Missionaries help rebuild communities after fire

MALOTT - The Western Anabaptist Mission Service works early, works hard and can put up an incredible amount of fence posts in a matter of an hour.

The group was in town during the second week of February helping primarily in Pateros. Friday, Feb. 13, they extended their services to Malott, beginning the day on the grounds of the Bunny Laine Fruit Co. where fence posts were badly burned and needed to be replaced.

Jerry Miller, the coordinator, said this is roughly the fourth project the group has worked on together.

Most of the men had worked on numerous projects in other variations too. Miller said the group makes it best effort to help with projects close to home, noting Pateros is a little more than six hours from their area in western Montana.

Some of the men claimed Gold Creek as home, while many of them hail from Saint Ignatius, Mont., a town of roughly 842 people according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

The group heard about the fire when it occurred and later attended a meeting at a church in town, making a connection with Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) Director Carlene Anders. Miller was able to work with Anders to arrange the trip.

"The fires just burned lots and lots of acres," Miller said of his initial impressions.

"It's not what I picture of Washington. It's dry, sagebrush, rural. Some people don't appreciate sagebrush. I like it."

Floyd Yoder brought the heavy machinery: a Gehl 5640 Turbo.

Seeing it in action, one of the group members commented, "Now that thing packs some power."

A fencing contractor who has also manufactured fence posts in the past, Yoder said he has worked on multiple projects with Christian Aid Ministries.

He was in Oklahoma City in December 2014 working on relief projects following tornado destruction. The Western Anabaptist Mission Service performed recent relief work in Texas as well.

By the time afternoon rolled around the group had completed 3/8 mile of fence and were ready to move on to the next site, nearby along the Chiliwist Creek.