That was the buzz around the town of Princeton, B.C. in early December when the first 16 Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers arrived to help residents hard-hit by flooding in mid-November.
People in the town are “so exhausted,” said Princeton mayor Spencer Coyne. But knowing help was arriving put “a glimmer of hope in their eyes.”
The volunteers, who came from B.C., Alberta and Manitoba, spent a week helping residents pump out water, muck out basements and dispose of damaged items. 
As he drove around town, seeing the MDS vehicles “made me smile,” Coyne said. “I was grinning ear to ear.”
 
MDS: Responding in Christian love to those affected by disasters
https://mds.org/story/the-mennonites-are-coming/

This Advent season, we issue an invitation to celebrate the role of civil society — churches, voluntary citizens’ groups and other non-profit organizations — by joining MCC in encouraging our governments to protect and support their important work.
 
In a world of violence and injustice, living into hope is a faithful, courageous witness. For over 100 years, MCC has witnessed and walked alongside churches and grassroots organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North America who have modelled speaking out against violence and defending hope in the midst of injustice. In these contexts, hope is strong and audacious, radically demonstrating the upside-down order Jesus embodied: a Kingdom where children lead (Isaiah 11:6), the dead live (Matthew 28:6), the poor in spirit are blessed (Matthew 5:3) and the captives are set free (Luke 4:18). It is an Advent hope, an upside-down hope of waiting for and living into the Kingdom of God.
 
MCC - Relief, development, and peace in the name of Christ
 
https://mcccanada.ca/stories/defending-hope-midst-oppression

Two years ago, MCC launched Undercurrents, its first podcast telling in-depth stories from our program participants, staff, and partners in Ontario.
 
Episode 10 is about how and why MCC’s relief materials are created as gifts and the incredible story of how one such handmade item changed the life of a young teenager in a refugee camp over forty years ago. 
 
“All of the items that we’re sending are gifts. And when gift-giving, we want to always give our best.” - Jon Lebold, Material Resources Coordinator, Ontario
 
Listen to Episode 10: “Giving Gifts/Receiving Gifts” at https://anchor.fm/undercurrents/episodes/Ep-10-Giving-giftsreceiving-gifts-e18nk19
 
MCC - Relief, development, and peace in the name of Christ​