23/09/09
The first 5 days we were here, we stayed at Camp Assiniboia. I had a really hard time at first to get used to the fact that i wouldn't be coming home in a month, and I was in a group full of strangers. I was definitely homesick the first couple of nights. I think God has really helped me with the fact that I'm gonna be away from people for a while. I need to embrace what I'm doing, and take it all in, because I'm only with these people for a year - and i have the rest of my life with people back home. So yeah, God has definitely been working through me in that way. so, We got our textbooks, and the first one we're reading is "Blue Like Jazz". I'm really enjoying it so far. We haven't had a lot of classes yet, but the ones we have had have been really good. I'm really excited to learn a lot more this year through the different classes and experiences that I will have.
On the 5th day, we left for Pioneer Camp, and we went on a 4 day canoe trip. It was really awesome to get to know the people i'm here with a lot better. I feel like after that trip, I'm a lot closer with a lot of them, and it just brought us together a lot. Even though we were split into 2 groups, i feel like I'm almost closer with everyone, which is weird, but sweet. Oh, and peeing in the woods wasn't always that great. i stumbled upon some poison ivy. Don't worry, i didn't sit in it, but i got it on my face and stomach. Its been an annoyance, and I'm really sick of it already. Kind of scared its gonna spread! but I'm sure i will be fine :)
so after the canoe trip, it felt amazing to shower (i thought I'd just add that in there). Even though it was a cold shower. But yeah, we came to Altona, and now we're staying at a church called "seeds church", and we are hanging out with the Anishinabe people on a reserve for this week. The schedule is kind of crazy, and we often have no idea what we're doing next, but its kind of sweet to not really know. Yesterday we went to the reserve called Roseau River at 10:00, and there were a bunch of different Anishinabe people that we talked to, or that talked to us, and told us their stories about Residential schools, and the relationship that they have with white people. Its kind of weird to hear their side of the story, and to know that what the White people did to them with the residential schools, and buying their land, it still affects them like crazy, and they're not really that happy about it. They all are hoping that my generation will make a difference, and help them change the world pretty much. It's weird to hear that.
12/10/09
Hey guys. So i thought i should write a bit more about what we have been doing lately. After the week in Altona, we drove to the Wilderness Edge in Pinawa. We stayed there for a full week, and had sessions every day, twice a day. The first full day there was kind of a free day, we went to the rapids and slid down them. If you know me, i was so incredibly scared. haha. It was ridiculous, because it actually wasn't scary doing it at all, it was so much fun. It probably took me about 20 minutes to finally line up to go, and then once i got there, another 10 to let myself slide down the rapids.
Before sliding down the rapids...
But anyway, in class we talked about theology and how you have to have the right theology, otherwise it leads to sin. We also talked about figuring out the bibles overall message, how it has 3 core parts. They are Kingdom, Community, and Creation. we talked about all three of them separately. In the afternoon sessions, we watched different movies about Christianity, and what it means to different people. Also just about keeping your religion, and living it out type thing. Every night we were at Pinawa we went in the hot tub, it became like a habit. We also jumped in the freezing cold river a couple times, and then ran back to the hot tub, which was always really stupid in the moment, but it felt so good afterwards to get into the hot tub.
So after Pinawa we went to inner city Winnipeg and did the urban plunge experience. We stayed at the Vineyard church in Winnipeg. The first day we were there we did a city tour type thing, where we walked around Portage and Main, looking at the different Murals, and going to different service places. One place we went was Siloam Mission, and they challenged us to give them the shirt off our backs. It was pretty hard at first to get used to the idea that we were giving them our clothes, and that i wouldn't get it back, but it made sense to me, because there are people who need my sweater far more than i do. I know that my sweater will be used so much more than i would use it. It felt good to give them something that they can use.
The next morning, we found out that that night there had been a murder, and a suicide, right nearby where we were staying. It was really hard for me to comprehend that. There's so much hurt happening in those areas that so many people have no idea about. It just really makes me want to make a difference in these peoples lives - to help them to not be angry, or depressed. I think those people need help, and no body is helping them. I don't know, it just really hit me hard, and i felt really sad for the people who live there, and go through hurt like that so often. I felt like i was questioning how so much hurt can take place there, and how God can just let it happen. I felt like i didn't understand at all, and it made me angry. I wanted to trust God, and know that He was taking care of things, but it honestly felt like He wasn't. I was asking myself, How can we help here? What can we do to make a change in this place? i felt like it was hopeless, like i couldn't do anything to make it better.
So we found out that there was going to be a funeral held at the church, so we decided to pack up that morning, and go to Camp Assinibioa that night, because that was our next destination. So we packed up, and then went to our different service projects. I was in a small group that went to serve at Siloam Mission. We helped clean up after the people eating there, and talked to them a bit. It was really cool to hear some peoples stories, and just let them talk to you. They love to talk a lot. It felt really good to make their day a little bit better just by listening to them, or smiling at them. The next day i went with a group to this place called the multicultural center, which is around St.Vital. That day there was a parenting class type thing, where moms would go and listen to someone speak about how to raise your children and such. So we played with the kids during that time. It was a lot of fun, those kids had so much energy and enthusiasm.
Winnipeg Urban Plunge was a lot different than i thought it would be. I thought it would be simple, and not that eye opening for me, because i'd been there, and done it all before. It definitely changed me more than i thought it would. I walked out of that weekend with a much bigger understanding of where God is in the inner city, and how He's working.
So the next couple of days we spent at Camp Assinibioa, and we had a speaker come in and speak for 2 days. We talked a lot about different bible verses, and just went more in depth with them. it was really cool. So this weekend we had our thanksgiving home stay, and we're off tomorrow for a 16 hour drive - the girls to Banff, and the boys to Canmore. We're having our guy/girl week there, and having some speakers come in. I'll let you know more when it happens.
24/10/09
These past two weeks have been great. last week we arrived back at CMU after thanksgiving break at 4:45 AM. we had a crazy long drive to Banff Alberta, where the mountains are absolutely beautiful, except we couldnt see the mountains until the next morning because we arrived so late. So we dropped the boys off in canmore, and then the girls kept driving for about another 20 minutes to Banff. We stayed at a really nice hotel, and we were all really happy to arrive and sleep in comfortable beds.
The speaker for the week was Sharon Peters, and she talked about being comfortable in our own skin, and how God made us very good. i learned to be happy with who i am, who i want to be, and how God wants me to be. It was inspiring to hear Sharon speak about things only girls can relate to. i think a lot of us looked at ourselves and each other differently after that week. we also had some good boy talks, where we asked the boys questions, and they sent two leaders to Banff to come and answer them for us. That was a good time all around :P we also had some good girly nights, like dressing up to go to a fancy restaurant, and having a spa night.
Spa Night :)
when we left the hotel in banff, the boys decided that girls were "gross"? was it? i'm not sure. but we extended girls week a bit by having a van full of girls on the way to camp Kawkawa in Hope, BC, our next destination.
