Outtatown Site 3: South Africa

Township Life

2008-04-14T08:50:00.001-05:00

The following is an excerpt from a journal entry that was shared during one student's year end testimony.

Kayamandi
You can’t describe what it’s like to walk around a township, Let alone live in one. You can’t describe the feeling, there’s a lot of paved roads, but then there are clay allies between the shacks. It’s like being in a constant maze, with passage ways everywhere. The shacks could be the most incredible sight. Pieces of wood, tin, cardboard, thrown then nailed against the wall, with cracks or gaps as windows. Tiers and cement bricks sit upon the roofs to keep them from blowing off. The walls are often slanted and deformed, slowly toppling over. These shacks are no bigger then my room at home, yet an entire family will sleep in them.
The sight of hundreds of people living so closely together is incredible. Houses are built side by side. There are no front yards, only shared allies where drying clothes hang over fencing wire. And wherever there is any shade, you will be sure to find a dog sleeping. I don’t know if anyone owns these dogs, or if they wander looking for food, their bodies are slender and limp. But dogs aren’t the only animals. Chickens run lose, across the streets and into shacks. I can only image all the roosters in the morning.
There are so many baby chicks as well, they kick up garbage to make areas to rest in. There is garbage everywhere, and no one picks it up, except for the few BFI sized bins on the paved streets, but they, themselves, overflow. People throw their garbage any where they please, you cannot look anywhere without seeing pop cans, condoms, and wrappers. You kick as you walk down the street, and kids play in it with bare feet. Along side the paved roads is a ditch system where water flows into the sewer. But the garbage quickly piles up and blocks the water from running. You wind up with flooded streets running through rubbish.
So with wild animals garbage, minimal hygienic resources, its not hard to imagine the smell. Tons of corners have a rotten out in the sun with a strong urine smell. People are living among these unpreventable smells. These shacks are built among these odour hot spots.
And despite this Kayamandi is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. And it is all due to the people.
Life in township changes at every corner. One corner a girl is playing a drum as her friends are dancing, down a back ally two men are playing a game of checkers on their homemade board, and down the street little kids are running around, playing on their toy cars, as their neighbours are blasting rap music of their stereos. Someone is running a hair salon out of their front porch, and another is selling lamb heads, muddy and piled in the streets. It’s a megalopolis of people, something is always going on. There are always people mingling, dancing singing, listening to music on every street, and every street corner.
It’s a unique vibe and feeling. I can’t describe not going somewhere and seeing hundreds of people. You can’t describe soccer games in the middle of the street with a flat ball, and you can’t fully describe the smile on a kids face as he rolls his tire with a stick. It’s the most beautiful feeling and place.
Submitted by Kyle Wiebe

Safe, Sound and about to Graduate

2008-04-12T08:48:00.003-05:00

Winnipeg, MB

Well we are safe and sound and recovering from Jet Lag, after 49 hours in transit.

This weekend will be our Grad weekend, a chance to meet each others' families, to have one last site gathering and to celebrate the work God has done this year in each of our lives.

Out of Africa

2008-04-07T15:17:00.003-05:00

Greeting Friends and Family!

Just an update for you.

Tomorrow morning we will be leaving bright and early for the airport and our travel iternerary is as follows:
Seven hours on the bus from the camp we are at to the Airport in Johannesburg.
Six hours at the airport in Johannesburg.
A twelve hour plane ride to London, England.
A six hour layover in London.
An eight hour flight to Toronto.
A short layover for some in Toronto, a medium layover for other in Toronto, a longer layover for the rest in Toronto at Johnny Fukumoto's house!
A two and a half our flight to Winnipeg where we will begin our weekend festivities.

And that concludes our time in South Africa, thanks for following along with us. More stories to follow as we continue to unwrap our experiences.

Outtatown... for different reasons

2008-04-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

Most people join Outtatown at least partly because of the promise of cross cultural adventure. They’re sold when they watch the catchy little promotional video that plays on the Outtatown website. It shows students bungee jumping, playing with lions, singing on gospel trains and being swamped by loads of delighted little school children who just want to touch your skin and hair. I admit that these things caught my interest as well, but my primary reason for joining the program was for first semester, in travelling around our OWN country, Canada.
I am a missionary kid through and through and have spent my life growing up in Africa. Like most missionary kids who grow up overseas, I struggle with the issue of identity. Who am I? I’m Canadian by passport, but have never really lived there. I am definitely not African. My skin color and family income separates me from a sense of belonging to the place my parents work. This is the struggle of us in-betweeners, a.k.a third-culture kids.
I have loved Outtatown because I feel like it has been the perfect transition phase between life as a missionary kid and life in Canada. Not only was I able to see my “home” country and be introduced to other Canadians my age, but I was also able to learn about Canada’s history and culture, a completely new experience for me. Then came second semester where flying back over the Atlantic into Africa felt like returning home. I was delighted to return to the heat and rain. My favourite parts of second semester so far have been the home stays with families from Pretoria, Durban, and Strandfontein. Though I came into their homes knowing little about their lifestyles I felt a connection with them simply because they weren’t Canadians. I enjoyed the social awkwardness with which they interacted with our team because in so many ways, I saw that in myself as well.
Though it has not always been easy or fun, I have learned a lot in Outtatown. I’ve learned about Canada and South Africa and who I am as an individual. Most importantly, I’m learning that the bonds of community are stronger than the bond of nationality and as Christians; our differences are something we can praise God for, because we all have something unique to give.
Submitted by Adrienne Leitch

Adrienne at the top of Table Mountain

Sports Column

2008-03-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

The starting line-ups take their place on the field.
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Ajax Cape Town 1-1 Platinum Stars
Game Recap:
There were four aspects of the game worth note.
First: The pre-game celebration presented by the Ajax Cape Town fans. They were decked out with 6 foot blow horns, a World War II siren and fans that smoked lots of cigarettes. Fortunately they were merely 15 feet away from us, so we were right in the middle of the action!

The game about to begin.
Second: #101 on the Platinum Stars. I have never in my life seen a triple digit jersey number in professional sports so I was intrigued. The more I think about it, the more confused I become. Are there over 100 players on the team and they all need their own number? But the mystery is solved by his yellow cleats (there uniforms were black); he just wants to stand out.
Third: The main attraction of the game was the accurately dubbed “superfan”. Fully loaded with an Ajax flag and two cigarettes, one in the mouth, one behind the ear, he tore up and down the front row of the bleachers keeping even with the ball on the playing field for nearly the entire first half, sprinting especially hard when there was a close play at the visiting team’s goal.

SuperFan!
Fourth: A high school band arrived late in the first half and promptly initiated an African dance party on the opposite bleachers. I was impressed, and slightly annoyed, in the second half as they played the same song over and over for the duration of the 45 minute half.
Submitted by Steve Klassen

Game Night

The Fans waiting patiently for the game to start.

Sarah and Brittany

The crowd

The Outtatown Fans representing the hometeam with PRIDE. (Johnny, Dave and Reuben
)

Table Mountain Hike

2008-03-21T12:21:00.006-05:00

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It’s one of the best known sites in South Africa, and you can find it on everything from postcards to t-shirts: Table Mountain, which is aptly named for its characteristically flat top.
Everyone on the site dressed for the heat as we set out to hike up this beauty. I noticed in amusement how we, with our hats, beloved bandannas, clanging water-bottles and cameras swinging at our sides didn’t need a sign for anyone to know we were tourists! Several people chose to take the cable-car up to the top of the mountain, but for those of us who hiked it our spirits were almost as high as the elevation! Our initial charge gave way to heavy breathing after several minutes, as the trail consisted of large rocks that put the Stairmaster to shame.
Once I reached the summit, I felt accomplished and recharged by the view that met my eyes – outstretched below me in toy-like simplicity lay Cape Town, massive stadiums looking like mere thumb nails. The aqua waters of the ocean met strips of white sand beaches, framed in my view by the steep pillaring rock cascading downward which we had just conquered. I felt so small compared to it all, yet the awe of such great heights was washed with a calm sort of assurance, how great is our God, that he can care about EVERY person in all the dot-sized houses, that he has the might to move mountains?!
We stopped for almost an hour to rest, take pictures, and take in the view before modern technology whisked us back to the bus, in the form of a three-minute rotating cable car. How was Table Mountain? Well let’s just say that I liked it enough that I bought a post card.
Submitted by Rachel Nafziger

Megan enjoys a lunch break on the way up with a great view from the mountain.

Tiffany and Rebekah

We were thankful for a slight cloud cover and a gentle breeze as we hiked up during the hottest part of the day.

The view of Table Bay and the Cape Town Waterfront from half way up the mountain.

Taking in the scenery and a quick photo break... Libby, Jen, Dana, Kim in the back and Adrienne and Sully in the front.

Dana tries to run up the mountain, only to quickly realize maybe that's not such a smart idea after all!

Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, Kristi, Darren

Jen stops for a quick drink of water.

The path we took was a giant staircase up the side of the mountain. This is the final "flight" of stairs before the flat Table Top.

Libby, Ryan and Kim

Rachel, Sarah, Kristi

Ryan... king of the hill

Chantel, Steve and Megan at the summit.

Da Boyz at da top

The view from the top! Well worth the hike (or the optional Cable Car ride up!)

After an hour plus hike up the five minute cable car down seems like a breeze!

Hannah, Megan, Chantel, Steve

Shark Diving

2008-03-19T04:36:00.001-05:00

March 18, 2008
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would stare into the eyes of a Great White Shark of the Indian Ocean. However, during our stay in Simon’s Town many of us boarded the bus by 5am so that we could reach the shark diving location in good time. We started off with a good breakfast served at the base, and then with a quick briefing we headed out on the boat. The sun was already shining and it appeared that we had a good day ahead of us. The boat took us out for a good 45minutes till we dropped anchor at the spot where we would wait eagerly (yet patiently) for any sort of sighting. I was trying so hard not to get my hopes up because we were told there was a chance we wouldn’t see any sharks. It was a bit discouraging when by noon there was still nothing.
But then the time came. We had to face our fears, climb into a wetsuit, strap on a pair of goggles, and jump into a 6-person cage off the edge of the boat into the frigid water. While the crew threw bait over the edge of the boat, and there were sharks circling in the water right in front of our very own eyes! It was a huge rush, since you didn’t know how long the shark was going to stick around.
Our group was very fortunate. We saw two whales, one jellyfish, many seals and four sharks! By the time we started heading back we were all exhausted but still excited about what we had just experienced. We got back to the base and had a delicious lunch which ended off our day. All in all Shark Diving was an awesome day and something that I know is a once in a lifetime experience for me.
Submitted by Sarah Janzen

Sarah

The gorup waiting for the sharks to come.

There's a fine line between "suntanning" and seasickness, here it's hard to tell which is the case.

Tessa on the deck of the boat before seasickness hit her.

Kyle lounges on the boat.

Julia and Brittany enjoy the day at sea.

Carissa, Ryan, Jen and Stephanie.

The boat

Brent, Amanda, Steve enjoy the ride.

Kim and Chantel suit up to be lowered into the shark infestic Atlantic waters in the cage.

Reuben and Justin opt not to wear the wet suits.

Kyle demonstrates that the ocean is in fact quite chilly!

The cage.

In the cage Kristi, Sarah and Darren. Ready for a close up of the sharks.

Justin, Steve and Tiffany

Mmmm lunch... thankfully this is the shark's lunch and not ours!

The bait and wait game.

"Here sharky"

and finally the moment we've all been waiting for!

Robben Island

2008-03-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

Monday, March 17, 2008
Taking the ferry off the coast of South Africa, we all became prisoners of Robben Island for a day. We were held captive by the intricate history and surprising beauty that the island offered to unsuspecting tourists and even residents of South Africa itself.
Through a vivid and animated tour guide, We were regaled with stories of the former uses of the island, which just so happened to be a quarantine area, a criminal prison, a war base in WWII, a political prison, and now a flourishing tourist attraction.
But the things that we won’t ever forget about the prison are not the meagre discriminatory rations, the isolation, the pointless hard labour, or the general discrimination within. They will stay with us, but what stands out was how much God worked through what appeared to be a humiliating and debilitating attack on the leaders of the oppressed. In what seemed hopeless, God was able to transform that situation for his glory in so many ways. Now looking back the island is not only described as a prison, but a vital element in the transformation of a nation. It is so great to see how God can use any seemingly disadvantaged situation for his own advantage.
We left the island with our minds full, still replaying the victory out of the hardships endured by the innocent political prisoners as we left the island to the tourists.
Submitted by Nathan Sullivan.

Sully and Adrienne on the ferry to the Island.

The view of Table Mountain from the ferry in Table Bay.

One of the best views of Table Mountain is from right here on Robben Island.

Inside the prison, this man was our tour guide. It's hard to believe but he was an ex-prisoner in this very prison from 1988 to 1990!

We had a bus tour around the island, and our tour guide did a great job!

This is the limestone quarry when Nelson Mandela and many of the other political prisoners spent most of their days. They were forced to do hard labour with no purpose, so they would gather limestone one day and the next move it to a new pile. This also became the place where many political discussions took place. An unconventional university and training ground for many of South Africa's finest political leaders.

A view of the prison from the inside of the courtyard.

Another inside look.

Ryan, Carissa, Sarah

Steve and Brent, momentarily behind bars.

Jen and Rebekah on the bus tour.

The key hole to Nelson Manela's cell, where he was imprisoned for 17 years!
Mandela's cell.

Cape Point

2008-03-15T08:09:00.004-05:00

Cape Point, South Africa
March 14, 2008
Our Group took the day and visited the most Southern point of Africa. It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed the chance to see the view and hiked up to a light house station.

The point of Africa.

Dave and Ryan pointing towards the point of Africa

Ryan, Steve, Justin, Riel and Brent.

A reminder of how far we are from home.

Dave, Kim and Chantel

Simon's Town

2008-03-14T08:41:00.005-05:00

March 8-14
Simon's Town, South Africa.
Week One
I have loved two things about this week. I have loved hanging out with the African Penguins on the beach and I also loved Micheline's Conflict Resolution classes.
With an experiential learning approach, Micheline took on the task of teaching us a thing or two about conflict and I must say she was quite successful.
Step one was to determine what conflict actually is, which I must say was not what I initially thought it was.
Step two was to teach us some of the causes of conflict. The third part was to look at some of our responses to conflict. And finally we topped the week off with a lesson on listening skills and how we can solve conflict.
Classes here have been so much fun, and there are so many practical things that I have learned about conflict, things I hope to make use of in my own life, now and after Outtatown. Definately a memorable week for me.
submitted by Amanda Kehler
Conflict Transformation Class with Michelline.
Michelline, our Tour Guide/Conflict Class Instructor shows us the view of Cape Town from a mountain view point. Again South Africa is a spectacularly beautiful country!
District 6 Museum
We took a tour of the District 6 Museum, which is an area of Cape Town where the coloured families were forcibly removed from their homes in the 1960s due to Apartheid. Again it is heartbreaking to hear the stories of people's lives that have been so deeply impacted and remain wounded by the legacy of Apartheid in this country.
An example of the signs that ruled the day-to-day life of every South African not all that long ago.
Stories being remembered well.
A map on the floor of the area people used to call home, which now lies vacant, a constant reminder of what once what home to many.
Cape Town Tour
Here are the Union Buildings in downtown Cape Town. This is the building from which Mandela gave his first speach after he was realeased from prison in 1990.
Union Buildings again.
The view from "our beach", okay it's really called Seaforth beach, but we like to spend as much time at it as possible as our retreat centre, Water's Edge, really is literally at the edge of the water!

The view from the Simon's Town Harbourfront! (our backyard for two weeks!) (which by the way, we are not complaining about!)
South African Penguins... honest, it's hard to believe but they exist!
Playing with the penguins... touching them without getting bit is a big success.... here Megan creeps up on them!

Sarah smiles with her new friends.

Another penguin... they may look cute and cuddly but they have been known to bite, so watch out!

Sarah, Libby and Carissa enjoy Iced Coffee on a free day in Cape Town.

Homestay and Service in Strandfontein

2008-03-14T08:12:00.010-05:00

Some of the kids at school. They would flock as soon as we would pull out our cameras.

March 1-8
Part of the Outtatown experience is homestays. During the three months here in South Africa we have had the opportunity to stay with three different families. Our last one was in Strandfontein with coloured families.
During the first two homestays we would see everyone during the day, but this time it was a little different. Our group was put into three different primary schools where we worked throughout the week. For the most part we worked by ourselves in a classroom all day.
I was in Strandfontein Primary School working in a grade two class with fifty learners and only one teacher. As you can imagine that took a lot out of me during the week.
The first few days I was with my grade two class and then later on in the week I ended up with another grade two class. I had to work all alone with fifty kids. This has helped me to gain so much more respect for teachers when it comes to disciplining the kids. There were many many times when I had to yell in order to be heard.
This week was really challenging but it taught me a lot. You need to have lots of passion and love for kids in order to lead a class of fifty students.
submitted by Rebekah Rogers
A school class all smiles for their new found Canadian Friends!
Adrienne poses with a boy at school.
Hard at Work!
One of the three schools that part of the group spent the week at.

Johnny joins the pre-bell line up in the morning.
Swimming time with Kristi.
Story time with Libby!
Lunch break for the tired Canadian Teacher's assistants, who found themselves doing any number of things from marking tests, adding lines to notebooks, tidying up storerooms and doing presentations on many things ... include our home and native land!
The "After" shot of the storeroom that 10 people spent all day tidying! Not bad!

this just in...

2008-03-05T04:46:00.000-06:00

Hello to all our families and friends out there.

I hope this blog has been helpful as you follow our journey. It is sometimes difficult to post pictures and stories depending on where we are (and how fast/slow computers are). This week I have updated a number of our recent endeavours, which are in different orders than they were even last week... so scroll down and take a look!

Feel free to leave comments too! (Just know they may not show up for a few days until the are "moderated").

Anyways, Hope all is well at home!

Dana Honderich
Site 3 Leader, Site 3 Media Director

Stellenbosch

2008-03-05T04:05:00.007-06:00

Kayamundi, South Africa
Feb. 24-March 1, 2008
This week we spent time in the township Kayimundi, located in Stellenbosch. Our groups were sent out with a guide who lived in the neighbourhood to find a project that we could come up with to help out with over the course of the week.
My group stared off the week a little rocky we were having a hard time trying to find a need in the community that we could help out with. We spent time praying that God would set us up with the right project. In the end we were blessed by building a new roof for a single mom and her three children. This was a perfect project for us as we were able to use our gifts and talents to serve God and this woman. At the end of the project the woman had a nice new shiny tin roof that didn’t leak into her home, and we were able to bless her in many ways and she also blessed us by praying for us.
The last day we spent with her was amazing, she was so grateful and you could see the joy in her face. We not only were able to bless her but many in the community were encouraged by what we were doing and many times we were approached by complete strangers on the street that had seen what we were doing and they thanked us for giving hope to the community. So what started as a rocky week turned out to be a week where we were able to use our talents to bless the community of Kayamandi.
Submitted by Brent Smeenk.

Kayamandi
Brent spent most of the day clmibing around ontop of the roof and put his carpentry skills to work.
Here Rebekah gives the thumbs up to a nice sunny day, a great day to fix a roof!
Brittany passes another support beam up to secure the tin on.

Brent and one of the neighbour boys put the finishing touches on the roof of the home L91 (Section L shack number 91).

Here Mma stands in the doorway of her home with a big smile after the roof has been completed.
One group worked on a roof of a different sort at the base in the township.

Bonnievale Adventure Camp

2008-02-23T04:10:00.010-06:00

Bonnievale, South Africa
Feb 21-24, 2008

After being largely on our own for 6 weeks Site 2 and 3 met up for an adventure-filled weekend at Bonnievale Adventure camp. From sleeping out under the stars, to eating over the open fire it was a fun weekend for all.

High Ropes

Bonnievale was pretty much the sweetest! From sleeping outside and being next to a river that we could swim in anytime we wanted to was amazing. We enjoyed home cooked meals every day and fun activities like high ropes, kayaking and a sweet rope swing into the river made it that much better.

The people who ran the camp were so nice and were always there if we needed something or just there to tell the history of the place and stories from their past experiences around South Africa. Being around a Camp fire every night with Site two and catching up was definitely a nice break from the crazy life of Outtatown!
Submitted by Justin Dunning

High Ropes Course
Here Adrienne stops to catch her breath after completeing the first two phases of the high ropes course.

Riel and Dave... just hangin' out.
Rebekah, smiling as usual!
Rachel is enjoying the view from a higher vantage point.

Chantel adds an element of challenge to the course by scalling across upside down!
Jen braves the high ropes after much encouragement from her PMG and close friends (was it really encouragement or peer pressure Jen?)

Julia shows off her skills on the not-so-tight-rope

Here Justin and Johnny have convinced Amanda to face her fear of heights... they look more convinced than she does...but she did great in the end!

Rope Swing
Hannah on the rope swing
Hang on just a while longer Dave!
Johnny pulls off a successful pencil-dive-entry
Justin... is he going to make it all the way around and avoid a painful belly flop?

Nice Entry

Justin again with a crazy entry.
CANNONBALL!!!

2008-02-21T07:10:00.000-06:00

Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa
Feb 21, 2008

The "before" shot, the group nervously poses.

“Been there, jumped that!” Now a common phrase you will see plastered on souvenir clothing purchased by some adrenaline-rushed site 3ers!
Six weeks into the second semester and 26 brave souls took the plunge. Down, down, down, all 216m (709 feet), of the highest bungee jump in all the world. Despite the fear of heights being present for many, it stopped few. With chest harness on, we crept along a grated walkway, where once we arrived to the middle of the bridge our names were randomly selected. With the music loud and the energy high, I heard my name called! After catching my heart which had suddenly sunk, I was strapped up, helped to the edge as the countdown “5-4-3-2-1 Bungee” was cheered by my team and with arms extended, gravity took hold.
It’s an indescribable feeling as you are falling. A weightless, carefree, terrifying feeling. And being left dangling from your ankles for a few moments waiting to be retrieved was anything but boring. Once you reach the top you just want to do it all over again!
Submitted by Tiffany Dyck.

There's nothing like the support of cheering from your friends as you jump!

Ryan and Rebekah let some of their true colours and true emotions shine through!

Rachel and Megan weighing the options wondering if this is really a good idea after all!

Is it a bird, is it a plane... or is it Johnny the fearless leader in a Superman Costume?
Dana opts for the backwards jump for her second time around.

Jeffrey's Bay

2008-02-19T02:48:00.007-06:00

Jbay, South Africa
Feb 17-21, 2008
Right on the Indian Ocean, Jeffrey's bay boasts some of South Africa's best waves for surfing. This town was quite sleepy as we visited during the off season, but we didn't mind having the beach to ourselves!

Sandboarding

Justin showing off his sweet sweet snowboarding skills on a sandboard.

Kyle is okay with missing the snow of Canadian winter, especially when he gets to go boarding!

Surfs Up!

Justin, Kyle, Brent, Dave, Sully, Steve all wet-suited up and ready to catch some waves.

Warming up for a surf lesson.

Rachel, Megan, Adrienne, Julia, Krist and Hannah pose with Cornelle the surf instructor who became a friend of the group.

Blue Crush???

Horseback Riding Time

The group about to head out on an epic horseback adventure.
Ryan, Chantel, Tessa, Riel, Rebekah, Brittany, Jen and Amanda.

Tessa in the beautiful sand dunes

Chantel and her horse by the Indian Ocean.

All in all it was quite the week for the Site. Three days in Jbay is not a bad way to spend time in South Africa!

Mdumbi

2008-02-18T02:33:00.013-06:00

Mdumbi, Wild Coast, South Africa
Feb 9-16, 2008

"Wish You Were Here..."

Knowing Yourself: Part II Getting to know more about our personalities, spiritual gifts, passions and abilities and lots of Bible Study. Note: The classroom this week was a thatched-roof hut, not the average day of university but no shortage of learning!
cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Mig7akmnbyQ/R7lHcGaz_6I/AAAAAAAAAO8/-xFiH_oajU0/s320/IMG_0710.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168240595469336482" />We had lots of time this week to sit back and evaluate what God is at work doing in our lives, and also chances to have our community speak into our lives and share how they have seen us grow this year... what a great week!
The girls stayed in one big room, which fondly became known as the orphanage... here they stop to pose for their morning prayers... oh the drama it's really not a hard knock life afterall!
Here Justin and Tiffany finish up their book reports on the beach.
The view of the Indian Ocean from Mdumbi Backpackers... our home for the week.
And what's a day at the beach without trying to surf or booggie board.

Here Darren strikes a pose on his way down to the ocean to catch some waves

The Grand Champion Sand Castle Competition winner... okay just the product of a few hours on the beach!
Jen seems to have found a few sea shells on the beach Johnny playing a bit of soccer on the beach.

Brittany, Tiffany, Julia... just another day of life on Outtatown!
Megan + the beach = a great early morning quiet time.

Happy Valentines Day Outtatown Site Three
Dana, Kim, Megan, Stephanie - Happy Valentine's to you all from Site Three!!!
Here Kristi, Dave and Rachel were nominated by the group to be the "most-opposite/most-unlikely couple". So in good fun the three of them were tied together for the evening.
Riel, Ryan and Carissa enjoying the evening.
Sarah, Kyle, Brent and Julia line up to get their food.
Amanda, Stephanie and Tiffany enjoying another candle-light dinner, and the fun that comes with Mdumbi Backpacker's creative candle art!
Justin and Reuben prepared a plethora of Valentine's songs for the group, featuring the good the bad and the ugly aspects of romance. They had the whole Site rolling with laughter at their songs.

Day Hike!
We took advantage of the beautiful scenery of the Wild Coast (which earned this name for its reputation of causing a number of shipwrecks) and went on a day hike. We hiked along the beach, forged accross a river, and hiked through Xosha (African Tribes of people) homes. It was breathtakingly beautiful and a great outting. We were hoping to do some cliff jumping, but the tide was too high so instead we enjoyed the view with both feet firmly planted on the ground!

Our favourite bus driver "Baba" Stefanes joins us for a hike. He has become a very important member of our group and we are thrilled when he joins in with whatever we are doing!
Riel, Ryan and Dave about to enter the cave.
na...na...na...na...na...na... BATCAVE!

Durban Home Stay Week

2008-02-18T02:01:00.006-06:00

Indian Host Family Week
Durban, South Africa
Last week we stayed in Durban with Indian Host families and the chance to live right with them! Many of us experienced tasty Indian food with lots of curry. Some of the girls borrowed Saris from their host mothers and wore them one day.
During the week we visited several museums, an Islamic Mosque, and a Hare Krishna Temple. We also went to a home, called the Aryan Benevolent home, for the day to spend time with the residents to spend time with them and talk to them. It was a home for people with no where else to go, many of them had physical and mental disabilities, and some where children without parents.
We had been told that touch means so much to these people so Brittany started giving hand massages. As first they weren’t thrilled, but as soon as one lady embraced it more people wanted one too! I sat on one lady’s bed (as they were supposed to be having naps), and gave her a hand massage. She was very good at interacting and we had a really good conversation about her family, and her life before she was sick. She turned out to be a very strong Christian too. She told me that she prayed and fasted all the time, and that she loves God so much. It was really encouraging to see this woman still have a huge heart for God even though she was in a home like this one.
It was hard for us to only be there for a day, and we felt unhelpful. But we were reminded that the love we gave is such an important action for the people in the home. We are continuing to pray for the people we made small relationships with.
Submitted by Hannah Weber

Hannah, Stephanie and Ryan in front of the Indian Ocean!

Brent, Libby and their Sister for the week.

Lunch Break!

mmm mmm curry, here we were having a great lunch at a mosque after a tour.

Stephanie with her host family

Tiffany and Dave chill with some kids

Justin correctly identifying yet another species of South African flower.

Ryan, Riel, Reuben and Libby

The ladies all dressed up in Saris

Aryan Benevolent Home, and the people we met and spent the day with.

Kim made a new little friend!

White Water Rafting

2008-02-14T09:40:00.000-06:00

Near Durban, South Africa

Rafting was such an incredible experience. I was in the mood for adventure so when Dave asked if anyone wanted to be his partner I spontaneously said “yes”!
We drove down some pretty crazy rural roads before we reached the river, where the rapids were. There were two six-man rafts and 5 two-man rafts. Dave and I grabbed a two-man raft and headed down the rapids.
In the middle of the second set of rapids we tipped over and we rode down the hardest rapid of the day on our backs! It was a lot of fun, but kind of scary because we were grasping for breath. The guides had told us earlier in the day, to sit back and enjoy the ride down the river if we were to fall out, that was good advice!
It was quite the adrenaline rush. Dave and I made it successfully down the rest of the rapids.
One of the guides tipped in another set of rapids and went for a swim… along with our lunch, thus the treasure hunt ensued. We found a few bottles of pop floating down stream, and a container of lettuce, which we thought would be our whole lunch. But thankfully most of it was safe and sound (and mostly dry) with another guide in a different raft. So when lunch time came around we were so grateful to see the food.

Here we are enjoying the "lunch-we-thought-we-lost"

Sully and Johnny catch their breath after another big set of rapids.

Sully and Rachel enjoying the calm water and the warm sun

Tessa and Ryan found the best seats at the front of the six-man rafts... lots of air time and big splashes!

Hannah and Dana loving it!

Rachel, Stephanie, Megan and Ryan... the big smiles say enough!
After five hours of rafting in the South African sun we boarded the bus, tired yet satisfied and carried on our way.
Submitted By Brittany Abrahamson

Hiking in the Drakensburg Mountains

2008-02-07T06:40:00.001-06:00

“God isn’t jus beautiful- He is beauty itself”
I recently read this, but witnessed it first hand this past week while hiking in the Drakensburg mountains. Although we all may have memorized the person in front of us, -shoes, ankles and calves- from walking single file along the never ending path, once we looked up, the beauty we were surrounded by was breathtaking.

After seeing the height of the peak we climbing to and learning my next two nights would be spent in a cave, I have to say I was quite nervous. But once we headed out with beautiful weather I knew God would provide. Not only did he supply us with amazing weather, but he also gave us the strength and endurance we needed to reach Rhino’s Peak- our final destination. When I reached the peak I was blown away by the beauty of God’s creation- it was indescribable! What also hit me once we reached the peak was a major sense of personal accomplishment. Never would I have guessed I could climb 3000 meter mountain! But I didn’t do it alone- God was beside me the whole way supplying me with energy I didn’t know I had, as well as my fellow site members as a constant source of encouragement. This hike opened my eyes up more the beauty of God and His faithfulness to supply our needs.

Submitted by Kim Ball

For the hike we split into two groups. The first group had quite the adventure hiking in the rain for the first day, but we didn't get discouraged. The second day we hiked to the summit only to find a cloud keeping us company blocking the view of the valley below. It was still an amazing hike for us all!

Here the second group soaks in the sun and the view from the summit as they stop for a well-earned lunch break.

It was hard not to feel like we were on an epic journey such as the "Lord of the Rings"!

Here the guys take "team-building activities to a new height"

And the view...

Project Gateway

2008-02-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

Pietermartizburg, South Africa
Project Gateway
It’s amazing what a dozen people can accomplish in tow day. While in Pietermartizburg we were divided into two groups and had a chance to do a bit of service work at Project Gateway, which is the place we stayed at for a week. It is an old prison that has been converted into a hub of different ministries and programs, run by the local church, which teach the needy and help those in Crisis.
Our group’s task was to empty an old workshop. In the morning we were led to a building that had not been used in years. Inside there were cabinets full of every conceivable item; piles of wood and lots of random junk all of which was covered with a thick layer of sawdust. We spent the day hauling everything outside and sorting it into different piles like “the garbage pile”, “the useful pile” and “the who-knows-what-pile”. Some of the things we found in that mess were funny, like an old computer, jewellery, a few Bibles in Zulu, too many used tea bags to count and even a little coffin.
Working through the African heat of the day was exhausting but by with a lot of hard the building was empty by the end of the afternoon. The second day wasn’t nearly as hot because we spent it cleaning the room by hosing down the rafters and scrubbing the walls and floors.
We could not believe the change that half our group had made in such a short time. It was now possible to see that this building could e used for something new and the staff at Project Gateway thanked us again and again for our work. We were all too happy because they gave us fantastic hospitality all week, and now we’ve seen what a gift a few hours of work can be. The work we did helped the full time staff to continue to creative positive changes in their community as they work with those in great need.

Submitted by Jen Bergsma

Small Group Service Projects (continued)

2008-02-04T07:22:00.000-06:00

Refilwe
For the Soweto service week my small group and I made our way out to Refilwe, which I quickly learned means “God Given”. Refilwe is an organization that puts orphaned children with guardians; anyone from grandmothers, single fathers, to married couples.
We did a number of things while we were there, from pulling weeds and climbing trees, to pouring concrete. The work I will never forget is when I threw on my rubber boots and became a farmer. The cows had to be milked twice a day, morning and night and I jumped at the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn to try my hand at it. In the start I couldn’t finish one quarter of the cow’s udder before the local boys had finished the other three! But by the end of the week I was able to get two going at the same time, even sneaking in a quick drink.
It was easy to enjoy work in place that’s visibly doing God’s work and wanting to be a part of that was contagious. Judging by the joyful singing from our group throughout the day I believe everyone would agree that this opportunity was God given.

Submitted by Kyle Wiebe

Small Group Projects

2008-01-27T12:05:00.000-06:00

For three days last week our Site was split up into small groups where we each served at different ministry and organizations. The pictures below show what we were up to!

Emthonjeni:

It's really incredibly what God has opened my eyes and heart to this week. My small group and I were able to spend the last few days working and experiencing life at Emthonjeni, an HIV/AIDS clinic located in a rural area called Sweet Waters, just outside of Soweto. Earlier this week we were challenged by our speaker to go into our service projects with love, whatever we ended up doing. The first day I found myself cutting cabbage with love. Who would ever have thought that one could get such an awesome feeling from cutting cabbage?
With love we also, washed dishes, relocated a big pile of plastic pieces from a shed (to be converted into homes for patients within the next year), my favourite was being welcomed into people’s homes, already fill of love. Being able to meet such strong and faithful individuals was an incredible blessing. For example we had the chance to visit a Grandmother who was looking after her 5 grandchildren after their mother’s death last December due to AIDS. Would I be able to do the same thing if I were in her position? Only by the grace of God.

The people we’ve met have been so full of hope, kindness and generosity. I feel that these people have made a bigger difference in my life than I’ve made in theirs. I’ve seen that it’s so important in our lives to be thankful and keep focused on God. Whatever comes our way good or bad. Don’t dismiss a blessing and don’t dwell on the misfortunes that happen. Through him we can find the strength, love and peace we need to make the most of all situations.
“Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life” Ecclesiastes 7:14
Submitted by Julia Campbell

Dana's Small Group (aka DG VOLVO)
Back L-R Ryan, Rebekah, Meghan, Kim,Dana
Front (L-R) Thami (0ur Guide for the week), Julia, Riel

Creche (Day Care)

Tessa's Small Group (L-R) Sully, Tessa, Hannah, Adrienne, Reuben, Jen, Darren

One of the projects was sewing for the children. Here the group enjoys their time together.

Pretoria Home Stay Week

2008-01-27T11:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to Outtatown, Site Three!

Pretoria, South Africa
What an awesome way to start a new semester living with families in South Africa! Our group was split up in to three groups and sent to different churches where we were boarded with Afrikaaner host families for a whole week in Pretoria.
Daren and I were blessed to by the hospitality of an elderly couple. Everyday when we got home from our lectures or tours they would make sure we sat down and told them all about it. It was awesome just to experience some of the cultural differences as well as to hear our host families’ opinions on important issues in their country.
Despite going to sleep early (blame it on jet-lag, and the heat) we had a hilarious time and I’m glad we got to know each other and our host family better, as well as seeing the work God is doing in their lives and this beautiful country.

Submitted by Dave Young

Here we are touring the Voortrekker Mounument which commemorates the migration of the Afrikaaner people within South Africa.

A Lecture on South African History at the University of Pretoria with Professor Piet Merring, who played an influencial role in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the mid 90s after Apartheid ended.

Beautiful South Africa!

Where Theory and Reality Meet

2008-01-18T09:19:00.000-06:00

We have now spent one amazing, jam packed week in South Africa. I am really enjoying my time here and to some extent it feels a bit surreal. I have spent a lot of time studying South African history, particularly the history of Apartheid and the transition out of Apartheid; it is amazing to be to here and seeing the reality. I love having the opportunity to see the theories and concepts I studied lived out and worked through in everyday life.

Our students read the autobiography of a black South African living in a township during the 1980s over the Christmas break. Many important questions came out of their reading such as: how could the majority of white South Africans ignore the horror that was around them, where/how do people learn to hate and are there similar situations currently going on that the global community is choosing to ignore? Students were also struck by the tremendous perseverance shown by the people of this country. This week we travelled to the Voortrekker Monument, which commemorates the history/struggles of the Afrikaaner people and to Freedom Park, which is created to remember and honour the people who gave their lives to create a harmonious country. The president can view both of these places from the parliament building and they symbolically remind him of how both histories are the truth of the Rainbow Nation (the slogan of the new South Africa) and that he must continue to guide the country towards a unity that recognizes the history of all people. Throughout our time here we must also strive to open our hearts to everyone’s story and respond in ways that are filled with grace.

The concepts of justice, fairness and truth seem a lot clearer in books then in the lives of people. When you met people and hear stories, these concepts become increasingly muddled. It is easy to see areas that still need improvement, for example schools and neighbourhoods are still largely segregated. The challenge is to look for the growth and see the hope. There has been tremendous movement and change, public places are now integrated and people are allowed to live where they choose. Equity is now built into legislation and people are slowly changing their beliefs and actions. However, change is hard and although much of the new legislation is excellent, the social structures still need time to be able to make them a reality. For example, many people do not have the education and training needed to fill the jobs created by affirmative action legislation. People of colour are getting high ranking jobs but are at risk of making poor decisions because they do not the background needed to make informed decisions. As I seek to understand the Afrikaaner perspective, I try to imagine how our country would be affected if the first nations people became the ruling party.

I agree with one of our speakers, that the relatively peaceful transition out of Apartheid is a miracle and as we continue to live and learn in South Africa we are blessed to learn from people who had enough faith to act with forgiveness and grace and to strive for truth.

Written and submitted by Tessa Callan, Site Three Leader

Safe, Sound and being Spoiled

2008-01-16T08:21:00.000-06:00

Pretoria, South Africa

This week we are safe and sound and being spoiled by our Afrikaaner host families in the political captical of South Africa. Each of us gets dropped off in the morning at the church only to be picked up by the bus for the day's events.
We've had a variety of experiences this week from History lectures at the University of Pretoria, to visits to monuments and parks that recall South Africa's story. Earlier today we rode a commuter train that has been called "the gospel train" as it is home to a church full of lively signing and dancing as only black Africans can do. We felt very welcomed despite being the only white people on the train.
The weather here is warming up to the high twenties and low thirties, which is a stark contrast to Winnipeg's minus thirty-degree winter weather. We will not complain about the heat, although some of us have come to realize the importance of sunscreen... and the necessary repeated applications!

Until next time...
Site Three

Safe and Sound

2008-01-12T08:24:00.000-06:00

Johannesburg, South Africa

A quick update from Site Three!

We made it safely to South Africa and are staying at Heronbridge retreat centre to get some rest before moving to our home stay week in Pretoria tomorrow.
The flights were uneventful and we are all enjoying the warm welcome of our South African hosts, not to mention the mid-twenty-something temperatures!

More stories to follow.

Five More Days Until Summer

2008-01-06T17:38:00.000-06:00

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I'm sure there must be a great deal of mixed emotions in the air at the homes of each of Site Three students. Some feeling excited to get back with friends after a month apart, others wondering what it will be like leaving home again after Christmas, and for all the mix of excitement and nervousness about traveling to South Africa.

Wednesday we will reunite and head to South Africa to begin our three month time there, where we will do a number of things from serving with local churches and organizations, to learning about the history of the nation, as well as lots of time to travel be adventurous and enjoy the beautiful country of South Africa.

We continue to covet your prayers for safety as we travel, and we thank God for the ways he was faithfully present with our group in the first semester portion in Western Canada.

And for anyone in Site Three this year... hang in there, only five more days until summer!

2007-12-01T19:26:00.001-06:00

Victoria Research Week

2007-12-01T18:21:00.000-06:00

We spent a week in Victoria researching South Africa and preparing reports. We worked in groups of around 3 people and were each assigned a time period. Each group was responsible for researching their time period and then relaying their new found knowledge to the rest of the group.
A lot of creativity came out in the presentations we had talk shows, skits, face painting, cave art, word searches and more. After the presentations the anticipation to go to South Africa was greatly heightened.
By Brittany Abrahamson

Christmas Party

2007-11-29T20:49:00.000-06:00

For our Christmas party Deanna and Gerald cooked us a sumptious turkey dinner, we all dressed up in formal wear. After that we sat around the fire and shared our Christmas traditions and memories.

Charis Camp

2007-11-29T20:07:00.000-06:00

Charis is located near Chilliwack B.C. It is surrounded by lush greenery and small waterfalls. Our first week here was a week of sessions with Jodie Smith. She talked to us about the Old Testament. Our final class with her was building an alter to God. We were each to gather a stone and bring it to the group when we added it to the pile we were supposed to share one thing that God was showing us. For some it was beauty, others it was worth, still others were realizing just how important making God a priority is.
Another really sweet thing Jodie challenged us to do was to write a psalm to God. For some this was a completely new experience for others this was something they had done many times before. So we all ventured a hand at writing a psalm.
For me this was very powerful because words are one of the strongest ways I communicate. Writing allows me to express my thoughts in such a way that it brings me peace and I can go back and reflect upon what I was thinking and feeling at a specific time. It is especially helpful to me in my conversations with God because then I can look back and see his hand upon my life, shaping me, challenging me, and molding me into his image.
We came back to Charis two weeks later and were joined by sites 1&2 for sessions. Our Speakers were Nathan Reiger and Craig Ginn. Craig talked to us about Old Testament history and how to read out of scripture instead of into scripture. Taking it in context.
Nathan shared with us many stories from his life as a pastor at Winnipeg’s Vineyard church (where we stayed for Urban Plunge). He was speaking to us about idols in our lives. He talked to us about how when we experience great hurt in our lives and replace God with idols how we freeze up in layers like a river. He went on to say how we need to be surrounded by enough love to thaw, but even thawing can be a somewhat gradual process and it isn’t always pretty, but if a person continues to be surrounded by enough love then we can completely experience life again.
I know for me personally Outtatown has been a place with enough love to start healing and thawing in my life. God keeps putting circumstances in my life where I am challenged to grow and deal with specific issues. Along the way though he makes sure to place people to love, protect, and hold me accountable as I work through life. It is so humbling to realize again and again just how passionately the God of the universe loves me a wretched sinner.
Joel 2:12-14
“Even now-
This is the Lord’s declaration-
turn to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, weeping,
and mourning.
Tear your hearts,
not just your clothes,
and return to the Lord your God,
For he is gracious
and compassionate,
slow to anger,
rich in faithful love,
and he relents
from sending disaster,
Who knows? He may turn
and relent
and leave a blessing
behind Him,
so you can offer grain and wine
to the Lord your God.”
The grace of God is such a powerful concept especially when we acknowledge how completely undeserving we are and how holy God is.
Praise God for all that he is and all that he has done for us. Blessed be his holy name.
---Brittany Abrahamson

South African I.Q. Test

2007-11-22T18:21:00.000-06:00

Victoria, BC
The week of October 27-November 3

As a group we spent much of this week learning about South Africa, it only makes sense to understand more of the history of a country before you go to visit it! We were divided up into groups to research different eras of South African history. We could just tell you what we learned, but instead we’ll…
Test your South Africa I.Q. (True or False)
1. Africa is often referred to as “The Cradle of Humankind”.
2. The first people to live in South Africa were the Portuguese explorers who landed at the Cape of Good Hope.
3. The Dutch East India Company set up a ``refreshment Station`` in the South for ships to stop in.
4. 1948 was when the Apartheid began in South Africa.
5. Nelson Mandela was the third President of South Africa.
6. South Africa is known as the “rainbow nation”.
7. South Africa will host the Olympics in 2010
8. Kruger National Park is home to many animals in South Africa.
9. Our group is getting very excited to be in South Africa very soon!
Answers

1. (True, some of the earliest forms of civilization are found in Africa including cave art from African Tribes some 28, 000 years ago!)
2. (False, there are many tribes of Africans such as the Khoisan, San, and other Bantu people groups. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land in South Africa in 1488 CE.)
3. (True was the beginning of the Dutch colonization of South Africa and the birth of the Afrikaner people and the Afrikaans language).
4. (True, Apartheid means “Apartness” and became an official political system in 1948. This segregation separated South Africans on basis of race and skin colour and lasted until 1994).
5. (False. Nelson Mandela was the first elected president in the new Democratic Republic of South Africa in 1994.
6. (True, South Africa is a beautifully diverse country with many people groups and 11 official languages).
7. (False, South Africa will be hosting the FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament in 2010. Vancouver, BC will be hosting the Olympics).
8. (True, Our group will be going on a safari drive there to see some of Africa’s spectacular animals including; lions, elephants and zebras, to name a few).
9. (True! In less than 2 months we will be enjoying South African summer).

A Week in Esperanza

2007-11-14T17:11:00.000-06:00

Esperanza, British Columbia
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

Creation

2007-10-29T23:30:00.000-05:00

In the past few weeks, God has opened my eyes to the beauty of his creation like never before. Coming from the city, my eyes usually see the brokenness that people have caused by the destruction of nature for economic purposes. Seeing creation undisturbed by people has been an amazing experience, in which God has really revealed himself to me.
I remember the sunset the first evening on the shores of Shuswap Lake. The water was calm and reflected the pink, purple, yellow, and blue sky. As the vast mountains and rolling hills illustrated the very real power and might of God. It was as if God was looking down on us with a great smile embracing us as his children. Never had creation felt more real to me than at that moment. As children of God it is important that we respect what God has made and care for it. God made this world for us, and he sculpted it beautifully.
The next time you see the sheer beauty of creation, be still, embrace it, listen to it, and thank God for making it. As much as God wants us to take pictures, paint landscapes, and describe the awesome things we see, thank Him for it. Let it be an act of worship, but remember that God’s most beautiful creation is people, and he loves us more than anything else in this world.

By Ryan Braun

Houseboats

2007-10-18T00:08:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving

2007-10-09T20:17:00.000-05:00

For Thanksgiving the Deasley family graciously hosted all thirty of us in their home and served us a delicious thanksgiving supper complete with pumpkin pie. It was a welcome respite for us to hangout in a home again especially in one so welcoming.

2007-10-09T20:13:00.000-05:00

So I thought that I would not like girls week very much. First of all we were in Calgary instead of Banff, and I missed the mountains. Also its like 60 girls and no guys. Talk about drama and emotions. But in spite of all that its been really good.
We had an awesome speaker and a great worship leader. But we also did alot of just fun stuff. We went go-karting and played lazer tag. I got the worst score at lazer tag. Guns just aren't my thing but it was alot of fun. Then another day we did a chill hike in Banff, and went to the hotsprings that night. Imagine 60 girls clumped in the middle of a pool with 4 teams of Norwegian volleyball players all lining the outside of the pool. And no mingling... hilarious.
Then we all went for dinner one night at East Side Marios and all got dressed up. Then we had spa night. My toenails are red :D. Friday was a free day. Two of my friends from Lethbridge came to visit me!! YAY!! and i did a little shopping. and then we had a hiphop class at night. Saturday we went back to banff and me and 7 of the girls in my site did a huge hike up sulfer mountain, where the gondolas are. Most people ride up and hike down. but no. We hiked up and rode down. Me and Tiffany laughed alot of the way, making it hard to breathe...
So yeah this must seem like a pretty easy week. but its been so good just to bond with the other girls in my site. There are 17 of us so its been hard to get to know everyone up until this week. We are missing the boys though and can't wait to see them all tomorrow. We will be in canmore for a few days with them and then we will head off to the houseboats on Shuswap Lake.
Anyways. I've also learned alot too. This week we've been talking about self image, boy/girl relationships, and sexuality. But we've also talked about singleness and all the cool stuff that God can do through that. And we talked about dreaming. Sharon asked us to write down our dreams for the future, even things that seem crazy and not possible. So yeah, I've been thinking lots about me and how God has changed me so much in the last few years. And about all the crazy things I would love to do. I still have absolutely no direction for what to do after this year. but thats okay.
By Chantel Lanoue

2007-10-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

Climbing Sulphur Mountain

2007-09-27T21:50:00.000-05:00

Service Days and Cooking for Ourselves

2007-09-27T21:38:00.000-05:00

Urban Plunge

2007-09-27T21:27:00.000-05:00

Our Home For Urban Plunge

2007-09-27T21:19:00.000-05:00

Hannah, Sully, and Julia

urban plunge reflection

2007-09-27T21:17:00.000-05:00

The Urban Plunge in Winnipeg impacted my life forever. One of the hardest things for me was saying "yes" to God when he prompted me to give my bible to a "complete stranger". It seemed so hard at first, giving away that prized posession, but when God gave me the strength to just do it I suddenly knew she wasn't just a "stranger". This woman was one of God's beautiful creations, and she, more than anything, needed that book, at that moment, more than I did. The desperation of the street people and the immense love that God has for them hit me with a force that I can hardly explain! His love is so great and we who know just how incredibly great that love can be, hold within us a message so redeeming it transforms and re-creates lives. The utter rawness of hummanity's plight without Christ cut to the very depths of my soul. Poverty was so real, unavoidable, undeniable, and yet in today's culture there is such an unwillingess to admit its existance. That is what hit me the most: just the fact that poverty, it is SO there, SO present, when it shouldnt be.

-By Kristi Roberts

2007-09-27T21:15:00.000-05:00

2007-09-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

Canoe Trip: All In The Same Boat!

2007-09-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

Just Minutes before we set out on the water the sun came out to warm us up.

After only knowing each other for a few days, we were split into two groups and pushed into Lake of the Woods, for a canoe trip. First thing in the morning the weather was discouraging as it was rainy, cloudy, cold, and windy. But by the afternoon, as we were about to leave the sun started to shine. It felt great and got me more excited and encouraged.
I started out as midship (not paddling, in the middle) and was feeling quite heavy, trying to encourage others through the wind and the waves. I noticed that throughout our whole trip we were encouraging and helping, as best as we could.
I look back at it now and realize what an amazing and unique experience it was. Our leaders/guides were awesome. We saw some neat wildlife and I learnt a lot.
By Hannah Weber

After registration and hurried good byes to loved ones, 31 complete strangers stepped through van doors and into a new world of excitement, adventure and enthralling relationships. Our first initiation into this new chapter of our lives would prove to be a gruelling experience not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Split into two groups we both faced incredible, and at times what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles that could only be overcome through faith, friendship, and a little help from the HMS Pioneer III (The boat that came to rescue us!).
Through these trials and tribulations the two groups became united not only as individual groups but rather as one body together with Christ, separated by no man under God’s supreme reign.
By Dave Young & Reuben Loeppky

Our site started off with a canoe trip like no other. The weather was terrible, the waves were insane, but the memories and bonding that we had with our new ‘family’ made it so worth it.
We focused on finding beauty and then brokenness in the wilderness. Never did I expect what God was ready to reveal to me. Beauty was initially the most amazing star-filled sky, but then I saw how God can reveal beauty through the broken. I not only saw beauty in God’s creation but also in the people surrounding me. Constant encouragement got us across, what seemed like, a raging sea. It was awesome.
Brokenness could have been our spirits due to the rain, the cold, a wind like no other, and no clean or dry clothes. However, God used those circumstances to not only bring us incredibly close but to reveal a different form of beauty to me.
As terrified as I was going into this trip, I wouldn’t trade our experience for any other. I came back feeling like I had just caught a small glimpse of God’s beauty and that alone left me in awe.
By Kim Ball

We finished our trip on P3, the faithful camp boat. Not quite the ending we had imagined for our canoe trip, but we made it safe and sound.

Day One

2007-09-14T17:00:00.001-05:00

The First Group Shot

The Vans just itching to go...

On Monday of this week Site 3 met for the first time. Only a few hours later we found ourselves in the vans headed off to begin the adventure with a canoe trip.

Welcome!

2007-09-08T01:56:00.000-05:00

On Behalf of the Outtatown staff, we would like to extend a huge "WELCOME!" to all students who will be joining us on Monday, September 10, 2007.

Meet the leaders:
Top (L-R)
Steve Klassen from Chilliwack, BC and Tessa Callan from Winnipeg, MB
Bottom (L-R) Dana Honderich from New Hamburg, ON and Johnny Fukumoto from Etobicoke, ON
We are all looking forward to meeting and getting to know you as we all explore what God has in store for us all this year!