October 22-27, 2007
One of the joys of being a Site Leader is having the chance to return and visit places two years in a row. For me it was an honour to be able to go back to Esperanza again this year as it is one of the most unique places I have ever visited.
Nestled in the mountains of the west coast of Vancouver Island it is a centre with programs of rest and refuge for Native families and individuals addressing issues of drug and alcohol addictions as well as crisis in their lives. The name Esperanza, means “hope” and that is what it has been for many who have visited and left having experienced healing, and a sense of renewal.
We helped out with many preparations for the upcoming Family Session. We found ourselves doing all sorts of service work including: general maintenance, massive loads of laundry, cleaning and doing inventory on the homes that families would be staying in, cleaning up the beach after a series of major storms, and splitting, moving and stacking a winter’s worth of firewood. It was quite something to see some people in our group driving by on tractors to pick up another load of firewood, or the day a group of guys decided to turn splitting wood into something of a “lumberjack competition”. We all worked hard and were tired at the end of everyday, but it was a satisfying feeling to know we had been able to help out that week.
Let the "Outtatown Lumerjack Games" begin...
We took turns cooking for the group all week. Here Johnny's small group shows off their meal!
T.J., Brent and Dave moving wood
More firewood stacking!
A week on Outtatown would hardly be a week without adventure. With that in mind we had many adventures this week. We all got a twenty minute boat ride, as Esperanza has only water access. The brave ones went out in the boat on the open ocean and saw a host of sea lions, seals and other sea life. When the tide went out some of our group were able to find beautiful starfish, salmon and even a sea cucumber! The salmon were spawning that week as well, which meant we were also able to see them, as well as a bear! One night Al, a man who recently came to stay at Esperanza, served up a large batch of clams that he had dug up out of the water. It was a new experience for some, and a tasty experience for all!
In addition to the service work and adventure we had the chance to hear the stories of some of the people that live and have devoted their lives to the ministry at Esperanza. Dean shared with us about both the positive and damaging impacts of Christianity in the colonization of North America and in other areas of the world. As well, he was able to share stories of how he personally had seen God at work in redeeming and healing relationships between the Aboriginal people group of Vancouver Island and Christians.
Ivan, a Regalia Chief, spoke about different cultures and the protocol of those cultures. He spoke of the ways in which the white colonies enforced their culture upon the Aboriginal people. It was heartbreaking to hear the damage and pain that was caused to some many individuals, often children, as they were removed from their homes and sent to Residential Schools, when they were expected to take on “English” names, learn a language foreign to them, and many endured abuse.
Ivan told us about his own journey with both Regalia Aboriginal and Christian beliefs. After wrestling with uncertainties and feeling pressured to choose one or the other, he eventually came to realize that both influenced and informed his Spiritual journey and belief in God. One evening after our group thanked the folks at Esperanza for hosting us Ivan, his wife Victoria and their four sons did a ceremonial song for us. It was powerful to see the way they honoured their traditions and worshipped God at the same time.
All in all, our week at Esperanza was a meaningful chance to see the work of God in many ways, from the beauty of Creation to the stories of redemption and healing in the hearts and lives of his people.
Dana Honderich
1 comment:
woot dana!! Atta girl!
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