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But Not Forsaken

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Helen Good Brenneman served in a Mennonite Central Committee refugee camp in Gronau, Germany, from 1947-48. During that time, she met many refugees, and heard many stories; stories of despair and faith, of fear and hope, of losing and finding, and of escape from men and drawing towards God. Running all of these stories through her heart, the author then wrote this book, as a tribute to those refugees and their experiences.

Hans and Maria Penner were Russian Mennonites, a small, despised, German-speaking religious minority, living in the heart of the Soviet Union. Facing harsh oppression from Soviet authorities, they welcomed the invading German army as liberators. So, when the Germans retreated west, the Penners, like many Mennonites, fled with them. Now that the war is over, the Penners must survive in Soviet-occupied Germany, keeping out of the way of the authorities that want to exile them to Siberia, with all that that entails.

There is only one hope for the Penners, and that is to flee west, out of the grip of the Soviets. But when Hans and Maria (together with their children) become separated, each thinking that the other were taken to Siberia, they must make their way separately. Maria holds on to her faith in God, as the only hope for herself and her remaining children, while Hans has lost his family and his faith. But God is good and faithful, even when others are not.

This is a profoundly moving story. The author succeeded in pulling me into the lives of her characters, making me feel what they felt, through many joys and sorrows. I loved the characters she painted, and think that she did an excellent job with the story. If you are interested in the story of the Russian Mennonites, or are simply interested in a story of faith and God's love, then I highly recommend this book to you!