Called, called and called again

Victor and Viola Dorsch retire after 58 years of continuous ministry

February 26, 2014 | God at work in Us | Volume 18 Issue 5
Dave Rogalsky | Eastern Canada Correspondent
New Hamburg, Ont.
Viola and Victor Dorsch were honoured at a retirement tea held at Nithview Community on Jan. 16, 2014. Victor served there as a volunteer chaplain for 20 years. (Photo by Dave Rogalsky)

Victor Dorsch was only 6 years old when the visiting pastor put his hand on his shoulder and said, “You’ll make a minister some day.” That was in 1933 and Dorsch was living on a farm in North Easthope Township near New Hamburg, Ont., where he attended an Evangelical United Brethren church.

It was a few years later that some Amish Mennonite friends took him along to the youth group at St. Agatha Mennonite Church. At the progressive crokinole party, separated into male and female sides, Victor won the men’s side and Viola Gascho, the women’s. In the play-off to crown the overall winner, Viola won, and soon arrangements were made for Victor to join her on her way home.

Romance blossomed and in 1948 they married. But not before Victor and Viola, both unaware of the other’s inner call to missions, went forward at an evangelistic meeting. This meant telling Victor’s father that he would no longer farm and would go to Eastern Mennonite College instead to prepare for the mission field.

Because of health issues, finances and the Eastern Mennonite Mission Board (EMMB) not “feeling a call to call” the Dorsches, they found themselves back home in New Hamburg and depressed. But again at an evangelistic meeting, the call was renewed and they again headed to Harrisonburg, Va., to finish their studies. Viola took a course in nursing in order to supplement their résumé, although she expected that she would be a support to Victor and care for their family.

While there, the Virginia Mennonite Mission Board suggested that the couple go to Jamaica, but both felt a call to Africa. Although Victor did his best to stay away from Paul Kraybill of EMMB, Kraybill searched him out in 1955 and told him that it was time.

In 1956, the Dorsches, together with their first two children, Jim and Shirley, boarded the Christopher Columbus on a voyage to Somalia. They served 14 years in this 99.9 percent Muslim country. After a year of furlough in 1970, to help their son make the transition to North America and for Victor to complete his master of divinity degree, they returned to Africa, this time to Tanzania, where Victor was a Bible teacher.

Seventeen years later, they returned to Canada, where Victor took on the role of pastor at Maple View Mennonite Church in Wellesley, Ont., for six years—until his first retirement.

Mission boards had not given much thought to missionaries retiring and the Dorsches found themselves low on funds for their later years. But through providential occurrences and “much prayer,” an apartment was found for them at the Nithview Community retirement complex in New Hamburg.

As they left the administrator’s office after signing the papers for the apartment, they met Gerald Schwartzentruber, the chaplain, who wondered if Victor would be willing to serve as a volunteer chaplain at Nithview. In the years at Maple View and Nithview, many opportunities to work with Somali refugees came to the Dorsches.

On Jan. 16, the Dorsches retired again after 20 years of ministry at Nithview. Life has not always been easy—their daughter Joy, born in Somalia, died of cancer a number of years ago—but when they look back over 58 years of service, they echo each other.

Says Viola, “The years have been the Lord’s leading, step by step,” as she came along with “Him, and him,” meaning God and Victor.

For his part, Victor says he has tried over his whole life and ministry to “walk with Jesus,” and still does so today.

 

Viola and Victor Dorsch were honoured at a retirement tea held at Nithview Community on Jan. 16, 2014. Victor served there as a volunteer chaplain for 20 years. (Photo by Dave Rogalsky)

Victor and Viola Dorsch are pictured on the Christopher Columbus passenger liner on their way to Somalia with their children Jim and Shirley. (Photo courtesy of Victor and Viola Dorsch)

Share this page: Twitter Instagram

Add new comment

Canadian Mennonite invites comments and encourages constructive discussion about our content. Actual full names (first and last) are required. Comments are moderated and may be edited. They will not appear online until approved and will be posted during business hours. Some comments may be reproduced in print.