Hiking one day, we came across this tree growing on top of a rock. I marveled at the tenacity of the tree. The seedling had to be quite brave as it took nurture on top of the granite rock. A caption I would give this picture would be something like “Get a Grip – and Cling to the Rock!”

As we interact with disaster survivors we know that their lives have been uprooted by the storms. So thank you for being a part of MDS as we reflect the light of Christ and provide a sense of stability.

So I come out of the wilderness with a renewed sense to reflect the nature of our Creator and keep on clinging to the Rock. I trust you too, dear reader, will be refreshed in some way, as I was.

Thanks be to God.

Jodell Payseno was curious about the goings-on at Camp Palisades. As a high-end remodeler and builder in Jackson, Wyoming, he tends to notice construction projects.

What he found when he stopped by the camp was a group of MDS volunteers busily rehabbing camp structures, clearing trails, and making the camp look better than Payseno could remember.

The MDS Family Project, currently operating at the camp this summer, is hosting families who work and play together to breathe new life into the camp.

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At a Friends of MDS reception held during MennoCon (MCUSA) last week in Kansas City, volunteers, partners, and future volunteers gathered to enjoy some snacks—and talk about why disaster recovery is so important in today’s world.

MDS Executive Director Kevin King thanked the group for supporting MDS, and reflected on how much the organization—and the world of disaster response—have changed in his 20-year tenure.

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Rollie Ulrich, of Syracuse, Indiana, has been the Project Director on six or seven sites since he started in 2019. But you can tell from his photo that he had time to get a lot of other work under his belt before that!



Rollie spent 46 years in healthcare, getting his start as a young man doing voluntary service work as an orderly in the hospital in LaJunta, Colorado. While there, he met a very capable nurse named Laura. Her example and instruction influenced Rollie to become a registered nurse.

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