Parsons Insurance

“Well, I took her to both red and green, even if I’m more red,” Matt said. “I just didn't know what else to do. We went and had supper and it was like 7:30. I thought I can’t drop her at 8:00 – otherwise her roommate will think she'd been on a bad date. We drove around for an hour and then I took her home.”

Later, Menno’s Don Juan proposed in the sheep barn on a cold day. “I said, ‘Look what I found in the straw here.’” But Marie was mad for a moment. “He pulled off my glove and my hand was cold. I was trying to feed lambs – I was working! Once I realized he was proposing, my frustration quickly left." They joke about their start together, but are on the same page in the book of life. “We have a lot of goals and dreams. But I can tell you that there's no one else I'd rather be this overwhelmed with,” she said.

Matt added, “We wouldn't be able to do anything without our faith and our family around us. That's just the way it is. Give credit where credit is due.” He said small towns such as Menno are really one big family. They enjoy helping with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Menno High School and Matt is on the board of the Menno Lumber Company. “We are so grateful for this opportunity. We know we have a lot of people to thank for it and God as well,” Marie said.

Matt and Marie’s two white Great Pyrenees named Teeny and Tiny take turns keeping an eye on the bottle lambs. Their Border Collie/Australian Shepherd cross helps herd the sheep. Photo by Marie Mehlhaf.

Marie said the photos of their kittens get more “likes” on Facebook than any other post. Photo by Marie Mehlhaf.

We insure recreational vehicles.

Before taking out your boats, ATVs, UTVs, motorcycles, campers, and travel trailers—stop in or call to talk to one of our friendly agents. Insure your recreational vehicles to ensure peace-of-mind while you enjoy the outdoors!

(605) 326-5358

113 N Main Street, Viborg | contactus@insurepia.com WWW.INSUREPIA.COM

Renae Grooters and Kayla Raymond at Rosie’s Boutique in Rock Rapids. Revenue generated at the gift shop and coffee house supports Touch of Hope ministries.

STRENGTHENING HAITIAN FAMILIES HOLISTICALLY

By Bob Fitch

Education, entrepreneurship and Christian missions cross paths at Touch of Hope Ministries, a nonprofit based in Rock Rapids, Iowa, and Haiti, a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east.

In 2006, Webert Raymond started a free school for the children living in his home village of Simonette in Haiti. Only about 5 percent of Haitian students graduate from high school. Webert had been one of the fortunate five percent and then was able to attend university. He recognized the necessity of education for equipping future generations with the tools to rise up and out of extreme poverty. In 2010, God’s will connected Webert with the Dell and Renae Grooters family of Rock Rapids. The couple and their children – Kayla, Megan and Luke – first went to Haiti in June 2009. They felt a strong calling to serve there in a greater capacity.