Mennonite women removed 45 tons of muck ‘with joy and singing’
Volunteers came to Vermont to help flood victims
By Paul Bean
Last week, Mennonite Disaster Relief Service sent a group of 15 volunteers from Virginia and Pennsylvania to help clean up the aftermath of the July 11 Barre floods.
Several people shared this Facebook photo with us here at the Vermont Daily Chronicle. Some of our viewers asked “what exactly is a Mennonite?” and “Why would they come to Vermont to help?” And, “What is with the dresses?”
Without diving too deep into theology and church history, it’s enough to say they share common historical roots with the Amish, with this key difference: “Mennonites believe in simple living but express that simplicity in a spirit of stewardship and awareness of the needs of others rather than completely separating from society as the Amish continue to do”. Vermont has active Mennonite (in Wolcott and other places) and Amish (Brownington) communities.
Apparently the Mennonite volunteers are quite aware of the needs of others, as shown here in Vermont during their July 28 – August 3 disaster relief trip to Vermont.
The women pictured above carried out 2700 buckets of muck from one homeowner’s basement in a single day. Their website says that is 45 tons of muck and they did it “with joy and singing,” and they left their client with a muck free basement and “tears in their eyes.”
Homeowners across flood-torn Washington County expressed gratitude to the volunteers.
”We are grateful for the love that we felt from all of you. I truly felt the kindness and kinship from all of you… Your presence at this time was a healing balm,” writes one Barre resident.
“The night of the flood we heard the sound of boulders being tumbled, in what is usually a babbling brook, and by the time we got our cars moved and a bag packed our house was surrounded and we couldn’t get out,” says a Barre resident who nearly lost their entire home to the July 11 floods.
“We listened to the sound of our deck and small barn rip away from our house, where we heard the crashing of the apartment building coming apart and we heard the bridge breaking up,” wrote the unnamed Barre resident.
The persistent natural disasters we are facing here in Vermont have been challenging, and downright depressing for many Vermonters. Vermonters are feeling neglected by their local Government considering the fact that many are still recovering from last year’s floods and the local government is still not making progress on what to actually do about the continued flooding. Many are feeling like they have nowhere to turn and there’s nothing we can do.
This Barre resident has learned, however, there is one place you can always put your faith.
“We listened to the sound of our deck and small barn rip away from our house, where we heard the crashing of the apartment building coming apart and we heard the bridge breaking up,” wrote the unnamed Barre resident. “We prayed and watched and we were fortunate to have a home when it was done… You will forever be in my grateful heart and prayers. Bless you all and know that you are bringing God’s love with you and it meant the world to us.”
The classic saying “a picture speaks 1000 words” could not be more true in this instance. To see 7 women standing there with muddy dresses and shovels spoke volumes to their commitment to their work and dedication to serving others and their larger human community.
Governor Phil Scott shared the photo and wrote: “We’ve been fortunate to have a number of groups helping with flood recovery through the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), for both last year and this year’s storms. This team is just one example of the incredible work being done – and the amount of help impacted Vermonters still need. There are still many who need help. To sign up to help your neighbors, visit www.vermont.gov/volunteer”
Another disaster victim wrote on Facebook “The Mennonites came and mucked out our basement and insulated the rafters for us at no cost. I can relate to the ‘tears in the eyes’ comment. Forever grateful.”
Many Vermonters understandably wonder just how much flooding is a for-real ‘Act of God.’ Whatever the case may be, it is clear that for both the givers and the receivers of flood-assistance provided by faith-based organizations, God is indeed at work in the State of Vermont.