What's a vember? Anyway, yeah the last while has been crazy, hence the lack of actually getting a blog up despite planning on doing so a number of times...
Thanksgiving was a wonderful getaway: spending some time in the country, going on a hike with a couple of good friends (Anica and Kate), and admiring creation! Also, during the Thanksgiving weekend, I received a call from COBS asking me to come in for an interview, which I did, and am now working there 2 morning a week, and loving it. It's interesting, busy work, and the atmosphere is awesome. :D
I haven't been playing as much hockey lately, but other than that have been busy with the usual of work and sports, and also we've (well, me, at least) started hanging out with our neighbours a lot, watching movies, having good discussions... yeah, it's pretty sweet having friends that live close by! I haven't really had that since I was young. Oh, and Tailgate Grill, which I'm somewhat involved in now that it's not Sunday night (the Spitfires usual ice time), has a website. Huzzah!!
I didn't do much for Halloween... I was really tired that weekend, I think because I was fighting something off. 3 friends and I went downtown to a haunted house on the 30th, although one of us was being a pansy (I won't name names, but it wasn't me). We went and played pool afterward, which was sweet, since it had been a while since I'd played... and it showed. ;(
This month has been a bit frenetically paced, but I'm enjoying the creative juices continuously flowing at the Stank. My Stankmate Emily and I are both endeavouring to write a novel this month, and Bethi (another Stankmate) is writing and recording a new song for everyday of November (newvembersongs.blogspot.com); I've been honoured to be part of a few of them! Yeah, so I'm cleaning 5 1/2 hours a week, working at Cobs 15 hours a week, and then after-school care takes up about 14 hours a week... it's almost like 1 full time job, but I enjoy them all differently, and it's nice to have variety. :D
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Giving thanks...
There are really so many things to be thankful in my life, and yet so often a little of not-good can outweigh a ton of goodness. I need to work on that. Working cleaning and doing after-school care is still quite enjoyable, and I've done a bit of dog-sitting as well, which is always great.
I've fallen into a bit of a routine, but am not nearly as busy as I'd like to be, and it seems to sort of run in the family that we feel at a loss if we don't have an over-flowing plate of commitments and responsibilities. I unfortunately don't really think I've been spending my free time in the best ways possible, but that's another thing I need to work on. Hmmm... just making lists of way in which I need to be refined could probably use up a lot of that free time, but that's not really constructive. I need action plans. Aaaaaanyway, I'm currently reading a book by A.J. Jacobs entitled The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. It's been amusing and interesting so far, but sadly I'll have to return it before I'm finished (or else suffer the price of more overdue charges than I care to pay). Just thought I would share a little excerpt (as a set-up, I'll clue you into the fact that he's stuck in his bathroom): "By noon I'm sitting on the floor, my back against the shower door. I sit. And sit some more. And something odd happens. I know that, outside the bathroom, the world is speeding along. That blogs are being read. Wild salmon is being grilled. Reggaeton is being explained to middle-aged white marketing executives.
But I'm okay with it. It doesn't cause my shoulders to tighten. Nothing I can do about it. I've reached an unexpected level of acceptance. For once, I'm savouring the present. I'm admiring what I have, even if it's thirty-two square feet of fake marble and an angled electrical outlet. I start to pray. And, perhaps for the first time, I pray in true peace and silence - without glancing at the clock, without my brain hopscotching from topic to topic.
This is what the Sabbath should feel like. A pause. Not just a minor pause, but a major pause. Not just a lowering of the volume, but a muting. As the famous rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel put it, the Sabbath is a sanctuary in time."
I really love the idea of the Sabbath as a sanctuary in time. However, I find even the minor pauses easier to grasp ahold of and savour while away - doesn't matter where I'm away to, just where I'm away from. While in Mexico, either on vacation or mission trip, while travelling through Africa, while taking a walk in the woods, a swim in the lake, or a bike ride along the Galloping Goose. During these often transitory times I find that I can breath a little deeper, ponder more deeply, reflect more richly. When I don't seize these intermittent occasions often enough, I find my soul starts to cry out, much like a desperate peasant at the door of the Notre Dame cathedral, "Sanctuary!".
Okay, so I'm done waxing philosophical. Like I said, there's not really any big news to share on this end, except that I purchased my plane tickets for the usual Christmas trip home, and at a fairly decent price. I get three weeks at home this year, which is sweet!
I'm heading to the mainland for the Thanksgiving weekend, visiting some good friends, and spending some time in the country (sort of; I'll be at A Rocha, Surrey location). God is good.
P.S. A few weeks ago I hiked half of the Juan de Fuca trail, which was gorgeous and only slightly challenging. That's where this picture is from:
I've fallen into a bit of a routine, but am not nearly as busy as I'd like to be, and it seems to sort of run in the family that we feel at a loss if we don't have an over-flowing plate of commitments and responsibilities. I unfortunately don't really think I've been spending my free time in the best ways possible, but that's another thing I need to work on. Hmmm... just making lists of way in which I need to be refined could probably use up a lot of that free time, but that's not really constructive. I need action plans. Aaaaaanyway, I'm currently reading a book by A.J. Jacobs entitled The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. It's been amusing and interesting so far, but sadly I'll have to return it before I'm finished (or else suffer the price of more overdue charges than I care to pay). Just thought I would share a little excerpt (as a set-up, I'll clue you into the fact that he's stuck in his bathroom): "By noon I'm sitting on the floor, my back against the shower door. I sit. And sit some more. And something odd happens. I know that, outside the bathroom, the world is speeding along. That blogs are being read. Wild salmon is being grilled. Reggaeton is being explained to middle-aged white marketing executives.
But I'm okay with it. It doesn't cause my shoulders to tighten. Nothing I can do about it. I've reached an unexpected level of acceptance. For once, I'm savouring the present. I'm admiring what I have, even if it's thirty-two square feet of fake marble and an angled electrical outlet. I start to pray. And, perhaps for the first time, I pray in true peace and silence - without glancing at the clock, without my brain hopscotching from topic to topic.
This is what the Sabbath should feel like. A pause. Not just a minor pause, but a major pause. Not just a lowering of the volume, but a muting. As the famous rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel put it, the Sabbath is a sanctuary in time."
I really love the idea of the Sabbath as a sanctuary in time. However, I find even the minor pauses easier to grasp ahold of and savour while away - doesn't matter where I'm away to, just where I'm away from. While in Mexico, either on vacation or mission trip, while travelling through Africa, while taking a walk in the woods, a swim in the lake, or a bike ride along the Galloping Goose. During these often transitory times I find that I can breath a little deeper, ponder more deeply, reflect more richly. When I don't seize these intermittent occasions often enough, I find my soul starts to cry out, much like a desperate peasant at the door of the Notre Dame cathedral, "Sanctuary!".
Okay, so I'm done waxing philosophical. Like I said, there's not really any big news to share on this end, except that I purchased my plane tickets for the usual Christmas trip home, and at a fairly decent price. I get three weeks at home this year, which is sweet!
I'm heading to the mainland for the Thanksgiving weekend, visiting some good friends, and spending some time in the country (sort of; I'll be at A Rocha, Surrey location). God is good.
P.S. A few weeks ago I hiked half of the Juan de Fuca trail, which was gorgeous and only slightly challenging. That's where this picture is from:
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Paraphrased excerpts from a pile of journal entries made during my trip to Uganda!
So here’s my Africa story, which I so pithily titled:
For those of you who may not be aware, I took a trip with 6 other women to Uganda this August, the main purpose being to build a children’s home for the Watoto village Suubi 2. This is a brief detailing of some of our adventures, and some of my thoughts and impressions relating to this amazing country.
My first glimpses of Africa were from the plane, and I was enchanted by the lush greenness of the landscape, as it was bathed in the golden fingers of sunlight streaming through breaks in the swathe of clouds. The drive from the airport to the Adonai guest house was a good introduction to many of the differences between Canada and Uganda (or Kampala, anyway). The list includes the quality of the roads (pothole anyone?), the fact that it is not rare to see people walking around with machetes, that guards and members of the army all carry plainly visible guns, and that there are all manner of cows and goats peacefully munching on grass (or in the case of goats, anything) along the sides of roads. The atmosphere impressed me as much more laidback and community-minded than I am used to, but I really enjoyed it. They definitely aren’t as hung up on order and structure.
We had about 5 free days before were scheduled to start building, and so most of our 2nd full day in Uganda was spent driving up to Gulu, a northern city, smaller and much quieter than Kampala. A scripture reference for Zephaniah 3:17 was seen on the back of a bus travelling
between Kampala and Gulu. It says, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save, He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” This really encompasses what we saw in Uganda, and a vision that many Ugandans seem to have embraced.
Our accommodations in Gulu were lovely, and I especially appreciated the courtyard, providing more opportunity to spend time outside. Some of our team actually even played some soccer with people from another team visiting from the UK. Our 3 days in Gulu made quite an impact on all of us, as we visited both a Watoto children’s village and an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. The village was obviously a joy to visit, as the kids just surround you and love you, begging for love and attention in return. We were all enthralled with the children and spent an hour or two talking to them, playing with them, singing with them... their zest for life is contagious! I think there was a sneaking suspicion among us that the IDP camp might be at the other end of the spectrum entirely, but that thinking was abolished, as the people of the camp greeted us warmly, inviting us to sit, surrounding us to listen to our introductions, thank yous, and prayer. A number of them had recently graduated from a trauma counselling program, and so we congratulated them on that. Just one more sign of how God is working in Uganda. The strength and resilience of people continuously surprises me; these people have not been hardened, but instead they display a peace, humility, and compassion that I wish I could transport within me to dispense at will.
Church in both Watoto Gulu and Watoto Central (in Kampala) was awesome. I really do not have words to describe the experience of being in a church packed and overflowing with people hungry to praise and worship and experienc
e Jesus. It was humbling and eye-opening to be in the midst of that, and later on sparked some interesting discussions among our group.
The Watoto organization is amazing. Along with the children’s villages and trauma counselling, they have The Bulrushes (Baby Watoto), Living Hope (a women’s ministry), and are currently working on a home solely for children who are ex-soldiers. We had the pleasure of spending a morning at the Bulrushes, and it was wonderful to hear the stories of some of these infants and toddlers and to know that they now have a future.
Oh right, almost forgot about the building. It was a lot of fun, opening every morning with song and prayer, working with a fabulous group of locals. The site was beautiful, and w
e were blessed with near perfect weather, with the only rain of the week coming on Friday, our last day of building, and only lasting about 20 minutes. I’ve definitely skipped over a few other things, such as the traditional lunch at a children’s home in the Bbira village, and our trip to Jinja to visit the source of the Nile, but I think I’ve hit the highlights.
The last night we were there the 6 of us sat down with Harry for a debrief session, giving honest answers to questions he asked regarding our thoughts and opinions on places we visited, our accommodations, etc. We all articulated that we had found everything, from the accommodations to the food, to our liking. Although we had sometimes felt a bit out of place, especially in the beginning, as we sort of drifted in and out of places and acclimatized; we soon realized that we were indeed welcome wherever we went, and we were able to communicate more easily and connect better to the places and the people. I mentioned that I didn’t feel we really got a good sense of what everyday life was like, because it seemed like so much of the time we had the red carpet rolled out for us, and were treated as appreciated guests. I tend to be someone who gets the most out of the littlest, less eventful details, so it may just be me who feels that being privy to those kinds of experiences – the “nitty gritty”, mundane parts of life - would have made for a more impactful narrative to share.
We developed many inside jokes throughout the trip, such as the one about Harry being our Charlie, and us 6 being his angels. We had a great time goofing around, good-naturedly poking fun at each other, mugging for pictures, and just generally enjoying each other’s company. I didn’t take my camera, and so left the picture taking to the other “angels”, but trust me, there are some real gems among the hundreds... Some unexpected (I used this word just for you, Tanya) things to come out of this trip:
- The acquisition of more music! Shiny!! Harry lent me his iPod to check out his music (I repaid the favour in kind), and kindly put a bunch of local music on it, all of which I am utterly enjoying.
- The relationship we had with the locals we worked with while building the house was surprising; I expected them to be friendly and helpful, but wasn’t expecting their interest in us, and our country. We had a number of good discussions, and their banter and the joy exuded each day, without fail, definitely made the building process even more of a delight.
- Learning some Luganda. And also learning some interesting things about Uganda, such as the fact that current life expectancy for women is 60 years, and for men, 53.
- I discovered that goat is tasty! Cute, amusing, and tasty - pretty much my favourite animal
all-round they are now. ;)
Any questions/comments/criticisms are welcome!
For those of you who may not be aware, I took a trip with 6 other women to Uganda this August, the main purpose being to build a children’s home for the Watoto village Suubi 2. This is a brief detailing of some of our adventures, and some of my thoughts and impressions relating to this amazing country.
My first glimpses of Africa were from the plane, and I was enchanted by the lush greenness of the landscape, as it was bathed in the golden fingers of sunlight streaming through breaks in the swathe of clouds. The drive from the airport to the Adonai guest house was a good introduction to many of the differences between Canada and Uganda (or Kampala, anyway). The list includes the quality of the roads (pothole anyone?), the fact that it is not rare to see people walking around with machetes, that guards and members of the army all carry plainly visible guns, and that there are all manner of cows and goats peacefully munching on grass (or in the case of goats, anything) along the sides of roads. The atmosphere impressed me as much more laidback and community-minded than I am used to, but I really enjoyed it. They definitely aren’t as hung up on order and structure.
We had about 5 free days before were scheduled to start building, and so most of our 2nd full day in Uganda was spent driving up to Gulu, a northern city, smaller and much quieter than Kampala. A scripture reference for Zephaniah 3:17 was seen on the back of a bus travelling
between Kampala and Gulu. It says, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save, He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” This really encompasses what we saw in Uganda, and a vision that many Ugandans seem to have embraced.Our accommodations in Gulu were lovely, and I especially appreciated the courtyard, providing more opportunity to spend time outside. Some of our team actually even played some soccer with people from another team visiting from the UK. Our 3 days in Gulu made quite an impact on all of us, as we visited both a Watoto children’s village and an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. The village was obviously a joy to visit, as the kids just surround you and love you, begging for love and attention in return. We were all enthralled with the children and spent an hour or two talking to them, playing with them, singing with them... their zest for life is contagious! I think there was a sneaking suspicion among us that the IDP camp might be at the other end of the spectrum entirely, but that thinking was abolished, as the people of the camp greeted us warmly, inviting us to sit, surrounding us to listen to our introductions, thank yous, and prayer. A number of them had recently graduated from a trauma counselling program, and so we congratulated them on that. Just one more sign of how God is working in Uganda. The strength and resilience of people continuously surprises me; these people have not been hardened, but instead they display a peace, humility, and compassion that I wish I could transport within me to dispense at will.
Church in both Watoto Gulu and Watoto Central (in Kampala) was awesome. I really do not have words to describe the experience of being in a church packed and overflowing with people hungry to praise and worship and experienc
e Jesus. It was humbling and eye-opening to be in the midst of that, and later on sparked some interesting discussions among our group.The Watoto organization is amazing. Along with the children’s villages and trauma counselling, they have The Bulrushes (Baby Watoto), Living Hope (a women’s ministry), and are currently working on a home solely for children who are ex-soldiers. We had the pleasure of spending a morning at the Bulrushes, and it was wonderful to hear the stories of some of these infants and toddlers and to know that they now have a future.
Oh right, almost forgot about the building. It was a lot of fun, opening every morning with song and prayer, working with a fabulous group of locals. The site was beautiful, and w
e were blessed with near perfect weather, with the only rain of the week coming on Friday, our last day of building, and only lasting about 20 minutes. I’ve definitely skipped over a few other things, such as the traditional lunch at a children’s home in the Bbira village, and our trip to Jinja to visit the source of the Nile, but I think I’ve hit the highlights.The last night we were there the 6 of us sat down with Harry for a debrief session, giving honest answers to questions he asked regarding our thoughts and opinions on places we visited, our accommodations, etc. We all articulated that we had found everything, from the accommodations to the food, to our liking. Although we had sometimes felt a bit out of place, especially in the beginning, as we sort of drifted in and out of places and acclimatized; we soon realized that we were indeed welcome wherever we went, and we were able to communicate more easily and connect better to the places and the people. I mentioned that I didn’t feel we really got a good sense of what everyday life was like, because it seemed like so much of the time we had the red carpet rolled out for us, and were treated as appreciated guests. I tend to be someone who gets the most out of the littlest, less eventful details, so it may just be me who feels that being privy to those kinds of experiences – the “nitty gritty”, mundane parts of life - would have made for a more impactful narrative to share.
We developed many inside jokes throughout the trip, such as the one about Harry being our Charlie, and us 6 being his angels. We had a great time goofing around, good-naturedly poking fun at each other, mugging for pictures, and just generally enjoying each other’s company. I didn’t take my camera, and so left the picture taking to the other “angels”, but trust me, there are some real gems among the hundreds... Some unexpected (I used this word just for you, Tanya) things to come out of this trip:
- The acquisition of more music! Shiny!! Harry lent me his iPod to check out his music (I repaid the favour in kind), and kindly put a bunch of local music on it, all of which I am utterly enjoying.
- The relationship we had with the locals we worked with while building the house was surprising; I expected them to be friendly and helpful, but wasn’t expecting their interest in us, and our country. We had a number of good discussions, and their banter and the joy exuded each day, without fail, definitely made the building process even more of a delight.
- Learning some Luganda. And also learning some interesting things about Uganda, such as the fact that current life expectancy for women is 60 years, and for men, 53.
- I discovered that goat is tasty! Cute, amusing, and tasty - pretty much my favourite animal
all-round they are now. ;)
Any questions/comments/criticisms are welcome!
Monday, August 17, 2009
The road goes ever on and on...
After a week back in Victoria - which felt like much longer - I am waiting to get picked up to head off to Uganda (via London)!!
This last week has been a bit of a busy whirlwind, as I attended a bridal shower, a Bible study, a going-away party, a wedding and reception, our church service in our lovely new location, went to Sooke potholes for some adventuring, and then saw Star Trek in the IMAX. There were a bunch of other errand type things thrown in there in preparation for travel or buying gifts for said shower and wedding. And job hunting. It is good to be back, although as usual I do miss many things about Ontario.
Okay, I gotta run and finish last minute packing before I get picked up, but I'll obviously update about the trip either during it, or (more likely) when I get back!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
P.S. This is where we're staying while in Kampala: http://www.adonaiguesthouse.com/index.htm
www.victoriagoestoafrica.blogspot.com
I'm really looking forward to this journey and praying there are no hitches in our travel and for safety while we are there.This last week has been a bit of a busy whirlwind, as I attended a bridal shower, a Bible study, a going-away party, a wedding and reception, our church service in our lovely new location, went to Sooke potholes for some adventuring, and then saw Star Trek in the IMAX. There were a bunch of other errand type things thrown in there in preparation for travel or buying gifts for said shower and wedding. And job hunting. It is good to be back, although as usual I do miss many things about Ontario.
Okay, I gotta run and finish last minute packing before I get picked up, but I'll obviously update about the trip either during it, or (more likely) when I get back!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
P.S. This is where we're staying while in Kampala: http://www.adonaiguesthouse.com/index.htm
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Happy birthday, dear Canada
I was looking at the date of my last post, and couldn't believe I hadn't posted since May. Cer-azy! Anyhow, June was a bit of a whirlwind of a month. Notables since the last blog include:
- working up the soil and planting a garden in the back corner of our yard
- spending a day biking along the ocean with a great group of friends
- playing a bunch of slow-pitch games, including a 4 game tournament to wrap up the season (we got 2nd in our division)
- planning or helping with a few funraisers for our Watoto trip to Uganda
- volunteering with Operation Trackshoes, as a counsellor, for the June12-14th weekend
- finishing up my first year of work at the OSC with a trip to Witty's Lagoon; so much fun!
So yeah, sorry this is point form (and lacking in pictures), but it's late, and I still need to pack as I am leaving early tomorrow morning to catch a ferry, and have a long day of driving ahead, finishing in Vernon, and then eventually moving on to hiking in the Monashees... and I still need to pack. Of course! :D I'm stoked.
- working up the soil and planting a garden in the back corner of our yard
- spending a day biking along the ocean with a great group of friends
- playing a bunch of slow-pitch games, including a 4 game tournament to wrap up the season (we got 2nd in our division)
- planning or helping with a few funraisers for our Watoto trip to Uganda
- volunteering with Operation Trackshoes, as a counsellor, for the June12-14th weekend
- finishing up my first year of work at the OSC with a trip to Witty's Lagoon; so much fun!
So yeah, sorry this is point form (and lacking in pictures), but it's late, and I still need to pack as I am leaving early tomorrow morning to catch a ferry, and have a long day of driving ahead, finishing in Vernon, and then eventually moving on to hiking in the Monashees... and I still need to pack. Of course! :D I'm stoked.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
May Day(s)!!
The first weekend in May was pretty packed with awesomeness. I actually got to sleep in on the Saturday, a luxury! After having some people over for dinner that night, I met Willem and Jason downtown to catch the start of a Funktapus show, with Mike Edel, who I met through Willem, opening the show. Seriously, check out that Mike Edel video, all filming done in beautific Victoria (and I know a few people who are in it :)) accompanied by a lilting melody. From there I went to meet a bunch of people at a cinema to watch Wolverine, which I have to say although it was entertaining, it could have been better. I did love Gambit, though. Some of the crowd came back to the Stank (as our home is appropriately labelled) afterward for a bonfire and s'mores, and music, of course.
Sunday was fairly typical (church, lunch, etc.) until, down at the Tailgate Grill (a group of us go downtown, parking outside Streetlink, and feed hamburgers to... well, anyone who wants one -
mostly people staying on the streets or in the shelter) I met a couple of guys from Paisley! Go figure. That was pretty stochastic; it made my night. Nothing too notable happened that first week of May, except things like walking at Willow's Beach with Emily (I am the blur of gypsy wind in the picture), Mom having her birthday and Aunt Mary and Uncle Dwight having their anniversary, and Aunt Tess having surgery. You know, nothing too crazy. But seriously, there has been a lot of praying going on, and as so far God's taken good care of us, I figure we can keep trusting. :)
Friday night Alex finally came back from Summerland, so I picked her up from the airport, then joined the already assembled group of people at The Stank for a birthday party of sorts (at least there was cake and ice cream) for Jason, as he was heading to Guatemela the next day so would be out of the country for his actual birthday...
For the long weekend, Emily and I headed to the mainland to visit Anica and Jonathan, Anica in White Rock/Surrey (works for A Rocha), and Jon in Abbotsford. The whole weekend was pretty much amazing!! I love the mainland scenery and atmosphere, which is more like Ontario than the island, and it was also great to spend some time in the country, helping out on a farm. :D And yeah, seeing Anica and Jon again was spectacular, as they are two of my favourite people... we had some sweet times, going out for breakfast, visiting Westminster Abbey in Mission, checking out Fort L
angley. "There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light." On Sunday night we ended up (sans Jon) going to dinner chez Steve, who works for A Rocha. It was a delicious French-style dinner, where many different types of cheese and meat, with some crackers and bread, were provided, and it was up to you to fry your own meat and melt your own cheese on a device that sat on the table. I liked it. I also liked the number of djembes sitting around Steve's house, and the steel drum. We had a couple of primitive group jamming sessions. :)
It's been pretty typically lovely (aka warm and sunny) here this month, which is awesome, because we can spend lot of work time outdoors, something the kids love. It also means I can bike to work more. Even our Bible study is taking advantage, as next Wednesday's is going to be outdoors, something that will hopefully become routine. And bonfires and barbecues are always fun, too.
Random pondering: I know a ton (possibly a literal tonne) of people born in May.
Sunday was fairly typical (church, lunch, etc.) until, down at the Tailgate Grill (a group of us go downtown, parking outside Streetlink, and feed hamburgers to... well, anyone who wants one -
mostly people staying on the streets or in the shelter) I met a couple of guys from Paisley! Go figure. That was pretty stochastic; it made my night. Nothing too notable happened that first week of May, except things like walking at Willow's Beach with Emily (I am the blur of gypsy wind in the picture), Mom having her birthday and Aunt Mary and Uncle Dwight having their anniversary, and Aunt Tess having surgery. You know, nothing too crazy. But seriously, there has been a lot of praying going on, and as so far God's taken good care of us, I figure we can keep trusting. :)Friday night Alex finally came back from Summerland, so I picked her up from the airport, then joined the already assembled group of people at The Stank for a birthday party of sorts (at least there was cake and ice cream) for Jason, as he was heading to Guatemela the next day so would be out of the country for his actual birthday...
For the long weekend, Emily and I headed to the mainland to visit Anica and Jonathan, Anica in White Rock/Surrey (works for A Rocha), and Jon in Abbotsford. The whole weekend was pretty much amazing!! I love the mainland scenery and atmosphere, which is more like Ontario than the island, and it was also great to spend some time in the country, helping out on a farm. :D And yeah, seeing Anica and Jon again was spectacular, as they are two of my favourite people... we had some sweet times, going out for breakfast, visiting Westminster Abbey in Mission, checking out Fort L
angley. "There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light." On Sunday night we ended up (sans Jon) going to dinner chez Steve, who works for A Rocha. It was a delicious French-style dinner, where many different types of cheese and meat, with some crackers and bread, were provided, and it was up to you to fry your own meat and melt your own cheese on a device that sat on the table. I liked it. I also liked the number of djembes sitting around Steve's house, and the steel drum. We had a couple of primitive group jamming sessions. :)It's been pretty typically lovely (aka warm and sunny) here this month, which is awesome, because we can spend lot of work time outdoors, something the kids love. It also means I can bike to work more. Even our Bible study is taking advantage, as next Wednesday's is going to be outdoors, something that will hopefully become routine. And bonfires and barbecues are always fun, too.
Random pondering: I know a ton (possibly a literal tonne) of people born in May.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
April showers?
April was a month of splendor here in Victoria, B.C.! The first of the month was a great day, replete with work, sports, a dinner with friends, and then brought to a close by laughing my head off playing Jabberwocky with some of my best friends. "The game that lets your imagination run wild!" Jabberwocky is probably my favourite board game; it's extremely fun (and I don't say that lightly)!
I played in a hockey tournament the first weekend of April, subbing as an out player (played wing) for Team Xtreme, which was sweet. They are a pretty good team, with many skilled players. I only played 2 games, as they were full for the others. I also bought my first wetsuit that weekend, an exciting purchase! Thanks Dad, for the late Christmas present :D
Over Easter weekend, as I mentioned, I took a roadtrip with 4 friends to San Diego. We left Thursday night, 4 of us catching the 7pm ferry across to Tsawwassen, and picking up the 5th member of the crew just North of the ferry dock. We made it into the US pretty quickly that evening, no line ups. The rest of the driving was lovely, especially when I got to drive from Oregon into California amidst a flurry! Spectacular!! :D Honorable mention to the pillow fight 3 of us had as we drove by LA at 9pm Friday night ... the 46 hours we got to spend in Carlsbad and San Diego were such a blessing, spending a lot of time outdoors and on the beach, and also getting to check out Body Worlds. We went to an Easter Sunrise service on Sunday morning, as I mentioned, and there's nothing like watching a sun rise to help one reflect on how God's mercy and grace really has given each of us new life. We made it back safe and happy, albeit sunburnt and somewhat sleepy, after only 24 hours of driving. We managed to catch the last ferry back to the island and there said our tearful (well, maybe not quite) good-byes, after a few parting shots (ie. pictures) ...
I played in another hockey tournament during the last weekend of April, playing goal for the Spitfires, my usual team. Our record was 3-2, but unfortunately one of the games we lost was a semi-final (under auspicious circumstances). Ah well, it was a well-put together tournament, I won an MVP award for one game, and it was a fun way to end out the girls' hockey season.
I played in a hockey tournament the first weekend of April, subbing as an out player (played wing) for Team Xtreme, which was sweet. They are a pretty good team, with many skilled players. I only played 2 games, as they were full for the others. I also bought my first wetsuit that weekend, an exciting purchase! Thanks Dad, for the late Christmas present :D
Over Easter weekend, as I mentioned, I took a roadtrip with 4 friends to San Diego. We left Thursday night, 4 of us catching the 7pm ferry across to Tsawwassen, and picking up the 5th member of the crew just North of the ferry dock. We made it into the US pretty quickly that evening, no line ups. The rest of the driving was lovely, especially when I got to drive from Oregon into California amidst a flurry! Spectacular!! :D Honorable mention to the pillow fight 3 of us had as we drove by LA at 9pm Friday night ... the 46 hours we got to spend in Carlsbad and San Diego were such a blessing, spending a lot of time outdoors and on the beach, and also getting to check out Body Worlds. We went to an Easter Sunrise service on Sunday morning, as I mentioned, and there's nothing like watching a sun rise to help one reflect on how God's mercy and grace really has given each of us new life. We made it back safe and happy, albeit sunburnt and somewhat sleepy, after only 24 hours of driving. We managed to catch the last ferry back to the island and there said our tearful (well, maybe not quite) good-byes, after a few parting shots (ie. pictures) ...
I played in another hockey tournament during the last weekend of April, playing goal for the Spitfires, my usual team. Our record was 3-2, but unfortunately one of the games we lost was a semi-final (under auspicious circumstances). Ah well, it was a well-put together tournament, I won an MVP award for one game, and it was a fun way to end out the girls' hockey season.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
One month of life squeezed into a few paragraphs
I was going to go for two months in a few paragraphs ... but yeah, didn't work out.
March started off with a visit from Dad (Monday the 2nd - Friday the 6th), which was awesome! I got a couple of days off of work and we went up to Mount Washington, which ended up being the only skiing in B.C. I got in this year ... it was pretty nice both days and we enjoyed the sun and slopes.
The Friday that Dad left I ended up getting to be part of a pieing with the Order of Pi, which was pretty cool since it's usually (always?) just engineering students that get to do the "executions" (it was thanks to Jason, who is in that video - the guy putting the hood on the accused). It was sort of a right place, right time thing.
Work has continued to be pretty fun, and a good learning experience. There have been a few days where I have been frustrated with kids' attitudes or whatever, but they're only human too, so that's to be expected. Mostly things are eggs in coffee (yay 30s slang). I thankfully managed to coerce (probably too strong of a word, since he does enjoy it) Jason into occasional subbing for the OSC, and the kids like having a guy around once in a while, for sure. And I'm not gonna lie, it's fun working with a friend.
I spent the Wednesdays of this term participating in Campus Alpha, which was a great experience. There were a decent number of non-Christians that came out, and we always had good discussions, and people were general open about their beliefs and what they thought about the videos we watched each week. Oh, and the meals each week were absolutely fabulous ... mmmmm ... I miss Alpha. :D I still have Bible study going on most weeks, though, which can also consist of good discussion, fellowship, and occasionally food.
I spent a week in March (over March break) house-sitting for the Reston's, and looking after their dogs. It was a lot of fun: getting up each morning to walk the dogs on the nearby beach, and hosting a couple of dinners in a new-to-me (and also actually less than a year old) place.
March 22nd was a day I'll never forget - it was the day I got my first ride on a motorcycle!! It was stellar!!!
The last weekend of March was pretty sweet, with a bonfire at Island View beach on Friday night (which is where and when the picture is from), some hard-core (haha) indoor soccer with 20/30s on Saturday, and some hanging out at the beach after church on Sunday.
March started off with a visit from Dad (Monday the 2nd - Friday the 6th), which was awesome! I got a couple of days off of work and we went up to Mount Washington, which ended up being the only skiing in B.C. I got in this year ... it was pretty nice both days and we enjoyed the sun and slopes.
The Friday that Dad left I ended up getting to be part of a pieing with the Order of Pi, which was pretty cool since it's usually (always?) just engineering students that get to do the "executions" (it was thanks to Jason, who is in that video - the guy putting the hood on the accused). It was sort of a right place, right time thing.
Work has continued to be pretty fun, and a good learning experience. There have been a few days where I have been frustrated with kids' attitudes or whatever, but they're only human too, so that's to be expected. Mostly things are eggs in coffee (yay 30s slang). I thankfully managed to coerce (probably too strong of a word, since he does enjoy it) Jason into occasional subbing for the OSC, and the kids like having a guy around once in a while, for sure. And I'm not gonna lie, it's fun working with a friend.
I spent the Wednesdays of this term participating in Campus Alpha, which was a great experience. There were a decent number of non-Christians that came out, and we always had good discussions, and people were general open about their beliefs and what they thought about the videos we watched each week. Oh, and the meals each week were absolutely fabulous ... mmmmm ... I miss Alpha. :D I still have Bible study going on most weeks, though, which can also consist of good discussion, fellowship, and occasionally food.
I spent a week in March (over March break) house-sitting for the Reston's, and looking after their dogs. It was a lot of fun: getting up each morning to walk the dogs on the nearby beach, and hosting a couple of dinners in a new-to-me (and also actually less than a year old) place.
March 22nd was a day I'll never forget - it was the day I got my first ride on a motorcycle!! It was stellar!!!
The last weekend of March was pretty sweet, with a bonfire at Island View beach on Friday night (which is where and when the picture is from), some hard-core (haha) indoor soccer with 20/30s on Saturday, and some hanging out at the beach after church on Sunday.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Procrastination is the name of my game
Yeah, I've been planning on getting some updates up really soon ... seriously! For now I'll just toss up a couple of pictures from my Easter roadtrip to San Diego, and blog about it soon (as in this week some time). I PROMISE!!!
Top picture is me with the group of people I drove down to San Diego with (from l-r: Emily, Willem, Jon, Me, Jason) standing on the beach (obviously) after the Easter Sunday Sunrise service we attended - actually in Carlsbad, just North of San Diegs.
The group picture below was taken in front of a stained glass window of a church in Old Town San Diego. We were told to "look holy or Mexican".
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The life and times of Meghan, lately
It's a good thing I naturally have a lot of energy (or maybe that's just because of what I eat, because it's definitely nothing to do with getting enough sleep!), otherwise I'd probably be dog-tired by 4 of the clock most days ... this last month has been so rich, full of blessings and wonderful fellowship, some new experiences, and some absolutely glorious weather (e.g. some snow, a lot of sunshine, a couple of rainbows). :D Some highlights were getting to spend a couple of evenings playing Wii with some good friends (once was Wii Olympics, once was Wii fit), starting to play squash, and getting back on track and actaully getting a timline put together to finish my project.
There was another suprise party in February, for one of the most awesome people I know (Alex Marshall, seen in the picture as obviously very enthused about the birthday cakes), which was fun. There are a ton of people I know (probably literally a short ton, which is two thousand pounds) born around the end of February. Guess that old saying "In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love" has some ring or truth ...
Most random thing I saw this last month: a bulldog trying to skateboard. Well, it sort of looked like a combination or trying to skatebaord and trying to make the board move so that he could attack the moving wheels. Almost all of the kids (at the OSC) found this highly entertaining. I wish I had a video. Of them and of the dog.
There was another suprise party in February, for one of the most awesome people I know (Alex Marshall, seen in the picture as obviously very enthused about the birthday cakes), which was fun. There are a ton of people I know (probably literally a short ton, which is two thousand pounds) born around the end of February. Guess that old saying "In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love" has some ring or truth ...Most random thing I saw this last month: a bulldog trying to skateboard. Well, it sort of looked like a combination or trying to skatebaord and trying to make the board move so that he could attack the moving wheels. Almost all of the kids (at the OSC) found this highly entertaining. I wish I had a video. Of them and of the dog.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away ...
Well, I did challenge Willem to suprise me, and he definitely succeeded. A few of my friends collaborated to put together a surprise birthday for me last night, and it was amazing!! I definitely feel more blessed than ever by the community I've found here in Victoria - it's so nice to feel at home among a group of people, which is something that, until now, I had not found outside of my family.
So this has been sitting as a draft for a while, as it is now January 29th, so I think I'll just post this, with the ammendment that January has been filled with work, fellowship (and other blessings), and getting things - work and school related - sorted out, which I have. YAY!! :D
First post of the new year ... and it's mostly about last year ...
Well, my Christmas holidays were definitely blessed, starting from the fact that I made it in to Toronto the morning of the day when a lot of flights started getting delayed or cancelled, and ending with a lovely flight back to Victoria during which I watched Canada win another gold medal in the World Juniors!!
On the way to Toronto, I was waiting in my seat as the people who had been sitting behind me were filing down the aisle of the plane, when one gentleman stopped to let me off ahead of him. I said thanks, and proceeded to deplane (I love that word). As I am walking up the exit ramp I hear the same gentleman whistling “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and yes I did start whistling along :). That pretty much made my flight, especially as I had just been reading one of the books of Nanna’s prose and poetry.
It was so great to be able to get to see most of my family, whether for little or large amounts of time. Getting to go sledding at Harrison Park for the first time was sweet, as was having Nanna over to visit, and I also appreciated the opportunity to cater to the every whim of my cousin Robi ;) (poor dear was laid up with a broken ankle).We got almost everyone together for a nice family dinner, a very delicious meal, on the 28th, which is always a highlight of my holidays. Getting to be part of a couple of advent services was also nice, because my church in Victoria doesn't do advent, and I miss it.
During the course of the 2 ½ weeks I was home I got to experience flurries – almost whiteout conditions at some times – as well as hail and pouring rain. We had some major flooding (as evidence by the pic below) going on for about ½ a week, the kind we usually see in spring. It was quite the challenge driving in some of these conditions, but thankfully we made it through with no serious mishaps :D
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Soaring, tumbling, free-wheeling ...
This weekend I had, yet again, the pleasure of travelling to Denman Island, to stay at the property of my "arch nemesis" :) It's always so lovely to spend time up there, away from the city, enveloped in glorious nature (almost feels like a whole new world ;)) - pictures will follow shortly. We headed up Saturday morning (there were about 25 of us) and as my car was one of the first to arrive, we decided to head straight down to the ocean, and spent some time admiring the ferocity of the roiling sea (the tide was in, and there were some sweet whitecaps). That evening was spent drying off indoors, playing some games, enjoying the warmth of the fire, and watching some movies.
Sunday was a busy day, as much of it was spent outdoors, checking out a local hermitage, and then taking the usual trek through Fillongley Park. The skies actually cleared up, and for much of the afternoon the sun was intermittently stretching fingers of light through the clouds. Just down a path from the hermitage was probably the most stellar climbing tree I have ever seen in my life!! We had a lot of fun climbing around in that tree, and creating some interesting photo ops. And best of all, no one got hurt. Much. On the walk back from the park, I finally achieved one of my life goals of slapping a bull in the butt. Okay, so it was never a goal, and I think I may have done it before, but it made for some good times none the less. Turns out there is a wide variety of things I'll do to make people laugh.
So there you have it - pretty much what I've been up to lately :D I am now back in Victoria, as I had a hockey game I wanted to play tonight. I have the day off tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to get some good amount of school work done, as this project is just plaguing me, always there at the back of my head. Other than that, and actually even with that, things are going splendidly, as I am happy, healthy, and blessed!!!
Sunday was a busy day, as much of it was spent outdoors, checking out a local hermitage, and then taking the usual trek through Fillongley Park. The skies actually cleared up, and for much of the afternoon the sun was intermittently stretching fingers of light through the clouds. Just down a path from the hermitage was probably the most stellar climbing tree I have ever seen in my life!! We had a lot of fun climbing around in that tree, and creating some interesting photo ops. And best of all, no one got hurt. Much. On the walk back from the park, I finally achieved one of my life goals of slapping a bull in the butt. Okay, so it was never a goal, and I think I may have done it before, but it made for some good times none the less. Turns out there is a wide variety of things I'll do to make people laugh.
So there you have it - pretty much what I've been up to lately :D I am now back in Victoria, as I had a hockey game I wanted to play tonight. I have the day off tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to get some good amount of school work done, as this project is just plaguing me, always there at the back of my head. Other than that, and actually even with that, things are going splendidly, as I am happy, healthy, and blessed!!!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Tempestuous November
I sit at our kitchen table, looking out the window at the torrential downpour ... and I love it! November and I have always been friends :) I love months that bring change, and this month is definitely doing so, at least in Victoria. The only unfortunate part of the rain, in my opinion, is that the kindergarteners I'll be walking to the pool will likely be less than pleased to be getting soaking wet. On the bright side (har har), it may mean they'll behave themselves on the way there and back. Too bad I don't have a 'one adult and 5 kindergarteners' sized umbrella. I'm sure that would be quite the picture - like a mother hen and her chicks! Aaaaaaaaaaaanyway, thisi is sounding a bit like some kind of country magazine column, so I'll cut with the waxing poetical.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
It's a new day, it's a new world ...
So, it's been just over a month that I've been working, and I'm still smiling at the end of every day. One of the parents today commented suprisedly that we were always smiling by the time kids are getting picked up, but then they just figured that it's because they kids are then leaving. Not true, at least in my case. I still genuinely enjoy their company!
That being said, I'll be missing work Friday afternoon to travel home for Thanksgiving. I missed out the last two years, and really want to be home this year as it's sort of a time of a lot of change within our family ... also, I've always loved Thanksgiving, and I really want to get part of an Autumn of colour! It has grown a bit cooler here, and wetter, and there's occasionally some crispness in the air, but it's just not the same. I feel like I've said this a million times, so I'll leave it at that ...
Ummm, what else? NHL regular season starts Thursday, which is sweet! I'm looking forward to watching the Oilers, the Penguins, the Blackhawks, and the usual suspects of the Leafs and the Canucks. I'm also slightly more fond of the Flames this year that I have been in previous years. Must be the additions of Squid (Cammalleri) and Bertuzzi. I'm still playing hockey quite a bit (3-5 times a week, generally), and am also playing co-ed intramural indoor soccer once a week, both of which are tons of fun. Bible study, IVCF, and the twice-a-month ACF get togethers have also provided some very enjoyable times. All in all, I am feeling absolutely blessed in pretty much everything going on in my life. :D
That being said, I'll be missing work Friday afternoon to travel home for Thanksgiving. I missed out the last two years, and really want to be home this year as it's sort of a time of a lot of change within our family ... also, I've always loved Thanksgiving, and I really want to get part of an Autumn of colour! It has grown a bit cooler here, and wetter, and there's occasionally some crispness in the air, but it's just not the same. I feel like I've said this a million times, so I'll leave it at that ...
Ummm, what else? NHL regular season starts Thursday, which is sweet! I'm looking forward to watching the Oilers, the Penguins, the Blackhawks, and the usual suspects of the Leafs and the Canucks. I'm also slightly more fond of the Flames this year that I have been in previous years. Must be the additions of Squid (Cammalleri) and Bertuzzi. I'm still playing hockey quite a bit (3-5 times a week, generally), and am also playing co-ed intramural indoor soccer once a week, both of which are tons of fun. Bible study, IVCF, and the twice-a-month ACF get togethers have also provided some very enjoyable times. All in all, I am feeling absolutely blessed in pretty much everything going on in my life. :D
Monday, September 15, 2008
Autumn's arrival
So, I've completed three weeks of work now ... I really love the job, and pretty much everything related. I feel like I am now settled in enough to be able to start looking past making sure routine things are getting done and learning about the kids and their behaviour, to look at applying some creativity to the position, and figuring out how to bring in more games and such that will create more unity than we currently have. The kids are really great, generally, and I am finding ways to connect with most of them. I am kind of concerned about some of the stuff going on with a few of the kids, but at the same time I have to remind myself that we are only 3 weeks in and I have many more months to spend working with this little society.
Outside of work I've also been really busy. I've spent about 5 hours each week cleaning, which has been nice, as it's at a nice place in Cadboro Bay where there are 2 lovely dogs that I can snuggle and play with. Here's a picture (they're a lab/daschund cross, and a labradoodle (who is a puppy in this pic)):
Anyway, so that's been good to make some $ to cover groceries. I've also been playing hockey (obviously), biking a lot, and started going to a Bible study on Genesis. I am also going to be playing intramural indoor soccer, which will be fun ... and yeah, my job means I have to get up at around 5:44am every morning, and it's getting late ...
Outside of work I've also been really busy. I've spent about 5 hours each week cleaning, which has been nice, as it's at a nice place in Cadboro Bay where there are 2 lovely dogs that I can snuggle and play with. Here's a picture (they're a lab/daschund cross, and a labradoodle (who is a puppy in this pic)):
Anyway, so that's been good to make some $ to cover groceries. I've also been playing hockey (obviously), biking a lot, and started going to a Bible study on Genesis. I am also going to be playing intramural indoor soccer, which will be fun ... and yeah, my job means I have to get up at around 5:44am every morning, and it's getting late ...
Sunday, September 07, 2008
An update, as requested (covering the end of August)
As mentioned in the title, this post is to cover the week at camp (August 24th-30th) ... the 24th was a crazy day as I had to get up quite early to catch a bus, to get to another bus, to get to my First Aid course by 8:15am. It was a good time, though, and I definitely feel I would now be more competent in case of an emergency.
From there, I caught a taxi in order to get to the Greyhound in time, as I needed to get to Chemainus to catch a ferry to Thetis Island, where Pioneer Pacific Camp is located. This are went fairly smoothly, and I was privy to a gorgeous sunset during the ferry ride (sorry, no picture of that one. However, here is a different sunset):
The week was really great! Two other young women and I were "in charge" of a group of 23 teenage girls, and it actually went pretty well, I thought. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and there was a wealth of activities available, interspersed with meals and club (sort of an informal chapel). We were all definitely short of sleep by the end of the week, but what's new? :) I got to try a couple of new things, like tubing, wakeboarding, and kayaking (no, I had never kayaked before). Kayaking was probably my highlight, partly because I liked it so much, and partly because I got to see a lot of great wildlife, the cutest being the seals we saw lounging on the rocks. Or the dead jellyfish. Here's a pic of me successfully staying on the tube, while the other guy wiped out:
It was really great to see some of the people I had met in Mexico again, and also great to see people I knew from UVic!! It was awesome to finally get to spend some time at a place that has been a big part of the lives of so many ... One more pic, of some mealtime hijinx:
It was a terrific, blessed way to end the summer, although the weather wasn't really summer-like (intermittent rain, and temperatures rarely above 22 Celsius). The kids headed home Saturday morning, and I stayed (with a small group of staff) to help clean up, as waiting around meant I could catch a ride back to Victoria, which was preferable to bussing, definitely. I made it back to Victoria Saturday evening ... and Sunday meant the beginning of packing and cleaning for another move.
From there, I caught a taxi in order to get to the Greyhound in time, as I needed to get to Chemainus to catch a ferry to Thetis Island, where Pioneer Pacific Camp is located. This are went fairly smoothly, and I was privy to a gorgeous sunset during the ferry ride (sorry, no picture of that one. However, here is a different sunset):
The week was really great! Two other young women and I were "in charge" of a group of 23 teenage girls, and it actually went pretty well, I thought. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and there was a wealth of activities available, interspersed with meals and club (sort of an informal chapel). We were all definitely short of sleep by the end of the week, but what's new? :) I got to try a couple of new things, like tubing, wakeboarding, and kayaking (no, I had never kayaked before). Kayaking was probably my highlight, partly because I liked it so much, and partly because I got to see a lot of great wildlife, the cutest being the seals we saw lounging on the rocks. Or the dead jellyfish. Here's a pic of me successfully staying on the tube, while the other guy wiped out:
It was really great to see some of the people I had met in Mexico again, and also great to see people I knew from UVic!! It was awesome to finally get to spend some time at a place that has been a big part of the lives of so many ... One more pic, of some mealtime hijinx:
It was a terrific, blessed way to end the summer, although the weather wasn't really summer-like (intermittent rain, and temperatures rarely above 22 Celsius). The kids headed home Saturday morning, and I stayed (with a small group of staff) to help clean up, as waiting around meant I could catch a ride back to Victoria, which was preferable to bussing, definitely. I made it back to Victoria Saturday evening ... and Sunday meant the beginning of packing and cleaning for another move.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
And I say good-bye to being a student
I had a fantastic summer! It definitely qualifies as one of my favourites (although I think there are only one or two in remembrance that don't qualify for that ...), replete with family time - which among other things involved tennis, horseback riding, volleyball, singing/band, swimming, and cribbage - which was wonderful, as well as learning a bit about roofing and renovation.
And now I am back in Victoria, missing my family and animals, as always when I leave. It's a bit of a new start, this September, for a few of us in the family. My beautiful cousin Amanda is starting in a kineseology program at University of Guelph-Humber, my lovely cousin Roberta is starting a teaching job at a private school, in a spot that allows her to be closer to family, and I will be working while not attending school, for only the second year of my life that I can remember! I believe all of these changes are quite welcome.
So about my job: I'll be the program manager for an out-of-school care program, which means I'll be organizing the activity schedule (games, crafts, and out-trips) for the program, as well as being one of two persons there every week day (morning and afternoon) to care for the kids. I'm really looking forward to it, and believe it will provide some good practical experience for me. And as much as I miss everything back home (including the weather!), I am glad to be back, for at least another year, in the community I have become a part of here in Victoria.
This first almost-week back has been fairly busy, meeting my new bosses, unpacking and packing and unpacking, and taking care of some school stuff (long story) ... and next week I'll be at Pioneer Pacific Camp, as a counselor. Should be a great week!
And now I am back in Victoria, missing my family and animals, as always when I leave. It's a bit of a new start, this September, for a few of us in the family. My beautiful cousin Amanda is starting in a kineseology program at University of Guelph-Humber, my lovely cousin Roberta is starting a teaching job at a private school, in a spot that allows her to be closer to family, and I will be working while not attending school, for only the second year of my life that I can remember! I believe all of these changes are quite welcome.So about my job: I'll be the program manager for an out-of-school care program, which means I'll be organizing the activity schedule (games, crafts, and out-trips) for the program, as well as being one of two persons there every week day (morning and afternoon) to care for the kids. I'm really looking forward to it, and believe it will provide some good practical experience for me. And as much as I miss everything back home (including the weather!), I am glad to be back, for at least another year, in the community I have become a part of here in Victoria.
This first almost-week back has been fairly busy, meeting my new bosses, unpacking and packing and unpacking, and taking care of some school stuff (long story) ... and next week I'll be at Pioneer Pacific Camp, as a counselor. Should be a great week!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Our trip to the Baja-ha (that second 'ha' is part of an inside joke)
(stayed in Vicente Guerrero, worked in Benito Garcia)
We arrived in Mexico after what seemed like a fairly short (it was about 5 ½ hours) drive from San Diego. That evening was spent meeting the Hero Holiday staff in Mexico (they also work in the Dominican and Thailand), checking out where we would be staying, and receiving a short debrief about what we would be doing while in Mexico and the situations of the families we would be building for. Both families live in tarp and cardboard homes, where the mother works at home and the father works out of the home. One family has 2 children and the other 6. The only member of the family of 8 who speaks Spanish is the oldest child, a 12-year old girl (the rest speak a native dialect). There is no electricity, no running water (a truck drives around selling water), and a lot of stray dogs. Yet, God is working in Mexico.
The first full day was spent meeting the families, hearing a lot about past work Hero Holiday has done in the area, and doing a bit of sightseeing (went to a beach and a local market; also visited a graveyard, where it seemed the majority of graves were of infants). Saturday we finally got started on the construction! I loved the whole building side of this trip, as it was something relatively new to me (although I’ve done various related odd jobs). We split into two teams: I was on the team building the house for the family of 4. The houses were frames of two-by-fours with plywood sheeting and tar paper roofs. Each of the days we were on site the family (sans the father) was there, along with an assortment of neighbourhood kids, all very interested in our sunglasses and cameras (and some of them took some pretty good pictures), and in getting piggy-back rides. :) Our teams cooperated very well, each filling in doing something that needed to get done, figuring out our strengths and preferences. My favourite day was probably the day spent working on the roof, as we were kept busy, and had a great view from up there. :D
The evening activities varied. We went out for supper a couple of times (excellent food, especially at the taco stand), played some volleyball and Dutch Blitz, had a bonfire, attended a birthday party (complete with a Bob the Builder piñata), climbed a volcano (now inactive), and had two chances to swim in the ocean. That wasn’t all, but those were some highlights.
One of the most amazing people we met on the trip (at the birthday party) was a man named Angel. I’m just going to fill in his story by quoting from the blog of one of the guys who was on the trip: “Angel is a silver maker in his forties who lost mobility in both his legs as a result of a car accident years ago. He got a wheelchair donated to him, but found it impossible to navigate the potholed dirt roads of Mexico with the hospital-style wheelchair he had been given. Always the inventor, he put mountain bike tires on it and otherwise improved the frame to make it possible for him to move about himself. Out of this his wheelchair ministry was born, and he now alters and distributes wheelchairs around Vicente Guerrero to disabled people who otherwise often spend their entire lives crawling on their hands and knees at home. He has continued with his silver jewelry business and now employs several physically disabled people, and is expanding his wheelchair ministry to other communities in the neighbourhood. Most of his wheelchairs are old, unused ones from hospitals in Canada or the US. In June he is going to Canada for the first time and will actually be meeting with Mayor Sam Sullivan (mayor of Vancouver). In fact, Sullivan was so impressed with what Angel is doing that he has booked two days off to spend with Angel and personally show him all the Vancouver sights.
A group of us chatted with Angel for some time – what impressed me the most was how he always interjected “God willing” into his language when he was speaking about his future dreams and plans (and he has many – this guy’s a visionary). Here is a man who has grasped the minuteness of his own work and his complete reliance on God. He provides hope and empowerment to many, many people in the area who otherwise are rejected from society, yet he sees that it is not him, but God at work.” (my thanks to Thomas)
I realized on this trip that even if I wouldn’t have gone other people would have likely filled in, as was the case for most of us who went(spaces were limited). However, though most people would think that the sole purpose for going on this trip was to provide a service to those people for whom we build the houses. Rarely to people see what is given back to the participants (as well as to those who are working in these communities year-round). For many of the students who travelled to Mexico, this was a life-changing experience. They gained a new perspective on how blessed they are to be living in Canada, to be well-nourished, and also to see first-hand what poverty looks like. We will forever have these families and children in our hearts, and hopefully that will move us to encourage generosity in those around us, to know that one person really can make a difference. We learned that we weren’t just providing a home – a place to live. We were improving health, life chances, and security for a family, and showing Benito Garcia that there are people who care, people who love them. There is no jealousy, no pettiness. The ongoing work there provides hope for the community, and not just for those who receive the houses.
Additional notes:
- The relationship between the wealthy (most Canadians) and impoverished people is not about us having less, bringing our level of living down to their level (sometimes the way people think when they start feeling guilty). Rather, it’s about bringing them up to a higher standard of living, where they can have access to education, clean water, have a safe place to live – having their basic needs met.
- We learned why many Mexican children don’t receive an education (usually lack of documentation or lack of finances, or both). Also, many parents are unaware of proper procedure.
- So many people go on vacation hoping to find even a little bit of the joy that these people have (despite the fact that it is rare that they can even afford what we would deem necessities). They find joy in hope, in family and relationships, in community. Their version of hospitality is giving of everything they have, while so often we are only willing to give of what we don’t want, or small parts of what we believe we can spare.
We were encouraged not to feel guilty for how good we have it, but instead to let this impact our lives positively, by becoming informed,by becoming active. And hopefully, by helping motivate others to become the same ...
It was an amazing trip! Much thanks to everyone who helped support me (financially or otherwise), I am truly grateful.
Meghan :)
“I will rise above, I will live for love, I will answer to the call.” ~ ‘Revolution’ by Starfield
We arrived in Mexico after what seemed like a fairly short (it was about 5 ½ hours) drive from San Diego. That evening was spent meeting the Hero Holiday staff in Mexico (they also work in the Dominican and Thailand), checking out where we would be staying, and receiving a short debrief about what we would be doing while in Mexico and the situations of the families we would be building for. Both families live in tarp and cardboard homes, where the mother works at home and the father works out of the home. One family has 2 children and the other 6. The only member of the family of 8 who speaks Spanish is the oldest child, a 12-year old girl (the rest speak a native dialect). There is no electricity, no running water (a truck drives around selling water), and a lot of stray dogs. Yet, God is working in Mexico.
The first full day was spent meeting the families, hearing a lot about past work Hero Holiday has done in the area, and doing a bit of sightseeing (went to a beach and a local market; also visited a graveyard, where it seemed the majority of graves were of infants). Saturday we finally got started on the construction! I loved the whole building side of this trip, as it was something relatively new to me (although I’ve done various related odd jobs). We split into two teams: I was on the team building the house for the family of 4. The houses were frames of two-by-fours with plywood sheeting and tar paper roofs. Each of the days we were on site the family (sans the father) was there, along with an assortment of neighbourhood kids, all very interested in our sunglasses and cameras (and some of them took some pretty good pictures), and in getting piggy-back rides. :) Our teams cooperated very well, each filling in doing something that needed to get done, figuring out our strengths and preferences. My favourite day was probably the day spent working on the roof, as we were kept busy, and had a great view from up there. :D
The evening activities varied. We went out for supper a couple of times (excellent food, especially at the taco stand), played some volleyball and Dutch Blitz, had a bonfire, attended a birthday party (complete with a Bob the Builder piñata), climbed a volcano (now inactive), and had two chances to swim in the ocean. That wasn’t all, but those were some highlights.
One of the most amazing people we met on the trip (at the birthday party) was a man named Angel. I’m just going to fill in his story by quoting from the blog of one of the guys who was on the trip: “Angel is a silver maker in his forties who lost mobility in both his legs as a result of a car accident years ago. He got a wheelchair donated to him, but found it impossible to navigate the potholed dirt roads of Mexico with the hospital-style wheelchair he had been given. Always the inventor, he put mountain bike tires on it and otherwise improved the frame to make it possible for him to move about himself. Out of this his wheelchair ministry was born, and he now alters and distributes wheelchairs around Vicente Guerrero to disabled people who otherwise often spend their entire lives crawling on their hands and knees at home. He has continued with his silver jewelry business and now employs several physically disabled people, and is expanding his wheelchair ministry to other communities in the neighbourhood. Most of his wheelchairs are old, unused ones from hospitals in Canada or the US. In June he is going to Canada for the first time and will actually be meeting with Mayor Sam Sullivan (mayor of Vancouver). In fact, Sullivan was so impressed with what Angel is doing that he has booked two days off to spend with Angel and personally show him all the Vancouver sights.
A group of us chatted with Angel for some time – what impressed me the most was how he always interjected “God willing” into his language when he was speaking about his future dreams and plans (and he has many – this guy’s a visionary). Here is a man who has grasped the minuteness of his own work and his complete reliance on God. He provides hope and empowerment to many, many people in the area who otherwise are rejected from society, yet he sees that it is not him, but God at work.” (my thanks to Thomas)
I realized on this trip that even if I wouldn’t have gone other people would have likely filled in, as was the case for most of us who went(spaces were limited). However, though most people would think that the sole purpose for going on this trip was to provide a service to those people for whom we build the houses. Rarely to people see what is given back to the participants (as well as to those who are working in these communities year-round). For many of the students who travelled to Mexico, this was a life-changing experience. They gained a new perspective on how blessed they are to be living in Canada, to be well-nourished, and also to see first-hand what poverty looks like. We will forever have these families and children in our hearts, and hopefully that will move us to encourage generosity in those around us, to know that one person really can make a difference. We learned that we weren’t just providing a home – a place to live. We were improving health, life chances, and security for a family, and showing Benito Garcia that there are people who care, people who love them. There is no jealousy, no pettiness. The ongoing work there provides hope for the community, and not just for those who receive the houses.
Additional notes:
- The relationship between the wealthy (most Canadians) and impoverished people is not about us having less, bringing our level of living down to their level (sometimes the way people think when they start feeling guilty). Rather, it’s about bringing them up to a higher standard of living, where they can have access to education, clean water, have a safe place to live – having their basic needs met.
- We learned why many Mexican children don’t receive an education (usually lack of documentation or lack of finances, or both). Also, many parents are unaware of proper procedure.
- So many people go on vacation hoping to find even a little bit of the joy that these people have (despite the fact that it is rare that they can even afford what we would deem necessities). They find joy in hope, in family and relationships, in community. Their version of hospitality is giving of everything they have, while so often we are only willing to give of what we don’t want, or small parts of what we believe we can spare.
We were encouraged not to feel guilty for how good we have it, but instead to let this impact our lives positively, by becoming informed,by becoming active. And hopefully, by helping motivate others to become the same ...
It was an amazing trip! Much thanks to everyone who helped support me (financially or otherwise), I am truly grateful.
Meghan :)
“I will rise above, I will live for love, I will answer to the call.” ~ ‘Revolution’ by Starfield
Thursday, April 17, 2008
playoffs and the rest
So, one NHL playoff series is over, as the Pens swept the Sens. I would've sort have liked to see the Sens win at least one, for the sake of Antoine Vermette ... but ah well. The Sens really seemed to be missing Fisher, and the return of Alfie didn't really spark them. I'm pretty sure the Pens and Habs (Price (sporting his new mohawk, courtesy of Latendresse) has been stellar) will be playing in the Eastern Conference final, which will be great to see, should it happen! I'm hoping that the Avs or Sharks will make it through in the West.
Playoffs means the end of university terms, and right now many of the people I know are wrapped up in studying and take-homes, and I'm just trying to be a source of encouragement and peace for them, as I have totally finished my course work, which is pretty sweet. If you are someone feeling worn down or spent, regardless of the reason, read this and hope:
"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun"
~ from He Giveth More Grace
So, what's left? Well, I have my project to gets some serious work done on and finish, yes, still. Nothing else too exciting going on, although a lot remains up in the air for me. Where will I be in the fall? I'm thinking one of Victoria, Ottawa, or Vermont. But I shall keep praying, and wait and see. There were 5 spiders in our bathroom this morning. I think when I get home I'll put 4 of them in a jar together and see what happens. Don't worry, if it starts coming to eye for an eye for an eye for an eye for an ... okay okay, bad ummm ... well, I don't even think that could be called a joke. Maybe a groaner. But yeah, I actually plan just to relocate them. I'm pretty sure our bathroom isn't really well-suited to their lifestyle.
Playoffs means the end of university terms, and right now many of the people I know are wrapped up in studying and take-homes, and I'm just trying to be a source of encouragement and peace for them, as I have totally finished my course work, which is pretty sweet. If you are someone feeling worn down or spent, regardless of the reason, read this and hope:
"When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun"
~ from He Giveth More Grace
So, what's left? Well, I have my project to gets some serious work done on and finish, yes, still. Nothing else too exciting going on, although a lot remains up in the air for me. Where will I be in the fall? I'm thinking one of Victoria, Ottawa, or Vermont. But I shall keep praying, and wait and see. There were 5 spiders in our bathroom this morning. I think when I get home I'll put 4 of them in a jar together and see what happens. Don't worry, if it starts coming to eye for an eye for an eye for an eye for an ... okay okay, bad ummm ... well, I don't even think that could be called a joke. Maybe a groaner. But yeah, I actually plan just to relocate them. I'm pretty sure our bathroom isn't really well-suited to their lifestyle.
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