HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-23, Page 7While Bethany Homes ForChildren sits nearly 3,500 kilometresaway from Huron County, inWetaskiwin, Alberta, it was an author
from Blyth who penned its story.
Emily Wierenga lives in Blyth with
her husband of five years, Trenton.
She was commissioned to tell the
story of the home, or rather of the
children who travelled through the
home’s doors in Save My Children.
Wierenga has spent years as a
journalist, writing pieces for
Adbusters, Christian Week and Faith
Today. She was then hired to write
the book as part of the Home’s 60th
anniversary celebration.
Harvey Jesperson, founder of the
home and his late wife Elsie insisted
that the story of their home was the
children who made their way through
the home, not themselves.
Bethany Homes celebrated its 60th
anniversary earlier this year, in
September. Jesperson originally
decided to transform his 42 acres of
land in Alberta that held two army
barracks into a home.
The original intention of the home
was to house war orphans from
Germany. However, after the building
and preparation had taken place,
there were no children.
Eventually children began to
occupy the home, but they came from
Canada, not Germany. The
Jespersons refused any payment,
except for what families could afford. For the years that followed, Harveycooked, did farm chores and workedwith the children, even driving themto school in an old school bus heowned while Elsie cleaned and sewedclothes for the children. The couple
was helped by volunteers, several
churches and organizations which
have donated both manually and
financially.
Elsie has passed on, while Harvey
who is currently 90-years-old, still
insists that the spotlight shouldn’t be
on his life’s work, but on the children
who survived because of the home.
Wierenga researched her book
thoroughly. While Save My Children
is essentially a novel, it is based on
fact.
“Save My Children is about finding
acceptance in a world riddled with
rejection,” she says. “Tracing the
lives of the battered and mistreated
kids, it expresses the importance of a
father’s unending love.”
Wierenga says the story focuses on
the lives of the children, as well as the
Jespersons. She spoke with many of
the children, changing their names,
but writing their accounts, and with
Harvey, who is currently in a nursing
home.
Wierenga insists his memory is still
very swift, remembering each and
every children of the over 800 he had
cared for in his over 40 years at the
home. He retired in 1991.
Wierenga said she could relate to
the stories of so many children who
lived at Bethany Homes because ofher own challenged childhood.Wierenga grew up in NorthernOntario, but returned to Blyth whenher mother became ill with braincancer.In her youth, she struggled with
anorexia nervosa, suffering between
the ages of nine and 13. She was
hospitalized several times after she
dropped to 60 pounds.
Wierenga has shared her story
through her various magazine pieces,
on 100 Huntley Street and The Drew
Marshall Show. After pulling out of
critical conditions, she began to
devote her life to her faith.
Wierenga obtained her English
Major in Alberta where she and
Trenton worked with troubled
teenagers. Wierenga became an
editor at a newspaper in Alberta,
where she worked for three years.
She also served on the board of
directors for Bethany Homes before
travelling to Korea with her husband
to teach English for one year before
coming to Blyth.
Save My Children is available at
The Gift Chest in Wingham, Radiant
Life in Goderich and on-line at
www.castlequaybooks.com or on
Wierenga’s site
www.emilywierenga.com where
links to her many articles, blogs and
further information can also be
found.
More information on Bethany
Homes For Children is available at
www.bethanyhomes.ca
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008. PAGE 7.Writer tells story of special couple’s vision
By Meagen Dolmage and Brianne
Oldridge
The ghosts and ghouls are coming
out, the days are getting colder and
the leaves are falling off the trees
and we are all getting our pumpkins
carved for Halloween.
During this busy season, Mrs.
Metzger and the kindergartens are
learning about the letter P for
pumpkin and the number five while
having fun making Halloween
crafts.
In Grade 1 the kids are exploring
numbers from 1-20 and are focusing
on the beginning, middle and end in
writing. They are looking at the
characters, problem and the solution
as well.
The Grade 1s are very sad about
having to say goodbye to their
student teacher Ms McDonald, that
is until November when she will
return. In the meantime they will be
researching animals and writing
reports to present to the class.
In Grade 2/3 they are adding and
subtracting large numbers while
writing personal recounts. To make
their recounts even better they are
using similes and working on
settings.
The Grade 3s are singing their
hearts out about Halloween as well
as reading poems. In social studies
they are learning about Aboriginal
people and are patterning in math.
Who doesn’t want to learn about
Canada? Well the Grade 4s are doing
projects on it and are looking at the
provinces. They’re writing personal
narratives, bold beginnings and area
visualizing in language. In health
they are studying substance abuse
and Mrs. McGavin is working on
preventing them from smoking when
they get older.
In Grade 5/6 Ms Lasenby is
showing the students how to draw 2-
D geometry art. They are also having
a workshop about the arts on
Monday.
In Mrs. Rodgers’ classroom they
are starting a new chapter in math
and are working on new experiments
in science.
In the Grade 7/8 room Mr.
Westra’s class is working just as
hard as ever wrapping up their
history chapter and working on data
management in math. They attended
a presentation about internet safety
on Tuesday.
Local author
Blyth’s Emily Wierenga is currently celebrating the release
of her first novel, Save My Children. Wierenga has been
writing for years as a journalist, but was commissioned to
write the book in honour of the 60th anniversary of Bethany
Homes For Children. (Photo submitted)
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen
The Buzz
Brussels students
do fall activities
Take control of
your arthritis
Call the Arthritis Information Line at
1.800.321.1433 or visit our website at
www.arthritis.ca to get the support and
information you need.
You can join the FREE Arthritis Registry to get
updates on Society programs and events.
1 in 6 Canadians have arthritis
Commit to a world
without arthritis
September is
Arthritis Awareness Month
That’s nearly 4.5 million
people living with the pain
and disability of arthritis