Baerg, William George "Willie" (1911-1984)
William George Baerg: missionary; born 7 April 1911 as the 2nd youngest of eight surviving children to Gerhard Baerg (1871-1919) and Anna (Matthies) Baerg (1875-1954) in Apanlee, Molotschna, South Russia. He emigrated to Canada with his mother and siblings in 1924, initially living in Hespeler, Ontario, and eventually settling in Dominion City, Manitoba in 1925. He married Margaret Klassen (1916-2013), daughter of Heinrich Klassen (1874-1953) and Katharina (Epp) Klassen (1878-1944) in 1938. Willie (as he was known) and Margaret Baerg had 5 children (Edith, Eleanor, Irene, Bruno, Wilma). Willie Baerg died 7 January 1984 in Virgil, Ontario.
Willie Baerg was baptized on 19 July 1931 and joined the Mennonite Brethren Church at Arnaud. He attended Winkler Bible School (Winkler, Manitoba) from 1934-1938, and Prairie Bible Institute (Three Hills, Alberta) from 1940-1942. He was ordained to the ministry in 1942, and since a foreign mission field was not available, he took up home missions work, accepting an assignment with the United Church at God's Lake in Northern Manitoba among Canada's aboriginal people.
By the end of 1945, conditions had changed with the end of World War Two, and in January 1946 Willie and Margaret Baerg and two young children left for the Congo for their first 6 year term with the Mennonite Brethren Mission Board. During this first term, they did pioneer work (learning the language and adjusting to the culture and climate) at Kafumba (then, Belgian Congo). In 1952 the family returned to Canada for a furlough where they were busy with deputation work, visiting churches, etc. They lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba and in Linden, Alberta.
In 1954 the family returned to Belgian Congo where they lived at Panzi till 1956. Health problems arose with one of their daughters, which resulted in Margaret returning to America with the children, and Willie remaining for another year. After some time in Hillsboro, Kansas, the family moved to Morden, Manitoba where Willie taught at the Winkler Bible School during the 1957-1958 academic year.
The Willie Baerg family returned to Congo for the third time in 1958. From 1958-1960 they lived at the mission station at Lusemvu. During this term there was much unrest in the country due to a growing push for independence. When the Revolution broke out in 1960, the Baerg family fled to Angola, and eventually returned to Canada. While based in Morden, Manitoba, Willie Baerg began a radio ministry in the Lingala language through the Christian Radio Station ELWA in Monrovia, Liberia. In 1962 the family moved to Port Rowan, Ontario where Willie became pastor of the Port Rowan Mennonite Brethren Church for several years.
In 1965, Willie and Margaret Baerg, and the youngest children (Bruno and Lois) returned to Africa and were stationed in Kinshasa and Kitwit, the country then known as Democratic Republic of the Congo. The children attended The American School of Kinshasa. In 1969 the family returned to Canada for a year, followed by another term in Kitwit from 1970-1972, before returning to Canada again. Between 1972 and 1983, Willie Baerg made a number of short term trips back to Zaire (as the country was called after 1971), sometimes alone for a month and sometimes for 3 or 4 month periods with Margaret. Back in Canada during this period they lived in Ontario and were called by the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference into Home Mission work. From 1972-1975 they worked in the village of Spraggue, and from 1975-1977 they gave leadership to founding the Niagara Falls Christian Fellowship. In April 1978 Willie and Margaret Baerg joined the Virgil Mennonite Brethren Church where they continued to be active participants. The Virgil Church helped in funding the travel cost for several trips to Zaire for Willie & Margaret when they were invited to return to provide leadership training, pastoral conferences and evangelistic campaigns.
Willie Baerg's theme was "Occupy until He comes." His desire was to be found faithful to his calling, and not to be found idle. His life was an example of love and dedication to his Lord.
Bibliography
Baerg, W.G. Journey into the Heart of the Congo: The story of a missionary endeavour edited by Bruno W. Baerg. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Baerg Publications, 2000: 161-164.
Bergmann, Helen Reimer, Ebenezer: Virgil Mennonite Brethren Church, 1937-1987. Virgil, Ontario: Virgil Mennonite Brethren Church, 1987: 85-86.
GRANDMA (The Genealogical Registry and Database of Mennonite Ancestry) Database, 7.05 ed. Fresno, CA: California Mennonite Historical Society, 2013: #532552.
| Author(s) | Alf Redekopp |
|---|---|
| Date Published | February 2014 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Redekopp, Alf. "Baerg, William George "Willie" (1911-1984)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2014. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Baerg,_William_George_%22Willie%22_(1911-1984)&oldid=114127.
APA style
Redekopp, Alf. (February 2014). Baerg, William George "Willie" (1911-1984). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Baerg,_William_George_%22Willie%22_(1911-1984)&oldid=114127.
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