Winnipeg SERVE - Day 10 - AMAZING TEAMSHIP

Day 10 - The day of fun and dressing up, serving and being served.  It's late, and there were 700 + pictures to go through today, so you'll notice there are about 115 pics on this entry.  So, the text will be short, and I hope you get the gist of the day's activities through the pictures. 

There will probably be spelling and grammar errors to, as Shellie is busy getting her talk ready for tomorrow, so no editing done today either.  For you grammar purists, you'll just have to remember that we live by grace...thanks in advance for your understanding. 

It started out as a cool day today, but ended up hot once again.  

We awoke and started the daily routine of waking up.  Kyle is getting his legs about him, with a little help from Shellie.  

Chris is trying to find info on the forest fires.   

Leah is....well, I think she's just waking up.  

Amber bugged me yesterday and told me that there were no good pictures of her on the blog....so I tried to make extra sure today that I got some good ones.  This ok Amber?  What do you think Kayla?  

Jacob, Kyle and Fayth are getting better acquainted.    

Ben's got another grumpy coming on.   

Good morning Kim.  Always smiling.   

Jovita  - always smiling in the morning too.  

Hannah seems to be still in a fog this morning.   Hi Megan.  

Smiles all around from Bonita and Joanna. 

John and Rosy....always buds.   

Breakfast is served.   

The planning team meeting.  

And then it was time for morning devotions.   

Chris and Kyle.  Kyle looks pensive.   

I got you again Kayla..... 

Our nurse pulling double duty.   

Leah and Amy getting into the material.   

And then it was off to work sites again.  This group went to the Winnipeg Harvest.  They got the job of sorting potatoes....lots of potatoes...... 

Hmmm, this pic is out of order, but who cares.  : )  Here's Hank saying hello to everyone this morning too..  

Hannah holding one of the not so good potatoes.  Apparently those potatoes smell, and that smell stays with you for days...so my question to Hannah is...why aren't you wearing gloves....??? 

Jovita and Fayth sorting.

"I only have eye's for you"....sorry, I couldn't resist.  

Once sorted the potatoes are boxed....seems they are a bit heavy.....I think Fontana just got a hernia or something.   

After they were done sorting, and back in the waiting room, they decided to make a human potato box.  Kayla is going to pick out Joanna or Hannah from the man made box.  Creative. 

Another group went to a home of someone in Covenant CRC to help out a family with a sick child.  They simply played with the kids...

Here's Amy taking care of one of the children.  

Leah loves kids and is really good with them.    

Chris spent the morning doing yard work.  

So did Jacob.   

Kyle planted flowers in the garden.  Something that wasn't able to be done yet this summer by the family.   

Kyle and Ben spruced things up.   

Leah found the puppy and played with it for a bit.  Ben took it for a walk, or was that the other way around Ben?

Chris and one of the children doing the gardens.   

The third team went to the BFM store.  Kayla is sorting clothing.   

John and Rosy sorted books and magazines.  

Kayla and Amber sorting more clothing...there is lots of clothing to sort in any BFM store.  : )  

More clothing...... 

Seems John has found himself a tool to help him eat better. Looks good John.  

 I stayed behind this morning, as I was not needed  as a driver.  I ran an errand for Carol and then vacuumed all the sand out of the van left by one Leah who decided to fill a pop can full and put it in the van......bad idea......

 After working, everyone seemed to go out for slushies.  John got a Jets sign that he's really happy about.  Another Jets fan is born....  : ) 

Lunch was served when everyone got back. Burritos.  They were great.   Kyle is being weird again I see. 

Another GREAT picture of Amber.  Carla and Kayla seem disinterested in my picture taking.  I don't blame them.  I've been snapping them all week long.  Eventually you get immune to the flash of the camera...kind of like a movie star or something.  : ) 

Another pic of Megan eating....YES!   

Yet ANOTHER good picture of Amber.  Wake up Carla.... : ) 

Kalya now wanted her picture taken.   

Then it was time for small groups.   

 The small group times have been very good this year.  Great material.  Thanks to all those who put so much time and effort into them.

  

After showers it was time to get ready for the fancy shmancy dinner and talent show.  Here's Fontana getting her hair done at a Salon.  She even looks like she's enjoying it.  

Megan too.   

Kim's lookin' good! 

Now you need to know that at our first SERVE in Ottawa, Joanna was a VERY reluctant participant in our fancy dinner event.  She didn't want to be bothered with when it came to hair styling, make-up, even dressing up.  I have seen her mature over the different SERVEs and you now see the fruit of all the work.  Her hair turned out really nice. 

Back at church, there were tables set up for having nails done and makeup put on.  Hank had his nails done, so I figured....why not...and I had mine done too.  : ) 

Don't they look nice?   

Carla and Bonita.  Carla was our nail polish specialist.  She does good work.  : )  

These items will be used later on in our worship time. I wonder what Shellie's up to this time.. : )  

Jacob....what a model pose.  

 Kayla getting her nails done.  

This is a creepy picture of Hannah....Big eye.... 

Amy getting all dolled up.   

There were head massagers provided for a time of relaxation.  They gave me the creebles......  

 Amber getting her toe nails done.  

The end result... nice! 

While the girls were taking FOREVER to get ready  (what else is new)  the boys were put to work.  What's with THAT!  : )   

Our kitchen crew hard at work. It was a warm night for working in that kitchen, but the ladies where having a blast.   

John all dressed up with somewhere to go.   

 Chris, Jacob and John.  Watch out girls....

here we come.. : ) 

Seems Kyle helped Kyle washing their hair and mousing it.  

See Joanna...you look GREAT!   

Our make up artist had to go practice for worship time, so Rosy ended up putting on her own make up.  Seems she had a run in with her mascara, but avoided a crisis with the help of Joanna.  Whew! 

Jovita and me. Seems I have a LOUD shirt....I like it.....!  

Kyle with a very nice tie.   

Rosy in the final stages of preparation.  

Annette showed up, how shall I say....under dressed.  So, to compensate we had her get some make up done.  She rather enjoyed the pampering.  

Kayla and Jovita.  Red dresses, but not the same kind thankfully.  

Jovita and Fayth.  We are waiting for 4 women to show up from the Salon.....waiting and waiting......

They were only 15 minutes late..I think.

As we were waiting, we began our talent show.   Kyle did a rap type song for us.  

This is why it took so long for the girls to come back.  Looks nice though Hannah.   

Hmmmm, those Megan food shots just keep on coming.   

Soon dinner began, and after dinner we continued with our talent show.  Amy and Joanna doing actions to a song.  Apparently Joanna did this under protest as well. She certainly doesn't like being in the spot light.   

Jovita sang a song aided by Pastor Ken.   

John, Kyle and Jacob performed together.   

Kayla sang while the girls did the actions to the song.   

Amy sang beautifully with the help of her band.  : ) 

A group shot of all of us dolled up.  

Worship still began on time.  Here are John and Amy enjoying the music as they play to it.   

And then Shellie wowed us with yet another Amazing Race challenge. First she had to empty her heavy back pack...7 hymnals.....crazy... : ) 

She did some stuff with pennies, quarters, and a 5 dollar bill.   

And then she did a cool illustration about the fracturing of Christians and how we often put up walls around us.   

Using communion elements, she demonstrated how we separate ourselves from each other over theological issues, etc.   

However, Jesus died and rose again to overcome those fractures and desired that we all be one, just has he is one with the Father.   

John helped to celebrate that we had all finished another armpit of the race.   

Once worship was over, the group requested that we have a dance in the fellowship hall.  John was all over that.  : ) 

Amy and Chris enjoying the music.  

As were Jovita and Jacob.   

Line dances were formed spontaneously.  

Kyle had some great moves on the dance floor.   

Even I got into the swing of things.....along with Chris and Jacob.  I haven't danced in decades, and it showed, but tonight that didn't seem to matter much.   

Chris and Jacob doing the twist...... 

Pastor Ken got into the swing of things too, as did Shellie and many others.  

Kyle and Kayla dancing together.   

Now this was just a great picture.   

Way to go Bonita.... 

The macarana???????? 

Some line dancing.   

Time to cool off outside for a bit.  There was a cool breeze, thankfully.  Nice smile Amber.  

There was a sprinkler out front so some took advantage of that even in their dress cloths.  It was HOT. 

Back for more dancing.  Not sure what Leah and Fontana are doing......anyone know?  

A slow dance and Kyle and Kayla enjoyed it, and it seems that Chris and Jacob did too.  How cute.   

Swing your partner........ 

The chicken dance closed things out for the evening... 

You'd think everyone was tired, but many of them went outside and rolled in the grass.  Mom's going to love you for that Chris.   

This is a cool picture of Joanna.   

Seems the thing to do was to put a shoe in the air and then twirl in circles...strange....

It was soon time to get our participants ready for bed, and then a final mentor meeting.  Lots of laughter and recalling the good things about the week and our participants.  

 After the meeting it was time to blow off a little energy, so the group went outside with glow sticks provided by Kyle.  They played some tag and then made these words, which sum up our week long theme.  

May you experience Shalom in your lives too, and the peace of Christ.  

I end with this nice picture of the church at night.  I'm not even sure any more if I provided you with a picture of the church building so this will have to do. 

Whew, a long day.  Filled with all kinds of activity.  This day is always bitter sweet because we know that even though we are having so much fun, tomorrow will mean it's time to say good-bye.  

Many good friendships have been made this week and they will last for years to come.  I'm honored to be able to be part of another Special Needs SERVE, but from a different perspective this time.  

Tomorrow we leave at noon from Winnipeg. We will be driving to Thunder Bay and staying at the Christian school.  I'm not sure if they will have internet or not, so you may not get another entry until Friday night.  I hope you can last that long. : )  

 Check on Friday sometime to see if something got posted.  Until then, we ask that you pray for us as we travel back home.  We will circle our van each day asking for God to protect us and get us home to our families.  

Good night all.........or should I say, good morning.  : )