Pilgrims Searching for a Home

Carl E. Hansen

Description

This story is about the life pilgrimage of a Russian Mennonite family that experienced the good and evil of life in Russia during the civil war, migrated to Canada in the mid twenties, raised a family of fourteen children during the Great Depression and the "dust bowel" years, and survived to see all of their children thrive and raise their believing families who, as Christians, care and share with the less fortunate. The story follows a similar setting as the video, "And When They Shall Ask".

In this biographical sketch, the author traces the extraordinary life pilgrimage of his grandparents.



In the aftermath of the 1917 Revolution, Jacob and Justina Friesen started their family in Ischalka, Samara, Russia, enduring the turmoil and terror of the disastrous civil war and the famine that followed. This ordinary Christian family, leaving behind home, loved ones, culture, and all that was familiar, and, as pilgrims, fled from their motherland in search of a better home in western Canada.



Adjusting as pioneers to their new life on the prairies was not easy either. Learning a new language and culture while moving from place to place, it took a few years to get settled. Then, just as they were settling, the Great Depression with its “dust bowl” years set in. Struggling and losing their farm twice while the family expanded to fourteen children was a test of faith like no other. This is a story of faith and hope amid disappointment and despair. They realized that in this life, we are but pilgrims passing through, seeking the permanent “city” that has everlasting foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Sujets

• Personal Memoirs
• Great Depression
• Biography
• Russian Mennonite
• The Great Depression
• Autobiography
• MCC

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 07 septembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664271999
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Pilgrims Searching for a Home
 
The Odyssey of a Family
 
 
 
 
Carl E. Hansen
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Carl E. Hansen.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Cover designed by Destiny Kreider of “Destiny Designs”, a granddaughter of the author
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7200-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7201-9 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7199-9 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022912698
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 10/05/2022
Dedication
To all those who come behind us, and especially to those, our grandchildren: Jasmine Marie Bundick, Carlin Hans Kreider, Destiny Joy Kreider, Desta Ashe Hansen, Kierston Shane Kreider, Justus Angelo Payne, Oriana Danae Kreider, Isaiah Payne and Darius Blakeley.
And to our greatgrandchildren: Arden Joash Kreider, Jaron Mathis Kreider, Riah Nashae Kreider, Tyrus Jesai Kreider and Zaya Jael Kreider.
And to those yet unborn, who follow us in their pilgrimages; that they might remember from whence they have come, and so better understand who they are, and where they are going.
We’ re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the w eary.
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining g race.
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witne sses,
Let us run the race not only for the p rize,
But as those who’ve gone before us, let us leave to those behin d us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly l ives.
– “Find Us Faithful” by Jon Mohr, Publisher, Birdwing Music, 1987
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Acronyms
Introduction
1Searching for Utopia
2Surviving a Revolution
3Searching Further
4Starting Afresh
5Surviving Drought
6Surviving the Great Depression
7Surviving Homelessness
8Starting a New Generation
9Settling into Community
10Surviving Good Times
11Spreading Out
12Settling into Utopia at Last
Appendix: The Diaspora of the Tribe of Jacob and Justina
Foreword
This book has been in incubation for many years. It was in a high school English Composition class sixty-four years ago that the idea first entered my head that someday I must write a history of my family. After drafting a one-page beginning, I reverted to my built-in habit of procrastination. Through the years I collected tidbits of historical information with good intentions.
It was in the fall of 1991, having returned as a “burned out” missionary from Kenya with a full year sabbatical on my hands to do with as I pleased, that I determined that now the time had finally come.
But writing a book wasn’t that simple. There were the technical aspects. I was convinced that first, I must buy one of those new contraptions called a “personal computer” that had miraculously taken over the western world while I was vegetating in the Maasai bush. Unfortunately, the knowledge of its use didn’t come with the price. I would have to learn to use the headstrong thing. Furthermore, I would have to learn the basic art of typing. So, I started my race from a hundred paces behind the starting line.
First, I carefully selected the “right” computer, a simple Toshiba laptop with twenty megabytes hard drive and the DOS operating system. By the time I took two weeks’ worth of computer classes, typed a few practice letters, and a booklet for my Mission, it was mid-December before I got started on this project. By the time my furlough had run out, I had a rough draft of about 250 pages of collected material and my own memories that could be sorted into several different books.
I returned to Kenya to a new and challenging assignment. But I did periodically find spare time to continue compiling a record of my family’s collective memories. Out of this growing collection, I managed to put together, and have self-publish ed and printed, by Masthof Press in 1998, this story of my grandparents, “ Jacob and Justina: Pilgrims – The Odyssey of a Fa mily.”
It has been twenty-four years since the book was published. In the intervening years, changes have taken place, new information has come to light, and the story needed some corrections. Further, since I am in the process of writing four additional autobiographical books on the various phases of Vera’s and my own pilgrimage as missionaries, I thought it time to re-publish this book. I thought it wise to reshape this volume to fit the additional four, making a set of five books, and have them all published together.
Acknowledgements
Above all, I want to express my gratitude to God for a good heritage, for godly ancestors and for a story worth writing about. Also, for the gift of time, the opportunity, the ability, and the stamina to write it. Our history is really His-s tory !
For the material in this book, I am deeply indebted to several persons. Without their help, I would never have uncovered the detailed information contained in this book.
Of first importance, I am indebted to my now late mother, Elizabeth Winifred (Friesen) Hansen, who was an eyewitness and participant in much of the story. She had been recording information throughout her years, and in her early sixties, learned to type, on a simple typewriter, and wrote about 40 single-spaced typed pages of her memories.
These collected memories and the fruits of her research, she passed on to me, her second born, and the only one with a predisposition to become the “family historian.” These provided me with a good starting point. She kindly proof-read my manuscript and suggested some corrections for my first edition. She also provided, from her personal collection, most of the pictures reproduced in this book.
Secondly, I am deeply indebted to my late aunt, Tena June Friesen, who also passed on to me a copy of her memories, an unpublished manuscript of 284 double-spaced typed pages, laboriously and lovingly typed and illustrated with her own sketches. She provided me with a “second witness,” a set of younger eyes through which to evaluate my mother’s perceptions.
With these two witnesses, I began to put together the shell of the story. Then I checked with some of my other aunts and uncles, now deceased, especiall y my aunts, Helen Biehn, Esther Visser, Susan Friesen, and Annie Roth, and my uncle, Jake Friesen, and others who contributed anecdotes and information about their families.
I am also indebted to my late aunt, Hedy Friesen, who, through the years, faithfully compiled and updated a record of the family tree.
Finally, I thank my faithful wife and partner, Vera, for proofreading this manuscript and offering helpful suggestions. Besides, I owe her an unpayable debt for the many lonely evenings she spent by herself and going to the cold bed alone, while I slowly pecked away on the keyboard. She still loves me!
I take full responsibility for any errors or omissions that may offend other witnesses. I received a lot of encouragement and cooperation from some of the members of the family, while others were indifferent or silent. If there are other opinions or different viewpoints, let them be charitable towards my efforts. It was not without purpose that we have the four Gospels, four witnesses to the one life of Christ. So, in this story, let others give their witness!
For this second edition, I would love to have visited Russia, did more research into the early history of the ancestors, but the opportunity did not present itself. Time is passing, one’s powers fade, I think I have procrastinated enough. Let me give my witness now and leave it to future historians of another era to dig deeper if they so choose.
Carl Edward Hansen
1523 Park Road
Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
June 14, 2022
Acronyms
CPR
Canadian Pacific Railroad
CO
Conscientious Objector
EID
Eastern Irrigation District
EMC
Eastern Mennonite College
EMBMC
Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities
EMM
Eastern Mennonite Mission
MCC
Mennonite Central Committee