Christmas 2013 Blog from the Reinhardts

Christmas is once again just around the corner. As 2013 comes to a close, we wanted to update you on our ministry and family. Please note: our previous post covered the first half of 2013.

August marked the fourth anniversary of our move here to Philadelphia, Mississippi to minister at Pearl River Mennonite Church (PRMC). Duane also works as the data manager of a small company in Meridian.

JoAnne at Nanih Waiya cave 

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians recognize a special holiday each year in August called Nanih Waiya Day, on which they celebrate their proud heritage and the recent return to them of their sacred ancient burial mound property. A large cave not far from the mound is also an important part of their history; they believe that their first ancestors were created by Chihowa (Creator) in the hill and emerged from the cave thousands of years ago. JoAnne Ben, from our church family, invited Laurie to the Tribal celebration.



The Choctaws are huge sports enthusiasts, and each year they participate in different tournaments with the Cherokees and other USET (United South Eastern Tribes) teams. This is, of course, in addition to their local school and community sports activities.

Dave and Kathy Yoder

In September, we were blessed and encouraged by a visit from our dear Wakarusa Missionary Church (WMC) friends, Dave and Kathy Yoder. They made the trip on their new black Harley!

Mahli Bell, the beautiful senior from our church youth group who died following a terrible car accident a few years ago, was memorialized with a granite memorial plaque which was dedicated on a September morning at our church. Her mother Crystal was in attendance.

A small group of women met at the church one Monday morning to work on a lap quilt for Emma Myers, whose husband Glenn pastored PRMC for over 30 years. Many Choctaw women love to quilt, but it seems to be a dying art form among the younger generations.

Kaira and Maile

Laurie had the privilege of spending two weeks in September in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii to help Brittany and Matt with three year-old Maile and newborn Kaira Faith!  

Emelyn's first birthday

During that time, Emelyn, Heather and Dustin's daughter, celebrated her first birthday with a big party here in Philadelphia, MS. It is such a huge blessing to have them living close by!


We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary on October 2. A few days later, Duane took a few youth to the annual conference camp sale in Gulfport, MS where they helped sell Choctaw beadwork and other crafts, benefiting the camp. The youth enjoyed spending a little time at the beach before heading home.

Akela, Nadaysha, and Kaymerin at Gulfport

Later that month, we attended a conference workshop near Hattiesburg. It's always a joy to spend time with other pastors, pastors' wives, and other church leaders at such events.

Randy, Rose, Rob, and Matteah

Terry and Laurie

A week later, Laurie was able to spend a week in New Milford, PA visiting her mom, aunts, and cousins. Laurie, Carole, and Connie spent that weekend in Mt. Joy, PA (near Lancaster) with Laurie's brother Randy and his family, including Audrey and Adam's newborn Annelise; Randy pastors Florin Church of the Brethren. Laurie enjoyed meeting her former high school classmate Terry Lewis Rychlewski for supper in Hallstead one night that week.

Our church members saved their extra change in globe mission banks since February, and we raised almost $400 which was donated to the Tribe's Hittak Himmona Women's Shelter. Domestic violence, which is often alcohol-related, is a very serious problem on the Rez.

It is always an honor to be invited to Choctaw birthday parties or other family celebrations. We attended a party celebrating the discharge home of a young husband/father who'd spent two long years in the hospital due to very serious health issues.

On Nov. 29th, Matt, Brittany, Maile (3), and Kaira (2 months) came from Hawaii for a visit! It was also their 5th wedding anniversary that day! Our week's activities included Maile helping Grandma make peanut blossom cookies, Grampa and Matt taking Maile to a fun local park, us celebrating being a family with a late traditional Thanksgiving meal, Maile and Emelyn playing together, us getting family photos taken, and us spending a day in Jackson at the Mississippi Children's Museum (more like a discovery center) and doing some last-minute shopping before Matt and Brittany and the girls headed back to Hawaii.

We are happy to be seeing real spiritual maturity developing in some of the members of our Pearl River Mennonite Church family. Duane continues to pastor and lead the youth group; he had the joy of leading two adults to salvation in Christ and led a church membership class attended by one adult, one youth, and one child this fall. Laurie leads the Monday night Women's Group study; recently she has been teaching some basics about cults and a few of the major world religions. Did you know that the Mormons believe that the Native Americans are descendants of one of the "lost tribes of Israel"?

We praise God for our family, our extended family, our PRMC and WMC church families, and dear friends. Sadly, we were not able to visit Indiana this year.

Please keep us in your prayers in 2014. Among other things, we have been praying for God to bring us leaders for a young adult ministry and a contemporary worship ministry. Come for a visit sometime!!!

Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!
Duane and Laurie Reinhardt

409 Indian Hospital St., Philadelphia, MS 39350
reinos4@juno.com
Duane Laurie Reinhardt (facebook)