitoba. I wasn’t fond of the train, too much jerking and the sound of the wheels on the iron rails made me grit my teeth. Some of the others found the clatter soothing, but it’s beyond me how that could be so. As we went further south the landscape became much different than what we were used to. We stopped briefly at some place called Topeka in the state of Kansas to change trains. It was a time of much upheaval and confusion getting everyone organized and all our belongings from one train to the next. Arnold made sure our few possessions were transferred without any problem, but some of the women complained later that boxes of theirs were missing. I must count myself lucky that Arnold took control of our things. The next leg of our trip took us out of Kansas with its flat landscape and into Oklahoma.
I must tell you about what happened as we crossed through Oklahoma. It was unbearably hot and the humidity was terrible. Then out of a clear blue sky these huge thunderheads appeared. They were beautiful, all white on top and darker belo,w silhouetted against that brilliant blue sky. But then the wind whipped up and there was so much dust and dirt blowing around a person couldn’t see out the windows. It howled and whined around the train and actually rocked the cars on the tracks. The children were crying and some of the women were weeping, the rest of us were praying. A few women wanted to stop the train and get off. They were sure the storm was a message from God that they should go home. Of course, the train couldn’t be halted and we carried on into the teeth of the
storm. Then the rain came, sheets and sheets of it. The land on either side of the tracks ran with water. The thunder was deafening, even over the roar of the wind and the sound of the train. And the hail! I have never seen anything like it. One instant the rain was sluicing down and the next the world outside my window turned white and huge balls of ice hammered on the roof making communicating impossible. Everything outside was smashed and flattened by the hail. Lightning was the only illumination as the world was dark as night except for the lightning and the balls of ice bouncing off the car. I’m not ashamed to say I was afraid and prayed for our deliverance. I clung to Arnold and although I could tell he was frightened as well, he was very brave and it made me feel a bit safer.”
Ike paused to look around at her audience. “They must have made it through safely or Sarah wouldn’t be writing us about it, but it sounds like a horrible storm. Now, where were we? Ah yes…
“Some of the coach windows were actually smashed by the hail. I didn’t think it could get any worse, but it did. The sky was a strange black-blue colour and the clouds looked like they were touching the ground. Everything had a weird greenish cast when the hail finally stopped. At first I thought the worst was over. It was still raining very hard and the wind hadn’t let up a bit, but the noise was less. It was still thundering and lightning and then, oh it was the most strange and terrifying thing I’ve ever seen, a thick finger of cloud poked down out of the bottom of this huge low cloud that took up the entire sky, and then the finger seemed to twist around itself, getting longer and shorter and then lengthening again. Suddenly it seemed to make up its mind and it reached out and made contact with the earth. Later the conductor told us it had been a least a mile away from the tracks, but at the time it looked like it was very close. The wind swirled around the angry looking cloud finger and picked up all sorts of things that got in its way. It ripped up a whole fence line of barbwire and flung it around like a child’s toy. The posts and wire tangling itself like a skein of wool. Small trees, of which there weren’t many where we were at the time, got plucked out of the ground and shot way up into the air before being carried away or dropped like matchsticks.