JOURNEYS Mennonite Stories of Faith and Survival in Stalins Russia, John B. Toews, 1998

in a borrowed dress. Anna Doerksen placed the wreath on her head. No one suspected that the marriage bliss would only last three years. The day after the wedding, they left with their few belongings. Mother stayed with Jakob until fall. It should be mentioned that Jakob’s wife, Liese, did not re¬ cover. The lack of food and the fact that Jakob was constantly on the go seeking to earn a livelihood had a negative effect on her fragile health. Jakob took her to a reputable doctor in Orloff who diagnosed a heart, lung and liver disease. She was to have good food. Once she learned about the state of her health she rapidly declined. On Sunday Jakob still drove with her to Quiring’s mother, who was celebrating a birthday. When she came home Liese lay down never to rise again. When Lena and I visited her on Tuesday she was very weak and the little ones (10 months old) at her breast were hungry. I felt so sorry for the poor little ones. Jakob was at work from morning until late evening. Our parents looked after everything, including the garden work. While we were there Liese commented: “If only we had fresh potatoes there would be something to eat.” Two days later towards evening we received word that Liese was dying. We went over. She lay in bed breathing heavily. Jakob and the children sat around the bed. He MEMOIRS OF JUSTIN A MARTENS 59 had the two little ones on his knee. Only Hans was not there. She glanced from one child to another and anxiously called “Hans! Hans!” She was searching for him. The children went to call him and once he arrrived she became calmer. She said something more but we could not understand her since her tongue was badly swol¬ len. It was heart breaking — seven little children standing around the bed of their dying mother. It was difficult to watch her heavy breathing. Finally her poor heart stopped beating. The children did not understand what they had lost. The burial was in Alexanderkrone. There were many people at the funeral. Aron Dick of Prangenau preached the funeral sermon. Jakob had to return to work. He could have put the two little children in the kindergarten at his place of work though this meant they would have been entirely among Russians. Yet at home there was nothing to eat and the children were skin and bones. How longingly they looked at the basket which hung from the ceiling and contained a few baked goods for the children. They would lift up their small hands and look at us imploringly. Jakob thought they might recover somewhat in kindergarten. It was not to be. Little Jakob died a week later and his brother two days later. Mother and children were united and did not have to suffer any longer. For a time we had only beets to eat, which gave Father severe diarrhea. Occasionally Jakob was able to exchange the dollars we received from people in Canada and buy products. He would get flour or porridge until the potatoes were ready to be dug. Then things b