Home.

I’m home.  Tired, and a little bit sick, but mostly just really good.  I have so much to think about, process, write and share.  It’s going to take me a while to figure it all out.  We saw lots of brokenness, hurt and sadness.  But we also saw joy, hope and love, in the most abundant of ways.  I still need to figure out how to reconcile those things together, and I’ll be honest, God and I have had to talk through some things that I just don’t get.  But if anything was pounded home to me again, and again, it was that with Christ, things are never hopeless. 

I knew I’d have a good time on this trip, I knew I’d laugh a lot, act crazy with the team and the kids we met, and I knew I’d probably grow on a lot of levels.  And all of those things happened. 

What I didn’t expect was the unbelievable beauty I would see in the people of Kitchenumaykoosib Inninuwug. (Big Trout Lake).   They captured my heart, and nothing brought me more joy each day than seeing these kids get to be kids for a little bit, putting aside the crap that they deal with on a regular basis.

We had so many opportunities to connect with the community on so many levels.  From kids camp, to cheering on the youth at a local ball hockey tournament, to being invited to a cookout of moosemeat and bannock at someone’s home.  We did our best to love, love, love, and yet somehow, we all were filled by the love they showed us. 

Although I was counting down the days to see Ben again, it was a whole lot harder to leave than I thought.  You try leaving when you have a trail of beautiful little kids following you to the airport asking you to stay. 

There will be many more stories, pictures and posts to come, as I soak in all that this experience was for me.  Until I sort through everything going on in my head and heart, here’s a few pictures that maybe will allow you a glimpse into why a little part of home for me is now in Big Trout Lake. 

And I’m Off

Tonight, in 4 hours, I’ll be leaving on a missions trip. Each year, our church heads up to a First Nations Community way-the-heck-up-there in Ontario.  This year, I’m going.  (Hence the first part of that sentence, where I say I’m leaving on a missions trip)

We’re going to Big Trout Lake, to Kitchenuhmaykoosib.  Yeah, I know.  I can’t say it either.  We’ll be there for 2 weeks, running a kids camp, playing some sports, doing a few youth outreaches and just in general, continuing to deepen relationships with a community of people that our church has been friends with for 6 years now. 

I’m getting excited about the trip – but I’ll be honest, I’m not exactly looking forward to the trip up.  We’ll be on a train for 28 hours, and then we’ll catch a few zzz’s on a church floor somewhere in Sioux Lookout, and then, we’ll catch a flight into BTL (did I mention it’s a fly-in community?).  And by “catch a plane” I mean, cram 18 of us onto a 18 seater plane that is probably so small it will pick up any and all turbulence we might face.  fun. times.

Also? 28 hours? Do you know all the places you can go in 28 hours? You can go from Toronto to Miami.  You can also get from here to P.E.I. (with time to spare).  You could probably even fly to Australia.  But nope, we’re staying in Ontario.  (My, what a big province we live in).   I’m not banking on getting too much sleep in the next few days, but oh well, that’s what memories are made of right?? RIGHT??

 

There’s a lot of brokenness in this community; much abuse, rampant suicide and many broken families.  It’s humbling to be a part of a church that knows that it’s not really the 2 weeks we’re there that make a difference.  It’s the year round support through letters, Christmas gifts, friendships and prayer that is bringing light to a really dark place. 

I hope that continues this next two weeks.  That they don’t see “us”.  That they don’t just have fun at a kids camp.  But that they see light, truth and hope, as we point to Christ.

We fly back July 25th.  I’ll see you then! 

Peace out.

Tuesdays

Despite the fact that I get up earlier on Tuesdays than any other day of the week, they still happen to make their way to the top of my list as far as days go. 

I get up with Ben, and then he drives me to work, a whole hour earlier than I actually need to be there (ahh! the joys of one car).  But it’s ok.  I end up using this time to actually be productive and get a head start on my day. (Go figure eh?)

We have staff meetings on Tuesdays.   These are usually a good reminder of how effective we can be when we work as a team.  The staff at our church are all pretty great, and these meetings re-focus, regenerate and encourage us. 

At four, I walk my rear end to the train station and catch a train and then a bus to Hamilton.  Although I always bring a book with me in hopes of being productive, it is inevitable that by the time I get on the bus in Burlington I will purposely pick a seat with no one beside me, then I will stretch out a bit and fully fall asleep.  Sometimes, I’m sleeping so soundly that somone has to wake me up when we reach our destination.  Nothing quite as humbling as having a complete stranger have to shake you awake as you wipe your nap drool off your cheek. 

Ben picks me up, and we drive to a public garden that is near the station.  He packs us a supper each week and we spend some time together, cathing up on our day, having a great picnic, and watching the two middle aged lovers who are always also at the park.  While we’re eating, they’re making out.  We fight the temptation to sing “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” outloud.

I then change in the car into more athletic clothing while we drive to our Ultimate frisbee game.  I have to time the changing of the pants strategically, so we’re not stopped at a red light while I have my shorts still around my ankles for the cars next to me to see.

Then we play ultimate frisbee.  This is good people.  Real good. We still usually win (minus one little glitch in the season),  and have a blast doing it.  I’m still not awesome, but still having a great time with good friends.  It does me good to run around for a few hours, growing at a game that I’m continuing to love. 

After our win, we’ll head out as a team to a local pub and hang out for a while.  I like this.  A lot. We laugh, we usually re-hash the game a bit, we grab fries and we grow as friends.  These people are good for me.  We talk about everything from weddings, to faith, to The Office, to work, to shawarmas.   We don’t see them outside of Tuesday nights, but when we do hang out, it just fits.

Then Ben and I drive home, crash on the couch, and relish in the fact that neither of us has to work until 1 the next day.

These days? They are good.

P-dot.

So I guess I should probably actually tell you about our trip to Pittsburgh, rather than just saying that I’m going to do that and then leave you hanging for a week eh? (annnnd the award for run-on sentence of the night goes to….)

We had a great time.  Seriously great.  Our trip down was awesome – great tunes, food, company and conversation.  As I mentioned in my previous post, we stopped at Grove City on the way into the city and then again on Sunday on our way back home.  that proved to be quite profitable. 

While actually in Pittsburgh (All day Friday and Saturday), we did SO much stuff.  We both felt like we really maximized our time there, seeing lots of the city.  I could give you a rundown of all that we did, but I think that might be a tad boring…so instead, I’ve compiled a list of all of the highlights of our time away**

• Going to a Pirates game. I don’t even really follow baseball, aside from the Jays every now and then.  But they have a pretty sweet ball park, that overlooks the city and the river.  It made for a great atmosphere, and a great way to spend a night in the city.  (Not a bad way to spend $18)

• This guy at the game (the one in the middle, sitting all by himself):

Towards the end, when it was getting obvious the Pirates were going to win, he got pretty excited and felt the need to rub/jiggle his belly quite vigorously.  It was pretty fun to watch.  Here he is mid-jiggle.

• The fact that it was free hat night (because I need another cheap ball cap that I’ll probably never wear).

• Getting into the Fort Pitt Museum for a grand total of 6 dollars.  You know the guy working the front desk is a little desperate for customers when he hacks the price of admission by two thirds. 
• Going to the zoo….and seeing monkeys do X-rated things….like really X rated.  I’d put a picture up here, but I  put one on facebook and already think I’ve tainted too many people’s minds. So I’ll refrain.  Go there if you’re really curious.  And people, I’ve got to tell you – it was pretty funny.  Does that make me a bad person?

• Seeing the most amazing fireworks show ever.  Like really.  I know people say that all the time – “oh that was the best (fill in the blank) ever.”  But I mean it this time.  4 times during the summer they have a fireworks show after a Pirates game, and it just happened to be while we were down there.  We got a great viewing spot on a hill right by the river they were shooting them off of, so we just layed there and watched.  I’ve never been so overwhelmed by sight, sound and feeling before. (You could feel each firework down to your core)
• The fact that our hotel had a continental breakfast with cartons of chocolate milk.  Every day Ben and I would each take 2 or 3 (all secret like, mind you), and then keep them for our lunches that day.  Because that’s how we roll. He is dutch you know.
• Sitting and walking down by the river, multiple times.

• Eating at Red Robin (that’s in honour of you Sheena)
• Hanging out with Sidney for an afternoon.  It had been a while since we’d seen him – he’s been kind of busy, what with parades, being famous and shaving his dirty playoff moustache, but it was nice to catch up with an old friend.  Even if it was just for a few hours. 
• The fact that our hotel check out wasn’t until noon on Sunday.  (Read: we definitely went back to bed after breakfast till 11:30)
• The U of Pittsburgh campus.  So stunning.  The buildings were old, beautiful and historic.

• The school fair we went to in the little hick town of Coraopolis one night on our way back to our hotel. (The small town near our hotel).  Because, why the heck not right?
• The outdoor stone fire pit at our hotel that overlooked the river. 

But no trip is 100% perfect…so here’s a few of the lowlights we encountered..

• Me spilling the ENTIRE contents of my yogurt on my white shirt one day at lunch…and then licking it off my shirt because I didn’t want it to go to waste.
• The slim-jims I bought at the local grocery store.  I was really looking forward to gnawing on a great piece of meat on this roadtrip, so while Ben bought a big ol’  expensive $5 bag of beef jerkey, I spent a whole $0.90 on 3 little Slim Jims.  I mocked him for his expensive purchase, saying that pepperettes were really where it was at.  Well I couldn’t have been more wrong.  I busted one out at the ball game…but after a few bites, I couldn’t hack it anymore.  The fact that it was described as “mechanically pulled chicken” and was oozing grease probably should have tipped me off.

• The un-classy joint we ate dinner at one day.  Ben saw rave reviews for this one restaurant that supposedly had really amazing sandwiches that he wanted to try out. So we did.  It was kind of cool, right in the middle of the market square, surrounded by cobblestone streets and old shops. But it was also surrounded by really loud obnoxious drunk people. And the actual food? Well, I guess the sandwich was ok.  Except for the fact that IT HAD FRENCH FRIES ON IT.  No ham and cheese sandwich should come with french fries on it.  Period.
• The torrential rainstorm we got caught in on the way home.  We seriously might has well have just driven through the lake to get home, because it was ridiculous.  I have never seen so much rain ever…it was scary and although several cars just pulled over, we trucked along at 5 km’s for a long while, my knuckles with a deathgrip on the wheel.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the recap as much as we enjoyed our time away! Overall, our trip was amazing.  We rested, explored, laughed and created memories.  Happy third anniversary to us!

**Disclaimer: there may or may not be a blatant lie somewhere in the highlight reel.