Echoes from July, 2016 - Emmaus Mennonite Church

E m m a u s Me n n o n i t e Ch u rc h
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
J ul y , 2 0 1 6
E MMAUS E CHOES
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Family Fun!
1
Boot Camp
2
Testimonies
3
German Bible
School
7
Allen-Entz
Wedding
8
Remembering…..
9
Youth News
10
New in the Library
11
“Globe Trotter”
12
Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a
pure heart, O God,
and renew a
steadfast spirit
within me.”
Friday afternoon, June 24th found the William Busenitz family arriving at
Quaker Haven Camp in Ark City. Karen, Janelle, Alan, Lisa, and Melvin’s respective families were able to attend the weekend reunion -- sending love
across the ocean to Cheryl’s family. It didn’t take long before the vehicles
were unloaded and 24 grandchildren were exploring the campgrounds. Due
to the summer heat, the swimming pool was deemed the perfect kick-off activity for the evening.
Saturday dawned to find a long line of children eager to ride the giant slide.
Even some of the adults joined in the action! After a hearty breakfast we gathered in the chapel for a morning devotional led by Melvin. The morning was
filled with competition for the guys – miniature golf & Frisbee – while the ladies visited, watching the younger children. The weather gradually heated up
and by the afternoon everyone was ready to head back to the swimming
pool.
Saturday evening we gathered in the chapel for a night of talents, skits, and
games. A few of the highlights included Melvin’s family sharing a lively rendition of ‘The Three Little Pigs’, the younger granddaughters performed a tea
party skit, and Anna Binder amazed us with a stunning demonstration of
spray-can art.
Sunday morning Alan shared a devotional and led the family in a time of reflection and sharing about Mom’s life and lasting impact. Many stories were
recounted of her thoughtful mothering and words of wisdom. Meaningful
Scriptures were read and it was a special time of thanking the Lord for giving
us such a gracious wife, mother, and grandmother.
Sunday evening arrived – and with it, a downpour
of rain. As the sun was setting, a vibrant rainbow
burst upon the sky giving us a perfect backdrop for
a family photo. The time together flew quickly as
we packed up and headed back to the Emmaus
Church on Monday. A few lively games of basketball, a pizza party, and hugs all around concluded a
wonderful weekend together.
-- Rachel Busenitz
Emmaus Echoes
P age 2
Armed with coffee in one hand, and Mountain Dew in
the other, 3 couples waited the arrival of 20 middle
schoolers for the annual Boot Camp. They arrived
promptly at 4pm and quickly settled into a competitive
game of 9 square. Mark Binder, the missionary for VBS,
shared with the kids about the potential that was in the room,
but that they would only change the world if they allowed their
lives to be open and obedient to Christ. Later that afternoon the
kids filled up on snacks and enjoyed more games. Jenna kept
everyone well-fed all weekend!
Ethan Penner was the special speaker for the weekend. His
humor and intellect was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Ethan challenged the kids to find the “Ah-Ha”, or light bulb, moments, and
the “Huh?”, or questions they had from his talks. Ethan talked
about the importance of knowing the whole
CONTEXT of scripture and how that affects our
understanding. He also shared about how we
need to be ALIVE and followers of Christ before
we can actually live out the Christian life. Lastly,
he spoke about how crucial it is for us to put on
the full “armor of God” and be prepared to fight
against Satan TOGETHER.
These 7th and 8th graders were eager to start
the next day as most arrived before the intended
start of the activities. They geared up for the day with some cinnamon rolls and 9 square...again! Zach and
Meghan Entz did a terrific job of leading the singing and worship for each of the sessions. Later that morning, armed with colored bandanas, the kids broke out their competitive spirits and challenged each other in
the Amazing Race. Kids were running everywhere finishing puzzles, eating
M&Ms, finding gum in whipped cream pies, and popping water balloons to retrieve and rearrange letters to spell out the hidden phrase. Alan & Katie also
helped organize a craft session where the kids were able to put their skills to
use and make items that will be found in kids Christmas boxes all over the
world this winter. The boys contributed 50 jump ropes, and
the girls painted about 50 washers with unique designs for
necklaces. The afternoon consisted of trying to unthaw a
frozen t-shirt before the other teams, Balloon Defense and
Ball Tag. It was a great weekend of fun, food, and fellowship. - Ashley Busenitz
P age 3
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
On June 19th, we as a church body were privileged to formally welcome 14 members into our fellowship. In the last edition of the Echoes, we printed five of their testimonies and this month we have
printed five more.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…”
Adam Thiessen - I was saved at the young age of 3 or 4. One night when my dad was doing devotions
with me he was able to help me understand that Christ died for my sins. I then prayed and asked Jesus to save me from my sins. I have attended Emmaus Church for almost all my life. The Sunday
school teachers at Emmaus have taught me a lot about Christ. I attended Frontier School of the Bible
for a year of Bible teaching. There I met Jenna.
I wish to become a member of Emmaus Church so I can be held spiritually accountable to the church
elders and other members of the church.
My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord plans to prosper you
not to harm you plans to give you a hope for the future.”
Jenna Thiessen - I grew up in a Christian home in rural Pennsylvania, attending church and Awana
club. At the age of 6, I prayed to ask Jesus into my heart. At the age of 8 years old, my world was rattled by my parents divorce. My mom sought refuge in moving to New York and brought my little sister
and I with her. While in New York we began attending the catholic church. As the years went by I began seeking acceptance in all the wrong places. As I entered my teenage years, I began rebelling
against authority and the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my heart. I knew the choices I was making were
wrong. At the age of 16 the Lord moved us back to my home town in PA and I began attending the
church I grew up in. One evening the Lord got a hold of my heart and I felt the Spirit working in my
life. I rededicated my life to the Lord.
After graduation I felt the Lord leading me to work in the kitchen at a local summer camp, Miracle
Mountain Ranch. After summer camp the Lord led me to attend their school of discipleship. Over the
course of two years, God worked with me through a lot of issues in my heart. As I healed and became
more aware of who I was in Christ, I chose to be baptized at the end of the summer of 2002. My life
verse became 2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has
gone, the new is here!”
After my second year at Miracle Mountain Ranch, the Lord sent me to work at Sunshine Bible Academy in Miller, SD for a year as their head cook. I learned to trust God through the unknown as I had
no idea where I was going and had never met anyone from the school. The Lord taught me to trust
and rely fully on his strength through all things. While at Sunshine I learned about Frontier School of
the Bible but I didn't start attending until 2006, 1 year after I left Sunshine.
God led me to Frontier at the exact right time to meet Adam while I was there. We were married in
2007. After attending Burns Countryside Church for several years. we began seeking a church with a
bigger children’s program. Emmaus seemed to fit that need and since attending we have felt that
need met very well. I have seen our kids grow in the Lord and desire to know more about Him from
the teaching in the Sunday school classes. I desire to become a member of Emmaus alongside Adam
to grow deeper in my walk with the Lord and have the church congregation to come behind us and
hold us accountable as we raise our kids in the Lord.
P age 4
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
Leah Busenitz - Good morning, my name is Leah Busenitz, I am the wife of Aaron Busenitz. Like many of
you I grew up in a Christian home and was involved in my church and Wednesday night. I accepted the
Lord when I was 7 after hearing a message about salvation at Rescue Mission. I was baptized when I
was 14 years old. I always knew I was a Christian, but it was not until I was in high school that I was
starting to realize the true meaning of also living like a Christian and not just saying it. I have been able
to seek out God’s Word for answers and continue to seek His word when questions arise. As I have gotten older there have been trials along the way, and looking back on these I know the Lord put them in
my life to make me learn and grow in Him. About a year ago my family was going through a very difficult
time with my parents and their marriage. The Lord has shown his faithfulness, and that he is truly in control even though we don’t know what the future holds. Knowing that Christ is in control, and is always
with us even on our darkest of days, has been the most profound thing to witness walking through a valley this last year. A verse that has helped me throughout my Christian walk is Isaiah 41:10 which says
“so do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help
you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” This verse is an encouragement and constant reminder the Lord is always with me and is there with me through all of life. The Lord has also given me
the opportunity to travel to India and Zimbabwe to serve and reach the lost with medical missions and I
can see that Emmaus Church has a passion for missions and reaching those who have not heard the
gospel. I want to be a part of helping to reach the lost here and also abroad and a part of the church
body to further His kingdom. Thank you.
Aubrie Wiebe - Jesus Christ has always been the center of my parents’ home and therefore, early on in
life, became the foundation of my life and hope. I accepted Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior at a
young age and received the forgiveness and victory provided to me by his sacrificial death and resurrection. I was blessed to not only grow up in a family that followed the Lord, but also to receive a Christian
education for most of my pre-collegiate years. In this time, the Lord began to mold and found me in the
Truth of His Word.
Due to various circumstances, however, my college years were some of the most transformational
in my life. We must be careful when we tell the Lord, “Do whatever it takes to make me surrendered and
usable.” He will. And, if we accept His leading and pruning, we will never truly be the same. Through those
years, the Lord asked me to give up some things in my life, including people, comforts, and maybe most
difficult of all, some misconceptions of Him that I had. He led me further in my walk with Him, grew me in
sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life, and gave me a deeper love for His Word which so evidently proved to be “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). He also stretched me in my concept and comfort
levels in ministry. I began to see that my solid and seemingly insignificant upbringing did not in fact make
for a boring testimony but for a powerful foundation on which to minister to those around me who were
hurting and in need. My whole life I had been given so many spiritual tools, now it was time to get to work.
My spiritual eyes were also opened in a whole new way to the gift of God’s Holy Spirit who indwells me as
a believer. I was not on my own in life and ministry! I had the Spirit of God to prompt, lead, and empower
me continually.
After college, I got the chance to move to Houston, TX, and be part of an inner-city discipleship
and refugee missions team. This experience opened my eyes to the spiritual darkness and the unseen
battle that rages around us. I learned the importance of putting on the Spiritual Armor of Ephesians 6,
and of taking my stand on the Word of God. The Lord continued to stretch and train me in those times. He
showed me that, as a believer, no matter my position, job, education, or financial ability, I have been entrusted with the full-time, life-long calling to advance the kingdom of God by first being His disciple as well
as by making disciples in the world around me. Since that time, I have continued to experience that there
is so much more to being a Christian. We were never meant to function simply as a cultural religion, but a
passionate Body of Christ eager to tell the nations of the Hope that has come.
After moving back to Kansas, God brought Troy and I back together, and has since then blessed
us with a little girl and a wonderful church family. The past 3 years, I have been both challenged and so
encouraged by being a part of the Emmaus Church Body. I would like to continue to be a part of the fellowship and ministry of this church by becoming a member.
P age 5
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
Ben Reed – I grew up in a great godly home near Columbus, Ohio. My parents are both Christians
and provided me with a Christ-centered home to grow up in, a supportive church family to worship
with, and surrounded me with extended family members and friends who contributed to my spiritual
foundation in my early years. I came to repent of my sins and accept Christ as my savior when I was
6 years old. I recall waiting on my parents after church one Sunday so I started reading through some
of the Bible tracts on the wall. There was one in particular that really convicted me of how Christ truly
died for all sins and that I needed him as my personal savior. That evening after my sisters were in
bed, I went back out into the living room and showed my parents the tract that I had picked up that
morning. They asked me some more questions and then I repented of my sins, believed in God, and
accepted Christ as my savior. Soon thereafter, I was baptized in that same church and publically professed my commitment to God.
There have been many spiritual experiences in my life that have been challenging, foundational, and encouraging. One that has been impactful was our move from Ohio to Kansas. My parents
both sensed the Spirit leading them to be missionaries, but neither one talked to each other about it.
Eventually they could bear the calling no more and talked to one another about what God was telling
them. To their surprise both of them had felt the same calling to be missionaries. They decided to
pursue the job change and less than 6 months later we were living in Kansas and my parents were
AWANA missionaries. During this time I recognized that there is power when we are willing to listen to
and follow the instructions of the Spirit.
Another formidable spiritual experience was my time at Berean. I am thankful to God and the
entire faculty and support staff for their commitment to providing a Christ-centered education. It is
truly a mission field and it was a safe place for me to learn more about God, His Word, and to practice living out my faith on a daily basis.
My faith became very personal for me while I was attending Cedarville University in Ohio. My
first year was the most challenging spiritually because I was confronted with a question. It was not
about salvation, but rather about sanctification. Was I truly willing to make God the center of my life
and pursue a deeper relationship with Him? After much searching, reading, being discipled by several men, and praying, I made the conscious choice to make God the center and committed to growing in knowledge and faith of Him. I think sanctification is very important for the young people of Emmaus to consider, especially those who are graduating from high school and perhaps moving out of
the home. It is a choice to be sanctified in Christ. Take the time to pray, reflect, and seek the council
of others so that you can continue to deepen your walk with Christ when away from the spiritual comforts of home.
Now, as a husband and father my mission field has become more personal. Although I have
much to learn and improve on, it is blessing to be the leader of our family and to make God the center of it. This brings me to my motivation for wanting to become a member of Emmaus Church. Emmaus provides such an opportunity for spiritual growth as a young family. Lisa and I are able to receive wisdom and knowledge from those older than us each week in Sunday School and in our conversations with you after church. For our boys, we recognize the wonderful children’s ministry that so
many of you contribute to every week and we thank you for that. It is also powerful to see how many
of you serve the church in many different roles. As a member, I would like to also do my part in service to the church.
Another reason I want to be a part of the Emmaus church body is your commitment to Missions. It is obvious through your prayers, regular missions updates, and giving that you find the
spreading of the Gospel a priority. I too would like to be one who supports the advancement of the
Gospel with you at Emmaus. Thank you for your willingness to accept me as a member and your support for Lisa and I as we raise our family at Emmaus.
Emmaus Echoes
On Sunday afternoon, June
12, a beautifully decorated
Hearth Room at Emmaus
was the setting for a Bridal
Shower honoring Stephanie
Entz. Aubrie Wiebe shared a
devotional applying the fruit
of the Spirit to marriage. Delicious refreshments
of cupcakes, crackers & cheese, fresh fruit & dip
and sherbet punch were served. Stephanie received a wonderful array of gifts to "set-up a
household" as she and Kevin Waldschmidt prepare for an August wedding. "Out of town"
guests for the shower included Patty Waldschmidt (Kevin's Mom), Julie Waldschmidt
(Kevin's sister) and Reta Wiens (Kevin's Grandmother). The shower was hosted by Genia,
Ellie, Hannah, Abby,& Annie Entz, Meghan Entz,
Addie Entz, Briana Entz, Nancy Entz, Margie
Busenitz and Leslie Busenitz.
P age 6
As another way to encourage
keeping missions alive before
our kids, the Missions Committee held a contest during
Missions Conference. The
kids were given a quiz with
questions about our missionaries on it. Upon completion, the quizzes were graded. Those who answered all
of the questions correctly had the opportunity to go
out for pizza with our Missions Committee President,
Jon Wiebe. Sunday noon, June 26, the first group
(Everet Busenitz, Grant Busenitz, and Jace Unruh) enjoyed a great meal at Pizza Hut! A lot of pizza and pop
was devoured and Jon provided a fun time for the
boys, with even a stop at El Dorado Lake. The next
group of Luke & Seth Binder and Jill Busenitz is set to
go out for pizza soon. Thanks to Jon and the Missions
Committee!
And Kids, Keep Praying for our Missionaries!
On June 25, 2016, a group of women, young girls, and a few little boys, from the
Emmaus Church family, the Gilmore-Vogt family, and the Herbert Busenitz family, willingly
set aside their Saturday morning chores for a few hours in order to celebrate the soon arrival of Josh and Sylvia (Busenitz) Gilmore's baby boy. Sylvia's sisters, Rachel Wiebe, Angela
Nusz, Lavonn Adolphson, and sisters-in-law, Katie and Amanda Busenitz, decorated our
Hearth Room in a camp-out theme, featuring such items as a wicker picnic basket, lanterns, flashlights,
lawn chairs, sleeping bags, a fire pit and logs lit with white Christmas lights, and even enameled camp
dishes full of trail mix for the guest tables. The girls also prepared a delicious breakfast of freshly fried pancakes with all kinds of toppings to chose from, such as butter, syrup, strawberries, chocolate chips, peanut
butter, honey, etc., plus coffee and orange juice to drink.
Deb Gilmore and Patti Busenitz, the grandmothers, told a few facts and details about Josh and Sylvia
at the time of their births and early childhood. Sisters Rachel, Angela, and Lavonn then acted out a humorous skit, imagining how this new son, whom we call "Pip", might behave if he inherits the personality traits
his parents displayed in their childhood. We all enjoyed lots of laughs watching "Pip's" antics!
For the devotional, Katie Busenitz read the words of wisdom and encouraging advice sent to her by
many female relatives of the new parents-to-be. Sylvia and Josh now possess a wealth of parental instruction to refer to in times of need, shared from the hearts and experiences of their grandmothers, aunts,
cousins and mothers.
Next, Deb and Patti were invited to pray over Sylvia and the baby, dedicating the little one and his
parents to the Lord and His care and guidance.
The final activity was opening and showing off the many sweet and
useful baby gifts, around the "campfire", with the help of the little girls
as carriers.
It was a fun morning for all of us!
Emmaus Echoes
P age 7
The History of the German-Bible School at Emmaus
When the Emmaus Church started in 1876 with a number of families from a church in
Germany, it was a very close knit group among their American neighbors. The German
language was part of their ethnic culture that they wanted to hold on to, at least for
awhile. (Some had learned some English in Germany.) So in time they built a school
house and a barn for the horses about 1/4 mile west of the old church location for the
purpose of a German-Bible school.
At that time English school was out on April 20 after eight months of public school. On
the next Monday, German-Bible school started at 9:00 am until 4:00 pm for six weeks. Our curriculum
was Bible history and catechism, reading, grammar, dictation (spelling), and writing assignments all in the
old German script. We also memorized Bible verses and songs.
Our drinking water was carried in a bucket by two boys from the church where there was a hand pump.
Sometimes we carried our lunch 1/4 mile to the north to Albert Classens pasture and ate our lunch under
the trees. In the school room, only German was spoken. On the play ground, some teachers let us speak
English. There was no playground equipment, so we played a lot of running games and "Andy Over" and
baseball.
In my years, we had one man teacher for two years, Peter Unruh from Hillsboro whom we called "der
Weiser Petru" because he always wore a white shirt, and one lady teacher from Zion, Agathe Andres. All
the other teachers were from our church. Our German-Bible School operated for over 60 years.
As the German language diminished to only one German song per church service, it was decided to discontinue the German school in the early 1940's. The barn was dismantled and the school building was
sold and moved to Whitewater. It can be seen on east Central between the streets of Maple and Walnut
on the north side of the street. It is a garage now.
Some concluding thoughts: For me, it was a good experience. German is a much easier language to learn
than English because it is a phonetic language. I can read the German Bible which is considered as one
of the better translations. We spoke German in our home and in 1977, my wife and I
took an extended tour in Europe and we could communicate well. - Walter Busenitz
Janice Entz found some interesting newspaper clippings in her late mother Hilda Entz'
belongings. Here is a summary:
On June 1, 1932, Emmaus Mennonite Church hosted a Song Festival for all the Western District Conference of Mennonite Churches. It seems this was a yearly event and participating churches rotated to host
the event.
Our church building back then held 750 people and was filled to capacity. The overflow congregated in a
tent in the church yard which seated 1500. This was still not enough as the remainder of the 3000, yes
three thousand attendees, sat in cars or milled about on church property!
On my count there were about 29 churches that participated. There was an afternoon program that
started at 3:00 P.M and an evening session which started at 7:30 P.M. The afternoon session was
started out by the Emmaus men’s choir and the evening session by the Emmaus ladies choir. Imagine
that in pre air-conditioning times!
Another interesting note was the driving directions coming from Newton. Drive six miles south on highway
81, then 13 miles east on a sand road, and then another 2 miles north to the church. Sure glad we have
now an asphalt road which now is called Highway 196.
- Linda Wiebe
P age 8
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
Thomas Allen and Annette Entz
Our wedding invitation read, “God has lead two lives to take one path.” Sometimes you
have to wait a long time for those paths to meet. With a little help from Aunt Eleanore
Myers, we met for our first date on January 27, 2016. From that date there was no
doubt in either of our minds that God had brought us together.
Thomas works in maintenance at Presbyterian Manor and both of us volunteer on Sundays, pushing wheelchairs to both the morning and evening services. We knew that we
wanted to include the Residents but we wanted a small wedding and Aunt Elaine Claassen jokingly said that we would have to get married at Presbyterian Manor Chapel because we would not be able to bus all the Residents to Emmaus. The idea stuck! We
got permission and started planning for a May 28th wedding.
Since the Chapel is so small we had no attendants and retired Pastor Steve Schmidt,
also a resident, married us. He was the pastor at Emmanuel Mennonite Church in La
Junta, Colorado where Thomas has attended.
Since we wanted to include the Residents, all who have a special place in our hearts,
during the reception, Darla Entz, who works in the dietary department, got a large cart
and with the help of Stefany, Steve and my nieces, they delivered cake to each of the
Residents rooms.
We could not have made this happen as quickly as it did without help from lots of great
family and friends. Sharon Block made my dress and we had lots of help with the cakes
and cookies for both receptions.
We had some very important people
missing from the wedding. Thomas’
mom was having back problems and
so his parents were not able to attend. His sister and her husband came
from Colorado along with some very
good friends.
We left both receptions in Thomas’
bright yellow ’39 Chevy pickup.
Emmaus Echoes
P age 9
O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 136:1
Darla Jan was born to Victor and Viola Koehn on November 12, 1960. She joined
a family of three girls. Two years later, another girl was born, making the family complete with five sisters. Growing up on a dairy farm in Galva, Kansas, Darla had many
memories of milking cows with her sisters every morning and evening. Darla’s favorite jobs on
the farm were driving tractor and working in the fields. At age ten, Darla accepted Christ as her
Lord and Savior at CEF Camp Good News, the same camp that she and Dennis would later direct. Darla
graduated from Bethel College with an Associate’s Degree in business.
For several years, Darla attended CEF Camp Good News in Arkansas City as both a camper and a counselor. It was at Camp Good News that Darla caught the eye of another counselor, Dennis Busenitz.
Three years later, Dennis and Darla were married on August 3, 1985. After their marriage, Darla joined
Dennis in his ministry as director of Camp Good News. Together they continued in this ministry to children for 30 years.
Darla had a passion for ministering to young children and sharing the gospel message of Christ with
them. In addition to her ministry with Camp Good News, Darla taught Release Time Bible School at various Newton schools. She also greatly enjoyed teaching Sunday School at Emmaus Church.
God blessed Dennis and Darla with two children, Todd and Alisha. Darla dedicated her time to being a
farmwife and homemaker for her family, as well as homeschooling her two children. Darla taught her
children well and played a key role in leading both Todd and Alisha to a saving knowledge of Christ. In
2009, Darla welcomed daughter-in-law Becca into her family. In the coming years, much to Darla’s delight, her family grew to include two grandchildren. Elena and Trevor brought much joy into Darla’s life
as she became the favorite babysitter and friend for these two little ones.
At age 55, Darla passed into the presence of her Lord and Savior on June 2, 2016 at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice—Via Christi, Wichita. She was preceded in death by her parents. Darla is survived by her
husband, Dennis Busenitz of Newton; a son, Todd Busenitz and his wife Becca of Newton; a daughter,
Alisha Busenitz of Kinsley; sisters: Chris Nachtman of Hoisington; Becky Pyle of Hillsboro; Ann Koehn of
Moundridge; and Erlene Willhite and her husband Jerry of Wichita; two grandchildren: Elena and Trevor;
and four foster siblings: Brandy, Christopher, Salena, and Crystal.
Wilma Marie Friesen was born May 8, 1921, in Whitewater, Kansas, to Willie and Catherine (Wiebe)
Harder. She died Friday, May 20, 2016, in Talihina, Oklahoma, at the age of 95 years.
Wilma was reared and educated in Whitewater, Kansas, and graduated with the Whitewater High
School Class of 1940. After high school she attended Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, and
graduated in 1947. Wilma was strong in her faith and was baptized at Emmaus Mennonite Church in
Whitewater. She married Peter Z. Friesen on August 9, 1955, in Aberdeen, Idaho.
Wilma spent most of her working life as an Ordained Missionary for Avant. She had a variety of pastimes such as reading, cooking, sewing, and telling stories to her children and grandchildren. Above all,
she was a prayer warrior and loved sharing the Lord with people any opportunity she had.
Loving family members include: husband–Peter Z. Friesen, of the home, daughters-Winnona
Brush and husband Ron, of Owasso, Lynette Hinton and husband Geoffrey, of Talihina,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many adopted spiritual grandchildren.
Emmaus Echoes
P age 1 0
On June 6, the youth group met in El Dorado at the splash park to begin their annual biking
party. After everyone had assembled and found a bike that worked or had been repaired, the
group set off on the bike path heading in the direction of the El Dorado lake overflow. Upon arrival
at the overflow, some jumped in the water and began swimming. When Charisa arrived with pizza,
watermelon, chips, candy, Oreos, and pop, everyone was eager to eat. As supper was drawing to a
close, a few people had yet to take the opportunity to get wet, so they were helped out. After the
food was loaded back into Joe and Charisa’s van, the bikers set out to explore more paths and find
an easier route home that had a lower grade incline. We finished off the party with a stop at
Braum’s.
Throughout this month the youth group got together
several other times. One night we had the last Bible
study of the year. The girls finished a study on Esther by
Beth Moore, and the boys finished reading through the
New Testament. The youth group surprised Josh and
Ashley with a diaper shower in honor of their newborn
son, Jude, after we were done with Bible study. Sporadically throughout the month the youth group also gathered at church to play volleyball.
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- Salin
Center
Last month, Cory Klaassen and I went to San Diego on a summer
ministry trip with CRU. The first few days we had training and
learned many things like how to present the Gospel to people. We
learned how to give our testimony effectively, including Scripture
verses. Then we went out on the beach and on the campus of the
University of California at San Diego and witnessed to students. I
visited awhile with an atheist student and ended our conversation
with giving him a tract. With another student, I went thru the pamphlet "Knowing God Personally" and he seemed interested, but
needed more time to think about it. One day we went to the homeless people and talked with them about Jesus. This trip helped me
personally to present the Gospel better to people. There were 23
students in our group and I met a lot of great people.
- Loren Pearce
P age 1 1
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s ue 7
New in the Library
Do your kids like Adventures in Odyssey? Then they will LOVE the new CD series: Jonathan
Park. Each set contains an action-packed adventure, featuring the Park family, in which they travel the
world finding evidence to support creation, while teaching detailed science lessons along the way. Great
for car trips, too!
Jonathan Park CD series
The Hunt for Beowulf
No Locking Back
The Journey Never Taken
The Voyage Beyond
The Winds of Change
The Explorer's Society
What's in the Bible
Children's DVD
Children's Books
The Treasure Tree by Trent and Smalley
The Sunflower Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs
The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs
Adult Books
Horsin' Around with Edith by Bill Chupp
The Hidden Flame by Davis Bunn, Jeanette Oke
The Damacus Way by Davis Bunn,, Jeanett Oke
They Say We are Infidels by Mindy Belz
This is a heartrending story of what believers in the Middle East face as they live under
ISIS terrorism. Wendy Belz, editor of World Magazine, records the interviews she had with many people
in this terror torn part of the world. She personally traveled behind enemy lines to get the story of the
plight of believers in the these countries. Since we are familiar and pray for Hala and the church in Damascus as a church body, you will be prompted to pray more diligently for the refugees that come to that
church after you read this book.
Adult DVDs
Gifted Hands: the Ben Carson Story
God's Outlaw: the Story of William Tyndale
This DVD is a good portrayal of William Tyndale's life and work in printing the Bible so even the lowly
"plough boy" had access to it. Tyndale desired that all people, even the commoners, should have access
to the Bible and lived in hiding as he ran an illegal printing press. Eventually he was found out and gave
his life in Christian martyrdom.
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s u e 7
P age 1 2
Globe Trotter (continued from the June issue. By Linda Wiebe)
We took a Biblical Study Tour in Israel with Dr. Jim Congdon, our
host, from Topeka Bible Church.
On May 23rd our eldest daughter drove us to a hotel near the
Wichita airport so we could spend the night there instead of getting up at 03:00 in the middle of the night. Our hotel was a bit
hard to find because it underwent a name change and the place
was under remodeling. It looked quite deserted and the automatic sliding doors would not open. After asking an outdoor
painter, he assured me that yes, the hotel was open for business. Having pried the doors open with my fingers, nobody was
at the check-in desk. Eventually we made it to our room, clear
on top, even though it was pretty dead in the hotel. The room was very nice but no hair dryer! That was
one thing I was counting on. Another trip back to the desk, and ‘no’ the previous owners took all the
hairdryers out and they weren’t replaced. All I could think was: ‘Perhaps someone on your staff can run
to Walmart and buy one?’. So, the next morning I walked out the door looking like a hobo for the next
24 hours. Onward to Israel!
We flew from Wichita to Minneapolis to JFK. We got there way before everyone else of our group of 46
from Topeka Bible Church. Since we had a confirmation number, we thought we could check in at ElAl
and get at least through security and sit down somewhere. Not so. They made us get back out of line
since they were checking people in for a 7:00 pm flight. Ours didn’t leave until midnight. So, there we
stood for several hours. Not a bench or chair to sit on. All I could think of was how the setting looked
like the Brussels airport. Masses of people coming of the street and clogging up the entrance area. It
was interesting to watch people though. All the Jewish orthodox families walking by and their interesting mix of English/Hebrew/Jiddish language. I did see a lot of them having flip phones but could not detect a smart phone amongst them.
Finally the rest of our group came trickling in. Some would meet us in Tel Avive from Africa. We also
had Canadians and Californians in our group beside the Kansans. The approx. eleven + hour plane flight
in it self across the ocean was torture as usual, except made worse by the miniscule 3 oz of beverages
they provided. You could ‘beg’ for more at the galley after climbing over your seat buddy if you thought
it necessary. Seat space was ridiculously narrow, in width and length. Try eating with your elbows ducktaped to your waist, that’s how tight it was. We had no choice in seat assignments, Myron sat by the
window and I in the middle.
We arrived in Tel Aviv sometime in late afternoon. Now, we were warned that the natives can and will
appear rude to our American eyes. We were not disappointed! No orderly lines here! It was like a giant
sluice, no signs where to go. The whole mass of people ended up in a giant knot with very pushy Israeli
nationals constantly pushing and passing us by. Eventually some big Kansas guys deliberately blocked
people so it became even tighter. It was almost comical. Eventually we made it through customs and
met our local Israeli tour guide named Mickey and the Palestinian/Christian bus driver, Anise. These two
men Dr. Congdon always requests for his tours. We traveled a short distance to the city of Netanya and
entered the most posh hotel ever! A suite. It had a separate bedroom, living room, kitchenette two
bathrooms and a giant balcony overlooking the Mediterranean. So sad we only got to spend one short
night. We had dinner before we walked the pier and called it night. The next morning an early start at
06:15 had us packing, then breakfast and off to the bus.
(cont. on page 13)
V o l um e 6 9 , I s s u e 7
P age 1 3
(cont. from p. 12) I have to mention what was served at breakfast every morning. All our meals were
buffet style. So there are so many choices and so different from American cuisine. Different kinds of
cold fish, Greek yogurts in different fat contents, dates, fruit, breads, sweet rolls, raw vegetables,
cheeses, poppy-seed bread, nut bread and coffee, tea, orange juice, grape juice or water. No soda pop
anywhere. Coffee was not available for dinner unless specially ordered and paid for. Dinner had its
meats, raw vegetables and cooked vegetables, olives, Pita bread and humus, fruits, mushrooms and
soups. If it is healthy, they served it! Then the desserts… cheese cakes, pastries, some gelatinous white
Greek yogurt (my favorite) tarts and cakes. Yes, I sampled it all! I also noticed the fat people were the
tourists.
Every morning Pastor Jim had a devotional and prayer on the bus, we sang songs and then the top 10!
These were quotes and quips the leaders overheard people say during the previous day. These were
quite hilarious! A cooler in front of the bus provided cold bottled water for $1.00. You could buy every
time a new bottle or just refill the old one at a drinking fountain at one of our many stops. At every sight
we stopped, scripture was read from the Bible that pertained to the area we visited. The Bible stories
came alive for us! We were asked to bring snacks to share on the bus. Everyone brought way too much
but we finally managed to get rid of our two pound bag of pre-packaged M&M’s. Most of the other
stuff came back home. We were warned, and I totally forgot, to bring wash-rags. Strangely enough the
fancier hotels don’t provide them. Also the special electric H-converter we borrowed from Brenda
Harder was a tremendous help. It was our only way to stay in touch with our families via Telegram and
Skype. The bus had Wi-Fi but it never worked for me very well. All hotels had Wi-Fi in the rooms.
We can claim that we walked on the African continent and also on the Asian continent, so cool. The two
continental plates (African plate and the Arabian plate) keep moving and causing earthquakes from
time to time (Apparently these plates meet right under the Mount of Olives) as was evident in many
places we visited. We even walked on the very same stones Jesus walked on in the town he lived and
worked! We always heard that Jesus was a carpenter. He knew very likely carpentry but much more
likely his profession was that of a stonemason. His town was a mason town. That would explain his
stocky build and the way Josephus the historian described him. Jesus was a strong man, not tall, because of years of heavy labor. This also explains his referAt the June North Butler 4-H meeting, Ma- ences during his teachings to Him being the corner stone,
son Regier led us in his favorite song which rebuilding the temple, Him being the stumbling block and
Him being able to withstand the beating, lashings and
was "Yankee Doodle". The Butler County
Fair will be July 31 - August 4 so come check hanging on the cross. A less strong built man would most
likely not have made it past the beatings and lashings. It
out what the 4-Hers from our church are
makes so much sense!
doing. They are Eben and Clara Busenitz,
Thomas, Jeremiah and Lucy Goebel, and
Emma us Menno nite Church
Mason and Parker Regier.
Congratulations to Ben & Kristen
Bielenberg on the arrival of Austin
Benjamin, born June 12th. Grandparents
are Doug & Helen Wiebe.
Editor......................................................Linda Wiebe
Assistant Editor………………………...…….….Liz Pearce
Layout/Circulation Editor…….........Wanita Busenitz
Youth Reporter.....................................Allison Unruh
Staff Writers...................Gladys Wiebe, Bitty Wiebe,
Kayla Wiebe
Please send articles to:
emmausechoes@gmail.com