Larry and Maxine Miller sit together atop the Nanih Waiya Mound in Mississippi. Photo provided.

By Zachary Headings
Wednesday, August 24, 2022

To celebrate World Senior Citizens Day, August 21, we honor two incredible SOOP participants: Larry and Maxine Miller, who have spent their retirement years serving others in many capacities. Even though we honor these SOOP participants on this day, we emphasize that SOOP is for people of all ages!

Since retiring in 2007, Larry and Maxine Miller have been caretakers at a guest house. They have also served with Mennonite Mission Network's Service Opportunities with Our Partners (SOOP) multiple times. SOOP is a program designed to offer flexible service terms for individuals and families of all ages. Whether you want to serve for two weeks or four months — or even longer — SOOP has diverse and rewarding opportunities.

The Millers started the Mashulaville Dormitory, a hospitality house in their hometown, Macon, Mississippi. "SOOP kind of came to us," Larry Miller said. SOOP offered placements at Mashulaville, which led the Millers to interact with Arloa Bontrager, the director of SOOP, on a regular basis.

Larry and Maxine Miller's first SOOP assignment was 14 years ago, at the International Guest House in Washington, D.C. Since then, they've served with numerous other Mission Network partners, including their current placement at Menno-Hof in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Menno-Hof is an information center "that teaches visitors about the faith and life of Amish and Mennonites." The Millers begin their days by unlocking the doors, turning on displays and preparing the place for visitors. When the public arrives, the Millers act as tour guides and help visitors learn more about Amish and Mennonite heritage.

The Millers are retired elementary school teachers, but they would claim that they still teach. Once a teacher, always a teacher, is the Miller's philosophy.

One of the best parts of their service assignment is the opportunity to meet people, the Millers said. Whether it's meeting Menno-Hof visitors or having dinner with Amish "cousins," as the Millers call them, the Millers relish the opportunity to connect with more of the family of God.

When they are not serving with SOOP, the Millers spend their time in Mississippi, where they have lived for half a century. They describe their life there as a road of adventure, decisions and disappointments. During those 50 years, the Millers have seen the incremental development of civil rights in Mississippi — with so little progress and many backslides. Since the pandemic began, they've seen the quality of education plummet. "It's better than it was 50 years ago, but it's not anywhere near where it should be," Larry Miller said.

Seeing these trends in their home state is part of their inspiration to serve — to give back and share what they've learned.

 "SOOP has been really good [for us]," Maxine Miller said. "… it's an opportunity to come away. We really enjoy it." She went on to say that, for them, even teaching is a way of service.

 One of the most meaningful experiences they've had at Menno-Hof was with a couple from the Niagara Falls area. They were exploring their newly found Anabaptist faith, having recently come out of the Wesleyan tradition. The Millers became surrogate parents for them, visiting them at their campsite, having conversations and answering questions. The couple returned home with greater empowerment in their faith and are now attending a Mennonite church. "Sometimes you really hit the jackpot," Larry Miller said.

"SOOP allows us to gear down and still be productive," Larry Miller said. "We're carrying our load, but we're not in the fast lane anymore. We're not coasting."

 

 

 Related

 

 

Harmony: A compendium of peace storiesInternational Day of Peacehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4985/HarmonyHarmony: A compendium of peace storiesGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
First memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29Press releasehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4979/First-memorial-signage-of-Bodewadmi-Myaamia-Trail-to-be-installedFirst memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29GP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Indiana
Service Adventure units welcome new participantsService Adventurehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4974/Service-Adventure-units-welcome-new-participantsService Adventure units welcome new participantsGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
Apache Stronghold continues prayerful struggle to protect sacred placesPeace and justicehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4973/Apache-Stronghold-continues-prayerful-struggleApache Stronghold continues prayerful struggle to protect sacred placesGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Arizona
Greening the faith: students plant avocado trees in GuatemalaStewardshiphttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4962/Greening-the-faithGreening the faith: students plant avocado trees in GuatemalaGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Chamelco, Alta Verapaz
Celebration of life in community carries on Service Adventure lifestyleCycles of Lifehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4961/Celebration-of-life-in-community-carries-on-Service-Adventure-lifestyleCelebration of life in community carries on Service Adventure lifestyleGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
New MVS participants join units across the countryMENNONITE VOLUNTARY SERVICEhttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4959/New-MVS-participants-join-units-across-the-countryNew MVS participants join units across the countryGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
Youth Venture Benin in photosYouth Venturehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4954/Youth-Venture-Benin-in-photosYouth Venture Benin in photosGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Allada
Third peace conference brings faith and peace togetherPeace conferencehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4953/Third-peace-conferenceThird peace conference brings faith and peace togetherGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
Mennonite Church USA to unveil sculpture August 2Sculpture unveilinghttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4951/unveil-sculpture-August-2Mennonite Church USA to unveil sculpture August 2GP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Elkhart, Indiana
Peacebuilding efforts continue in EcuadorPeacebuildinghttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4931/Peacebuilding-in-EcuadorPeacebuilding efforts continue in EcuadorGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
Couple experiences shalom and community across the United StatesSOOPhttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4928/Couple-experiences-shalom-and-communityCouple experiences shalom and community across the United StatesGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
Peacemaking agency director challenges U.S. churches to uphold democracy by creating space for dialogMENNOCON23Videohttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4930/Peacemaking-agency-director-challenges-U-S--churchesPeacemaking agency director challenges U.S. churches to uphold democracy by creating space for dialogGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Cape Town
Seminar calls church to serve people experiencing migration and disappearanceMennoCon23Videohttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4929/Seminar-calls-church-to-serve-people-experiencing-migration-and-disappearanceSeminar calls church to serve people experiencing migration and disappearanceGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476
MennoCon seminar discusses options for students after high schoolMennoCon23https://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4926/MennoCon-Seminar-discusses-options-for-students-after-high-schoolMennoCon seminar discusses options for students after high schoolGP0|#52c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1;L0|#052c46992-a072-4af3-b006-834f7e8b9cb1|News;GTSet|#544fcc8d-5de2-49c8-9d51-afee09323476Kansas City, Missouri

 

 

https://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4753/Super-SOOPers-spend-their-retirement-sharing-their-gifts

​Zachary Headings is a marketing specialist for Mennonite Mission Network.

 

 

Harmony: A compendium of peace storieshttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4985/HarmonyHarmony: A compendium of peace stories
First memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29https://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4979/First-memorial-signage-of-Bodewadmi-Myaamia-Trail-to-be-installedFirst memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29
Service Adventure units welcome new participantshttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4974/Service-Adventure-units-welcome-new-participantsService Adventure units welcome new participants
Apache Stronghold continues prayerful struggle to protect sacred placeshttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4973/Apache-Stronghold-continues-prayerful-struggleApache Stronghold continues prayerful struggle to protect sacred places
Greening the faith: students plant avocado trees in Guatemalahttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4962/Greening-the-faithGreening the faith: students plant avocado trees in Guatemala
Celebration of life in community carries on Service Adventure lifestylehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4961/Celebration-of-life-in-community-carries-on-Service-Adventure-lifestyleCelebration of life in community carries on Service Adventure lifestyle



 

 

Women and Peace workshop in Colombia inspires hope in time of crisishttps://www.mennonitemission.net/blog/4989/Women-and-Peace-workshop-in-Colombia-inspires-hope-in-time-of-crisisWomen and Peace workshop in Colombia inspires hope in time of crisisWomen and Peace
The secret to living simply? It’s complicated!https://www.mennonitemission.net/video/4967/The-secret-to-living-simply-It’s-complicatedThe secret to living simply? It’s complicated!MVS
Harmony: A compendium of peace storieshttps://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4985/HarmonyHarmony: A compendium of peace storiesInternational Day of Peace
I have felt welcomed herehttps://www.mennonitemission.net/blog/4988/I-have-felt-welcomed-hereI have felt welcomed hereHispanic Heritage Month
First memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29https://www.mennonitemission.net/news/4979/First-memorial-signage-of-Bodewadmi-Myaamia-Trail-to-be-installedFirst memorial signage of Bodewadmi Myaamia Trail to be installed September 29Press release
Here with purpose: Naomi Learyhttps://www.mennonitemission.net/blog/4980/Here-with-purpose-Naomi-LearyHere with purpose: Naomi LearyQ&A