Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl

Author:Nancy Mehl
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042040, FIC042060, FIC042000, Kansas—Fiction, Mennonites—Fiction, Violent crimes—Fiction, Nonviolence—Fiction, Ambivalence—Fiction
ISBN: 9781441261014
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group

CHAPTER / 11

Monday morning Papa and I rose even earlier than usual. I put together a nice big salad for the meal after Avery’s funeral, and we rode to the edge of town. Avery’s body was being brought to the church in a horse-drawn hearse. A couple of men from our church had driven the hearse to Washington to pick Avery up at the funeral home. Noah and Herman followed them in Noah’s truck, watching for danger. Some of our farm families who lived off the main road joined behind the hearse as it made its way back to Kingdom. No one really expected problems, since troubling a long line of buggies was a lot more intimidating than confronting a single woman or an elderly man traveling alone. More eyes, more chances of getting caught.

Normally, Papa and I would have driven to Avery’s and joined the procession, but under the circumstances, Pastor Mendenhall asked those who lived in town to wait at the crossroad and join the other buggies there. A little while after we arrived, the hearse turned off the main road and headed for town. We waited until the other carriages passed by us and then pulled Daisy to the end of the procession. One by one, others followed us.

After we got to the church, several men carried Avery’s plain wooden coffin into the large meeting room. Mennonite funerals were simple occasions. There were no flowers, although some may be placed on the grave after the burial service. And there were no elaborate speeches about the deceased. Pastor Mendenhall preached for quite a while, urging forgiveness be extended toward whoever had killed Avery.

“When Christ was born, the angels announced that peace had come to Earth,” he said. “Our Lord continued this message throughout His time in this world, imploring us to love our enemies, and to do good to those who persecute us. Our church has been given an opportunity to put His teachings into practice in a way we never have before. Can we walk the path of Christ and forgive? Can we refuse to seek revenge for our dear brother and leave judgment in the mighty hands of God? We have professed our willingness to walk the path of peace in this church for many years. Now it’s time to see if we truly believe what we say.”

He shook his head and stared down at the simple wood podium he stood behind. “As a people, we have been viewed by many in the world as weak, but I tell you from my heart that walking the path of peace takes more strength than striking back when a wrong is done to us.” He looked up, tears in his eyes. “Many of us feel anger toward those who believed our brother’s life was so inconsequential. It is not wrong to feel anger, but it is wrong to act on it. It is not wrong to resist evil, but it is wrong to return evil for evil. How

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