After 32 days there, we arrived back in Lethbridge on July 31st, but since we can write off at least 2 days for jet lag and time change, we will start our counting of actually-being-functional-while- back-in-Lethbridge at August 2nd.
So what have we been up to in the last 17 days, and what do we have planned for the next 3 months?
On August 2nd we had a great planning meeting with our fearless Leader and his family just before they left on some well deserved rest with their family in Australia. On August 3rd we were left with our list of "TO-DO's" and "SEE IF YOU CAN'S". So Howard and Sandy and Jack and Margaret are keeping busy in August:
We are so grateful that we have Jack and Margaret Phillips here since May. They have helped us immensely with paperwork and computer-work, cooking and camps, driving and dogs, and lots of other behind-the-scenes work that needs to get done with any ministry work.Jack and Margaret are from California and are volunteering with Amazing Grace Community Church and Amazing Kids for 5 months. They arrived in May and will leave the first of October. I hesitate to put them in the category of "Interns" because of their age and experience, I'm looking for a much better name, but for now I will call them our "Ultra-Interns". Pray for them as they try to keep up with those who are younger and pray also for their home in California as it isn't too far from many of the fires that are burning there.
Thanks for your "minutes" Margaret and your time searching for elusive documents and information Jack!
August 3rd! On our first Monday back in Lethbridge we had a holiday! after we met with Jack and Margaret to set up our weekly game plan. I have always bemoaned the fact that the U.S. does not have any holidays in August. Well - Canada does have a holiday in August, I have heard two different names - it's either CIVIC DAY or FAMILY DAY. Either way, we spent the afternoon and evening out in Crowsnest Pass visiting new friends, the Veenendaals, out at a cabin they are helping build. It was a hazy day so we couldn't see too clearly, but it was cooler for sure.
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| After taking a spin in a kayak we have decided we may have to look into purchasing a couple of them to cruise the many rivers and lakes here on our days off. |
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| The view from inside the kayak |
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| I love taking photos of the new flowers I find in some of the grasslands. |
After our August holiday we began our work week.
We would love to post that we have begun a great work here - or that we have met many new Blackfoot friends - but the reality is that it is a slow, patient work that we have begun. Yes, we have kept ourselves busy, but there have been times of frustration also.
Howard has gone on many walks through the neighborhood we are living in and each walk has produced a contact or two that we are following up on. One is the possibility of Howard doing some counseling and Sandy to use her sewing skills at a local ministry called Streets Alive where there is quite a bit of contact with First Nations people. We are also hoping to get to know people at the local community college.
August 8 - We participated in a local neighborhood festival with the Amazing Kids trailer and did Face-painting for any kids - and adults - who attended. We shared about the ministry and opportunity for kids through the after-school program held on Mondays here. We had a lot of interest.
August 18 - Yesterday we participated in the Whoop-Up days parade (more on that in another post) and while waiting to take our place in line met some folks from a local First Nations Society and found out that they offer FREE language classes to anyone who is interested. So, we will be spending Thursday evenings in school! We look forward to learning at least a few Blackfoot phrases and most importantly meeting new people and making friends.
In addition, we continue with the daily tasks of life: laundry, cooking, paying bills, grocery shopping and going to the YMCA - yes we joined on August 4th. We are also both working on Sunday School lessons and materials, Bible Study possibilities and times, calling up new friends from Amazing Grace Community Church to stop by for visits, and Howard is working on his 2nd and 3rd sermons for the next few weeks.
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| We were able to attend the summer potluck at a local lake with Westminster Chapel PCA We met many of the people who attend that church which support us and the Amazing Grace CC. We also met up with some people Howard flew in Nigeria 29 years ago when they came to visit and volunteer there - it pays to move around! |
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| Howard playing Bocce for the first time - kind of fun! |
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| Lundbreck Falls near Crowsnest Pass. |
There is the Big Fall Festival coming up at the end of September where I will continue to hone my Face-painting skills and Howard will be manning a grill and entertaining as only he can. (I love that he enjoys being silly just as I do!)
We have Presbytery to help host and attend (all the leaders in our denomination in western Canada meet together each fall for encouragement), and then Native American Field Council to host in October.
And the Amazing Kids after-school program and AY (Amazing Youth) program begins on October 5th & 6th, where we get to follow up on what Camp Courage taught the kids this summer.
We are busy spending time preparing for all those activities in addition to looking for opportunities to meet and get to know our Blackfoot neighbors. I'm getting tired just typing this all out.
I hope this gives you a bit of a flavor of our lives in Lethbridge. Thanks for all of you who support us, we really do appreciate it and ask for you to continue to pray for us as we struggle to be bold in looking for opportunities to meet the Blackfoot people.
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| Sunset at Park Lake - we drove out to a deserted road near that lake a few days later to watch the meteor showers. |
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