Winnipeg SERVE Day 9 - HOT!

Day 9.  A day of record breaking heat.  35 C  with a humidex of about 44 C.  Hot, Hot, Hot.  Today is going to be a tougher day for those outside.  

Before we start the day I wanted to let you read those comments from Hannah that were deleted.  She graciously re-wrote them.  I have also included comments from Jacob again. 

On our way home I've decided that since we have 3 days of travelling, and one laptop, I'll let all of our youth group write some reflections about their SERVE experience, and I'll publish them when we get home.  You'll want to read those, so stay tuned. 

So, read the comments from Hannah and Jacob and then relax and enjoy the pictoral diary of the day's events.    

Hannah's Comments  Part 1:  

Hannah's Comments:

So today Ron was practically begging on his knees for me to write in his blog .... after lots of bribing and prodding, I finally gave in and said yes. I guess I'll just start on how this week has been going. Despite the lack of sleep, the SUPER hot weather and the lack of showers, this week has started off with a great start. There's something about this year that for me, has been different. Maybe it's the super friendly host team, or the amazing food? But it has been different in a good way. This week has been anything but quiet. Everyone is crazy loud here, there is rarely a quiet moment. On Sunday, we learned about the man (who’s name escapes me) who wrote “It Is Well”. This hymn is about a man who lost everything. First, a building where he worked burned down. His family decided to take a trip to Europe to take a break, but some unexpected business came up, so his family went on ahead of him. Unfortunatley, the ship his family took sank and none of his daughters made it. Somehow, this man found peace in all the horrible things that happened in his life.

The theme of this SERVE week, is Shalom: Peace No Matter What. One of the most important things that I have learned has been having peace in troubled times. Peace isn’t always quiet, it can be in a loud place as well. Throughout this week, there have been challenges, and I am learning to be peaceful, even though there are things that are hard. Well, thanks for listening to my rambling … keep reading Ron’s blog …. He spends a lot of time on it. Over and out,

Hannah 

Jacob's Comments:

Hello everyone! I have been enjoying SERVE very much this year, and I am not sure how I am going to say goodbye to everyone at the end of this week. The past few days have gone by all too quickly, and I have experienced a lot in a very short period of time.

At the beginning of this week, I was told who my participant was. He then arrived the next day, and within the next while, we had to build a friendship, expand on that friendship, and function with each other as though our friendship were much older than it actually is. This seems an impossible task. I quickly realized, however, that it is not as difficult as it seems.

As soon as we started doing our first small group activities, Kyle and I were joking around, making nicknames for each other, tickling each other, and making fart jokes. It was incredible how we were having such a good time in what seemed like such a forced friendship! I know that the only way that this could happen is in an environment surrounded by prayer, a place filled with the Holy Spirit. I am not sure if there is a lesson in all of this, but I do know that I am glad that we can always trust in God to guide us towards new friends, and turn near strangers into companions.

I had a hard time getting up this morning.  Went to bed at 2 am, but slept well.  Set my alarm for 8:15, but woke up at 7:45 still, and just rested for a while.  I was thinking about how I do this blog stuff in Ottawa, and still manage to lead one too......crazy....   : )  

I jumped out of bed, got dressed, and grabbed my appendage, the camera.  I'll miss that camera when this trip is over.  : )  It was time for morning pictures.  Kayla and Amber look chipper this morning.   

So do Leah and Amy.  Amy is pretty much always smiling.  

Breakfast is served.  Scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit.   

Once again the three amigo's served us breakfast.  They have wonderful humorous personalities.   

Kyle and Shellie sharing good morning greetings.   

Jacob, Ben and Kyle waking up over breakfast.   

That beautiful smile of Fayth's.  You should package it somehow and sell it...you'd be rich you know.  : ) 

Jovita was ready to face the day.   

Fontana doesn't look that ready to face the day...but she got livelier as the day went on.  Kim was a bit tired today.  

Kyle avoiding my camera again.  

The leadership team having breakfast together.   

Is it my imagination, or is it Christmas again.....  : )   

After breakfast it was time for the morning devotional.   

Kayla and Amber 

Kyle and Jacob and Ben

Hank doing what those in charge do.....  : )   

Kayla and Fontana and Megan doing morning devotions.   

Kyle and Chris doing devotions too.   

Leadership meeting time to make sure everyone's doing what needs to be done.   

This morning we had three work sites again. Our group went to Winnipeg Harvest, a food bank.  We sorted food. We arrived a bit late due to getting a bit lost, but things all worked out.  

Here is a listing of the 10 most wanted food items from Winnipeg Harvest.   

We had a 1/2 hour orientation time to give us an idea of how much food is processed through the food bank.   

We toured the food bank.  It's a nice building.  New.  Air conditioned  (Yes!).  Well lit and clean.   

Here's one of the two fridges they have in the building.  Nice and cool.  I could have stayed there a long time.....  

We were soon put to work preparing bags of food essentials.  Pasta, Soup, Vegetables, and stews.  All non perishable.  We'd place a can of each into a bag, then tie them. 

Kayla is doing an awesome job.  

Here's a picture just to prove I did some work today too.  : )  

Hank and Carol came to visit us, and soon were pressed into service too.  

Carol lifting one of the heavy bags.  They put 7 - 8 of the smaller bags into these larger ones and then tape them.   

Leah's lifting her weight, maybe literally  : ).  She worked hard and is much stronger than I thought she was.  

Just to prove it to me, she lifted two bags at once.  Show off.  :  ) 

At the end of our time there, we had prepared enough food bags to help over 500 families.  A nice feeling.  We also had more muscle than when we started.   

Time for  a short snack break and then it was back to the church for lunch.  

The washrooms in the food bank have the coolest hand dryers.  Here's Kyle putting his hands into the dryer.  Nifty.   

As we were leaving I noticed someone had put Ron = : ).  A nice gesture.  Chris also wanted his name up in dust, so he added his.  

Another site was the Biz again.  This crew had to endure some pretty hot temperatures, but they managed it well.   

Kyle did a masterful job of using the garbage pickers.   

Fontana on the other hand........ 

They were rewarded with Slushies again...a welcome relief from the heat.  

Our third group went to the Indian Family Centre to plant flowers.   

John and Rosy digging in.   

You won't stay clean if you plant flowers...... 

Jovita giving water to the newly planted flowers.   

A team effort.  I bet they are wishing they could just pour that bucket over their heads though.  : ) 

Jovita loosening up the dirt in one of the many 1/2 barrels they have.   

Seems this group got slushies too.  Nice colours John and Rosy.   

And the rest of you too.   

We got out of the heat and had lunch.  Pizza this time.   

Megan just can't resist those shots of food in the mouth...or was I coaxing her on....I'm not sure.  : )  

Fayth looks really excited to be at the table......or was that just bad timing on my part.....  : )  

Amy's figuring out new ways to use pizza.   

After lunch it was small group time.   

Here is Jacob stretching out before.....

Being the scholarly one in the room, along with Ben.  You can see that Jovita is just loving it.   

A nice picture of Leah and Amy.   

More small group time.   

We had showers after this, and they were welcomed.  It was HOT today.    

After showers it was time for glow in the dark bowling.   

Here's Megan again, with her usual facial antics.   

I played horrible today, but had fun anyway.   

Seems others in the group had fun cheering on those who got strikes.  There were many of them today.   

Kyle bowling.   

Jovita encouraging others to play well.   

John, he was a ham.  He danced to the music playing, and then decided to bowl when he was ready.   

Leah showing us how it's done.   

Pastor Ken showing his talent in bowling.   

A nice group shot.   

This one just looked interesting.   

Amy makes all kinds of friends, like Shandee, on SERVE.   

After bowling it was back to the church for supper.  It happens to be Annette's Birthday today.  On this special day she did our laundry.  She's such a peach.  We thanked her by putting her in the middle of a circle and singing her happy Birthday.  A cake was made for dessert and yes it had 4? candles on it...all of them....WOW was it lit up. : )  

Our dinner meal was wonderful again, but it looks like Joanna and Fayth don't like the food or something......hmmmm  

It seems some people just like to have their picture taken while eating food......yippeeee  : )  

Kayla just wanted to say hello to the camera, so I obliged.   

Then John wanted to have his picture taken too.   

It seems that everyone in the group decided to send Annette a birthday warm fuzzy.  She was swamped with cards and letters.   

 Here's Annette reading some of those Birthday wishes.  

It was time for worship again.  Someone must have found another drum somewhere for Amy to play.   

Worship is always fun and meaningful for our participants.  I appreciate how the mentors help make it that way.   

Kyle just loves playing his guitar during worship time.   

Here's Jovita helping Shellie once again with the Amazing Race.  She knows so much about it...it's Amazing.  : )  

Shellie was up to her amazing object lessons again. Using magnets this time, trying to get them to come together.   

And then getting Kayla to try to pull them apart.  It proved impossible.   A great analogy to how Jesus connects us to God--- a bond that can never be broken.  Refer to Romans 8.

This was the night of the cross.  Time to take all those things that block us from God and get rid of them.    

This was a unique facial expression from Joanna as she tried to pull apart the cassette tape tape that was wrapped around her arms.  It gets harder to get away from those things that bog us down in life as we are bound by more things. 

Shellie had us put our names on the cross... 

Then throw garbage into a bag symbolizing getting rid of garbage in our life.... 

and then placing a chain link in a pail to help us loosen the shackles in our lives that keep us from fully experiencing God's presence in our lives.   

The cross with all our names on it.    

We closed things out with a quiet worship time.   

Afterwards I found Annette sewing Amy's clothes...on her Birthday of all things.  She just told me that she doesn't sew any other day of the year, so why not on her Birthday.  : ) 

It was now craft time.  Making leather wrist bands.   

And other things....of which I'm not quite sure.  

Amy decided to decorate Sara and herself tonight.   

Another great Fayth smile.  : )  

Amber got decorated too I guess.   

This is a picture of Fayth eating an apple.....strange but true.   

Here's Fontana talking with John.  She's hamming it up trying to figure out just who this John guy is.  Notice her glasses and how they are positioned like John's often are.  She doesn't miss a beat.   

Interesting food posing picture.   

Kyle's wrist band.  It turned out quite well.  

I end with John.  Our lovable, comical John.  Here he is with a piece of chip sticking out of his mouth.  All in a day for John.  

Well that brings us to the end of day 9.  It's still stinking hot outside, and I just heard that 3 houses over they don't have power, but we do, so God is good.  

I have also heard that there are many forest fires burning right now near Thunder Bay, with possible road closures happening for Hwy 17.  Please pray for rain to ease the fire hazard and allow us to get home.  We are due to stay in Thunder Bay on Thursday night and the city is filling up with evacuees from the fire. 

The mentor meeting is just about to wrap up, and I always hear plenty of laughter coming from the room.  These weeks just fill your heart to overflowing with laughter at the things that our participants do and say.    

We are 1/2 way through SERVE and I have to say, it has been a hoot.  A first time for Winnipeg, and it brings back memories of our first time in Ottawa.  Lots to do, lots to learn from.  I've learned some things from this SERVE that I think I'd like to implement in our Ottawa SERVE next year, and that's all good.  I know that Winnipeg is benefiting from the experience of our mentors from Ottawa and Southern Ontario and that has been duly noted by the leadership here in Winnipeg.   That fills me with joy and pride as our youth step up and do things that are selfless and loving.  I've seen so many acts of compassion and maturing between mentors and participants again this week.  I see that my YP are a year older and maturing and better able to handle the issues that arise at a SERVE site like this.  I'm already dreading the day when I'll have to say goodbye to them because they will have outgrown our youth ministry and will be moving on to college.  They are a special group and Calvin, you should be very proud of the youth you have in your church fellowship.  They are a priceless group of individuals.  

Enough sentimental jibberish.  Time to get this blog edited (thanks Shellie) and get to bed.  I won't be going to a work site tomorrow, but will be getting our homeward way plans set in motion and trying to figure out if we will make it home due to those fires, etc.       

Until tomorrow then.  Thanks for reading and experiencing our day with us.