Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

as kept going through the help of American gifts in Food-Drafts. A FAMILY GROUP OF MENNONITES This photo was taken in an interior of an immigrant train leaving the the country for Canada. The family came from “Schoenwiese”’ South Russia. Buyojojoyy ‘ LOCO ‘ Y TOHOS"IV4LNHI—DNIGTIING *71B9q SUIUAYBIA B AUBUT 0} a8vanod yySno1g BpeuBD ABMB ABT ul oulOy AOU B jo odoy oy Inq ‘ured pesnes say euloy SUIYveIq ‘euIOY B IaduO] OU SBM auloy plo oq} Ysnoy} UdagT "ezyHAOY Je urer, JULAs;UIO pay a, VISSOU WOU NOLLVUYING RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION IN SIBERIA 32d thought of producing their own garments, which they finally realized was their best hope for adequate clothing, they entered into the work with zest. At one time in these Siberia communities, 69 villages were hearing the hum of over a thousand spinning wheels at which 1412 spinners were happily making the thread which 82 home- made looms were weaving into comfortable, and durablq cloth for men, women and children. 4. An experiment was made in producing felt boots but certain Government regulations made it difficult to develop this satisfactorily. 5. With the increase of weaving the price of wool also increased, so we bought sheep and distributed them to increase the wool production. 6. Before the war, the milk industry had been an important one, and large quantities of cream and butter were shipped in cold storage from Siberia to Western Europe, especially England. Creameries were now once more being opened in many villages and dairying promised to be more lucrative than grain raising. Therefore the A.M.R. purchased cows and placed them with needy fami- lies that had none, under an arrangement to have the cream delivered to the creamery until the cow was paid for. Meantime the family had the use of the milk as food. During my visits to these communities we drove sev- eral hundred miles, sometimes by droschky—a kind of simple phaeton, more often on a spring wagon, and at times lying on a wagon-bed which had been filled with new-mown grass or hay. When we drove most of the night, the grass in the wagon formed a comfortable and sweet-scented cushion on which it was pleasant to sleep while the horses jogged along. But the ever-present fleas always prevented oversleeping. On a hot and sunny morning we passed by a salt lake where horses and men Oo FEEDING THE HUNGRY delighted in a bath. The water was so briny that by clasping the hands over the knees one could simply sit in the water, floating about without any movement whatever of the half immersed body. The skies of Siberia are marvelously beautiful; sun- rise and sunset gorgeous in changing color; and at night the clearness of the air brings the twinkling stars and the radiant moon very near. Although we were working from four in the morning till late at night, the atmosphere was so exhilarating that I felt greatly recuperated, until the last day of my stay,