Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

only able to express our thanks in words, but may Christ, the Friend of such good works, reward you, for you have not torgotten your breth- ren who are in dire need. Without your help we should have been compelled to suffer from hunger. May the Lord bless all the representatives and givers, as well as the do- nations; for all depends on His blessings. The village committee, Petershagen, Halbstadt Volost. LETTER OF THANKS FROM EINLAGE To the Mennonite brethren in America: Years of severe oppressions during the war, great per- secutions after it and finally the great famine have caused the complete ruin of the Mennonites of Russia. The indescribable bodily suffering, coupled with a hope- less outlook for the future, had brought about in most of our brethren a condition of mind which was worse than a mere jack of courage, rather verging on despair. Yet there were always those, who under all conditions, kept looking upward; and in the stoutest hearts faith in God, who had been with us so long and had so richly blessed us, did not cease. But as one beam of hope after another became dim 396 FEEDING THE HUNGRY and disappeared, the number of those who remained strong in the face of all difficulties was rapidly reduced. Rumors to the effect that we had not been forgotten nor forsaken by our American brethren reached us, and re- vived the hope of deliverance from this misery. But these hopes were short-lived, for when the help from America failed to come from day to day our hearts sank lower than ever. Then in November, i921, came the letter from Bro. A. J. Miller, announcing that he was on the way with food. The joy was great, not only for the promised aid, but also for the fact that you dear brethren in America were actually remembering us. Many hearts let their prayers of gratitude rise to God, the Giver of all good gifts. The test of waiting, from the arrival of Bro. Miller’s letter until the time when the help materialized, was very trying. From time to time the need became greater until conditions reached the stage when such things as linseed- oil cakes, horses, cats, dogs, also partly decomposed meat were used by many for food; yes, death from starvation claimed a number of victims. Yet expectation of the prom- ised help served to renew our courage, so that even while the pangs of hunger were keenly felt, our hope to survive became stronger. Now the help is here, and by the blessing of God we may hope and believe that starvation will not be our lot, though many have succumbed to the famine. We are thankful, first of all to our Heavenly Father, who again has shown that He is the same as of old. We also thank you, dear brethren in America and elsewhere, who, impelled by brotherly love, have sent us the supplies for the sustenance of life. We thank all the brethren, who are taking active part in this great work of mercy. May God reward you all. (Then follows a full page of name