Anna Letkeman born 1936 in Swift Colony, Mexico
interview by Astrid Koop
My parents Ben and Agnes Sawatzky Schmidt were both born in Saskatchewan; my mother in 1906 and my father in 1903. Their parents, in turn, had been born in Russia. I was born in the Swift Colony of Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, one of nine children, in 1936.
My parents had a difficult beginning financially; my father worked in a blacksmith shop. One year was better, when they grew watermelon, beans, corn and tomatoes in Swift. The following year my Father checked out the Manitoba Colony and bought a small farm there in 1942. The farmhouse had only two bedrooms and we children needed to sleep on the floor until our Father had added three rooms.
After two years time, our family moved to Wiesenfeld in the Manitoba plan with a larger house. Here we lived for three years. I attended school for seven years. Then my parents decided to move to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There my Father worked on a farm in Three Hills. Following that, we spent two years in Peace River, Alberta.
In 1952 we returned to Mexico where I was baptized in the Old Colony Mennonite Church. I recall a beautiful fall evening when I was 15 years old. The moon was full and about 30 young people had gathered on a friend’s yard where we danced and sang. Two young musicians played mouth organs.
Cornelius Letkeman and I were married in 1954. We lived in Mexico for 30 years. Here ten healthy children were born to us: five daughters and five sons. Life was difficult for the first two years, then we rented 300 acres and grew beans, oats and corn. We had cows, pigs and one horse for transportation. I was very busy and went into town only one time when the children were little. I’d make a list for Cornelius and he bought food, yard goods, clothing and whatever we needed. I stayed home with the children.
In 1976 we moved to Leamington, Ontario. Here Cornelius worked in the marsh for John Andrasik who grew soya beans, corn and tomatoes. He also worked in Chatham. The children and I worked for Tom Dick in Leamington. During this time we lived in a house on the Andrasik farm. Our children attended Gore Hill and Mill Street schools. I took English classes for a short time.
First we attended the United Mennonite Church on Oak Street, then the Evangelical Mennonite Church on concession 3. Cornelius, who had never been sick a day in his life, died in 1990 after suffering from lung cancer for three months. Today I am a member at the New Reinland Church where Rev.Willie Thiessen is pastor. I enjoy going there because my children and grandchildren are there. I still have my own car so I’m fairly independent.
Some day I’d like to return to Mexico to find the large stone near my parent’s house. When I was seven years old, I spent many hours sitting on this stone and talking to God.
I believe that travellers to Mexico should be very careful; there was, and is today, much drug-related crime there.
