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).
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A Week in Esperanza
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
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
Monday, October 29, 2007
Creation
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
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Thanksgiving
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.
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
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