Why Are We Here?

By Gary Martens

 

Mary’s early childhood experience of being a refugee in the Ukraine flavoured her entire life. She was six years old when her family retreated with the German army in 1948. From there her family came to Canada. This experience gave her an immediate and continuing empathy for people that have been displaced from their homes for any reason. 

 

Eric also has felt a great sensitivity to inequity and his life path has been governed by that awareness. I asked Eric when he first became conscience of this sensitivity and he replied, “One of my classmates in the agriculture program at the University of Manitoba wanted to farm but realized he couldn’t because his parents or grandparents did not have a farm from which to start. I then realized how lucky I was to have come from a farm but felt the inequity of the situation and felt bad for my classmate.”

 

Even though Eric and Mary had the opportunity to farm with Eric's family and their father wanted them to, they was conflicted. They saw the farm as a means to provide a living for themselves and their family but Eric wanted more; he wanted to work toward providing equality of opportunity for others. All five siblings of Eric’s family have served with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).

 

Eric and Mary served with MCC for 18 years mostly in international development work in Botswana, Ethiopia and Tanzania. When they came back Eric completed his Master’s degree in the department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics at the University of Manitoba. He then became a project designer and manager with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Eric has long been interested in public policy and how it can be used to change people’s circumstances and behaviour. He happened to hear a feature on Transition Towns on the radio, dug into the concept and subsequently established the Southeast Transitions Initiative (SETI) in Steinbach and region with Jack Heppner and Gabriel Gagne. The transition initiative group is focused on how to create and assist a community led process to develop a stronger and happier, more resilient and sustainable town or city. Rather than sitting in an armchair and complaining about the way things are, the transitions initiative group does something constructive about it in their community. Two examples of SETI initiatives that Eric and Mary have been involved in are community gardens at their church and a lawn care demonstration at the corner of Brandt and First Street.

 

Along the way Eric became increasingly aware of the impact of agriculture and our lifestyles on the environment. Through that awareness he became involved in helping out at the Manitoba Organic Alliance (MOA).

 

Both Eric and Mary say that their international experience and their involvement with sponsoring refugees have enriched their lives and influenced their lifestyle and their attitude toward their possessions. Mary and Eric are very open about sharing their modest home in Steinbach with others and have often hosted people for extended periods. They have been involved in many refugee sponsorships and are involved in the help their church is providing to current refugees.

 

This is the fifth in a series of articles prepared by Gary Martens focusing on the individual lifestyle of people who have chosen not to live conventionally and are seeking to make a difference. Gary draws our attention to the values of international figures, but also writes about our neighbors.