Village News

Part six in a series on the roles of museums

This may sound like a funny role for a museum, but it did not take long for me as director at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) to do the math. Many of our volunteers are retired and as soon as they met me they would often tell me how they love being at our museum. ‘It is our second home’ is what I heard often. The peaceful grounds, meeting people from around the world and serving a good community purpose is what I heard next. I’m so thankful that we can provide seniors the opportunity for a second or third career.

Retirement is a modern development. Prior to the 18th century we humans had an average life expectancy below 40. That means very few made it to an age where they needed to slow down. How wonderful that we now have more time to live life and have a variety of work. We start our lives with play, then we have our careers and then we get to end with play again. Dr. Gordon Neufeld defines ‘mid-life crisis’ as when a person’s view on their life and work changes from ‘I want to’ to ‘I have to’. This includes getting stuck in bad relational patterns or in a job that has lost its attraction. The remedy is to be able to heal and keep having new emergence in our lives.

As we get older, it is good to have roles that continue to stimulate and challenge us, but without the stress of having to perform every minute of an eight-hour work day. I see a longevity in our volunteers. They have found a secret that helps prolong the vitality of their life. At MHV they find another place in addition to their homes where they can pass on heritage to the next generations. How wonderful to have a ‘retirement home’ that is out in the community where people can come and receive from their elders what they have received from their traditions and past.

On November 22 we will be showing a film of a Mennonite Tour Guide in Europe. He spent his life learning about the Anabaptists and revealing the sites and their meaning to thousands of visitors over the decades. It’s a great joy to watch this tour guide who has found a special interest in his life and is able to pursue it fully.

Come join us and make sure you see our new peace exhibit this Advent season (showing until December 20th)!