The MBCM family is deeply saddened by the bodies of 215 children found on the grounds of the Kamloops residential school. This is a tangible and heartbreaking reminder of the thousands of children who were killed while attending residential schools and the thousands more who suffered physical, sexual, emotional, and spiritual abuse at the hands of those claiming to be the church. As Christians, and more specifically as Anabaptists we acknowledge our complicity in the residential school system and offer our apology and our commitment to do better, to be better in our pursuit of reconciliation with indigenous brothers and sisters in our congregations, in our province, and in our country.This discovery is a reminder that the pain caused by the residential school system is not a thing of the past, nor is it something that we can ignore; it is the responsibility of every Canadian and especially every follower of Christ to be active seekers of reconciliation, to listen to the stories of indigenous people, to hold our government accountable to their promises of action. As we serve our Creator in these ways we claim God’s promise in Matthew chapter 5 “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6 NLT).**(Special thanks to The Meeting Place leadership team for preparing this statement)