Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/91

Contributor - Steve Allison

Title - Hard To Believe

Topic - Loss

"That's odd," I remember thinking to myself, as I hung up the phone. I had been trying to get in touch with one of my deacons, who I knew was due back by now from her vacation property up north. She and her husband and three children had made several trips to the acreage they had recently bought, fixing it up and generally "feasting on what God has made" as one of them had earlier described their time spent there. I had spoken with Susan earlier that week, and she said they would certainly be home by now. Yet I had just phoned, and instead of an, unanswered phone, the man on the other end of the line identified himself as an RCMP officer! He told me they were looking into a possible break in, and asked me if I knew where the family was, asked questions about the family, etc. I told him what I knew and gave him my phone number along with an offer to help further if I could. As I hung up, I thought, "Oh, great, this is all this family needs now!" They had already had enough adversity in their lives in the last few years. They were, just in the last little while, steering into "calmer waters" as a family, so it seemed. The conversation with the officer had left me feeling cold, uneasy, and concerned. Why was he asking so many questions about the family? Where were they? I couldn't- shake the feeling that something was wrong.

In the afternoon, more and more disturbing things happened to increase rather than dispel that feeling; more calls, more questions. Finally, an RCMP officer came to my house to give us news that confirmed our worst fears: four of our parishioners, and friends, Maurice and Susan Mandin, and their children, Islay and Janelle, had been found murdered on the acreage. I sat there, stunned, agonized, angry. Terre and I held each other; there were no words, no way to make the pain go away. Looking back, I know the only way we managed to function in the days that followed, through hours of dealing with (and dodging) the media, helping my people through their own feelings of grief, fear, anger, ministering to the grief-stricken, shocked, angry relatives (some of whom were Christians, some who were not) was by the grace, the power of the same God Who was the Source of Strength and Salvation for these four who are now with Him.

The grieving process goes on; for most it is still hard to believe the Mandins are really gone. Personally, Terre and I will miss the friendship, support and ministry of these four who loved and served the Lord they now behold face to face. We will miss the humour, energy, sensitivity and insight that were part of Maurice; the creativity, dedication, the constant giving that were a way of life to Susan; the caring, cheerful, helpful presence of Islay; the thoughtful, energetic yet patient Janelle. Yet in the midst of the grief, God is doing good things; waking some up to what is important in life, and what is not, shaking up the faith of others, challenging them to stop "playing church" and begin a life of faith in a God who cannot always be understood, but who is always faithful, always in control, always our only real Source of comfort, strength, grace, and peace.

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