Mennonite Voluntary Service on the Hope First Nation

Mennonite Voluntary Service changes lives.

Involvement with Mennonite Voluntary Service can be a life changing experience.

Margaret Froese and her husband Ike participated in Mennonite Voluntary Service on the Hopi First Nation in Arizona for three years beginning in 1957. Ike served as a teacher in the Hopi Mission School but also became a bus driver, school principal, pastor, and mission program chair. Although originally established to provide an education to the children of Christian parents, the school developed such a good reputation for the standard of education it offered, that most of the students did not come from families with a church affiliation.

Margaret taught Sunday School in the local church, assisted with children’s clubs, helped with Daily Vacation Bible School, was the pianist for all church events and was expected to provide leadership to Bible and sewing classes for women. She was also the primary care giver for their two sons born during those years on the Hopi First Nation.

Margaret says that term of Mennonite Voluntary service really changed their family and set the direction for their whole life’s journey. Not only did they go back to the Hopi First Nation later to pastor the Oraibi Mennonite church, but on returning to Canada they remained involved with the Indigenous Relations programs of the Mennonite Church for many years.

Has a term of service played a role in your life? Contact Bethel Storyteller MaryLou Driedger maryloudriedger@gmail.com if you’d be interested in sharing your story on this or any other topic.