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Graber, Harold (1923-2003)
Newton Kansan obituary: 2003 Feb 24 p. 2
Birth date: 1923 Aug 5
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2003 Mar 10 p. 7
text of obituary:
By AIMM and MMN News Services
NEWTON, Kan. — Harold Graber, a missionary who was a courageous peacemaker during Congo's civil war, died Feb. 22 at his home. He was 79.
Graber and his wife, Gladys, served in Congo from 1951 to 1964 with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission and the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General conference Mennonite Church.
A dramatic moment of his ministry occurred in 1959 when rival tribes lined up with bows, arrows, knives and guns, ready to kill each other. Graber walked between the lines and persuaded them — with God's help, he wrote later — to put away their weapons and go home.
Graber was born Aug. 5, 1923, to Peter H. and Emma (Flickinger) Graber at Pretty Prairie. he served in Civilian Public Service during World War II. He married Gladys Gjerdiveg on Aug. 10, 1947, at Mountain Lake, Minn.
The Grabers went to Congo in 1951. Harold itinerated among villages and taught Bible school. African Christians gave him the Tshiluba name Muambi Muayila, which could be interpreted both as one who was a learner and as one who enabled others to learn.
In 1960, civil war forced the Grabers and other missionaries to leave the country. Harold returned for several months in 1961, and in 1963 the family returned to Congo. They directed a Bible school, but rebels overran the mission station. After three traumatic, life-threatening days, during which they saw all their possessions go up in flames, the Grabers were evacuated by U. N. helicopter. They were reassigned to Luluabourg to work in literature ministry. When the rebellion approached that city, the Grabers returned to the United States.
Graber then served pastorates at Zion Mennonite Church, Elbing, 1964-75; Central Heights Mennonite Church, Durham, 1975-76; Hebron Mennonite Church, Buhler, 1976-88; and again at Central Heights, 1988-93.
He was a member of First Mennonite Church in Newton.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys; two sons, Stan of Newton and Brad of Waterloo, Iowa; three daughters, Carolyn Klassen of Buhler, Emily Klassen of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Jeannette Jantz of Newton; a brother, Willard of Pretty Prairie; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
