Esperanza

We left Camp Charis smack’n early at 5:45 Friday Nov. 7. We drove for a couple of hours and then got on a ferry for an hour and a half. Lori and I took advantage of the ferry and walked about the deck. Once we got off the ferry we drove all afternoon until we once again got on smaller boats this time with just our luggage and food for the week. A twenty-minute boat ride later and we were at Esperanza.

It rains a lot in Esperanza! Thursday was the only day that it did not rain the whole week. We had class in the mornings and work duties around the camp in the afternoons. We chopped wood, stacked it in different woodsheds, helped with a house they are building, did some cleaning and leaf raking as well.

The staff at Esperanza taught us about the First Nations and their history. It’s really interesting to hear Canada’s history. Back in my high school we were never taught Canadian history, so I had never heard about the residential schools. It was kind of shocking to hear all this history.

This week I was complaining about the cold, damp, and rainy weather. I was staying in a cabin called King’s Palace with Kris, Lisa, Natalie, Tristan and Breanne. Our cabin was the only one with a dehumidifier, so each morning our clothes, towels and shoes were dry. God told me, look how blessed you are Kelly. You have a heater, a warm cabin, warm sleeping bag, rain gear plus the only dehumidifier in the camp. I realized that I couldn’t complain about my circumstances.

Kelly McCoy, the Iowan