Site 3-South Africa

Strandfontein Home-stay

2009-04-12T02:49:00.000-07:00

We somehow made it to our last homestay. I still cannot believe how fast time went by. We started this new adventure at the Strandfontein Church. Here we were able to get an idea of what our new families were like and share with them just what we had been up to these last few months.

After church, Becca and I met our new family. WE would be staying with Richard and Rachel. They had all of their family; children and grandchildren over for lunch. Despite the normal first day awkwardness I could really tell that this was a family that was filled with love, laughter and joy. Rachel had just come home from a very painful surgery. It was amazing to see how her family rallied around her in support and prayer. Throughout the week we were able to get more and more comfortable with the family and I continued to see Christ’s love shining through them.

Rodney, a man from their church did a conflict resolution workshop with us. This workshop proved to be very interesting and relevant to what we were seeing and experiencing throughout Africa as well as in our community.

The last couple of days our group had the opportunity to make a differenc ein the community. Half of our group went to work in Khayaletsha, a township in Strandfontein, painting a pastor’s house. The other half of our group, the part I was in went to a crèche(children’s nursery) to use our artistic skills one last time. I was even trusted to paint a giraffes leg. At this crèche we found a little kitten in a garbage can. She was named Princess Tinkerbell Elwierda and put smiles on a lot of our faces.

Overall this was an amazing week. I learned a lot about love and how to properly resolve conflict. I really enjoyed the service projects and am happy to get back together with our Outtatown community for the last weeks under the African sun.

Tristan Riordan

Cape Point

2009-03-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

The old lighthouse on the point of Cape Point.

Looking North from down the peninsula.

Cape of Good Hope

More Adventures

2009-03-23T07:12:00.001-07:00

Table Mountain!

Ryan Caldwell future Canada Post worker.

We paraglided from along that trail just below the shadow of Lion's Head.

Cape Point from Table Mountain.

Lions Head Peak.

Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain.

Robben Island

Chorus' first time to Robben Island.

Nelson Mandela's old cell.

Table Mountain and Cape Town from Robben Island.

The Lime Quarry where Nelson Mandela worked.

Shark Diving

Rugby Game

Paragliding!

2009-03-23T07:01:00.001-07:00

Simonstown

2009-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

What an awesome week spent in Simonstown, a little town right on the ocean about a half hour out of Cape Town. This week was set aside as an adventure week. On Monday morning at 5:45 AM we left for Paragliding to kick off our week, it was beautiful up on the top of Lion’s Peak. After running off the side of the mountain we glided down with a view of Cape Town, Table Mountain, Robben Island and the beautiful beach. It was a nice relaxing ride.

On Tuesday we left in the morning for Cape Point, which is the South-West tip of Africa, it was beautiful there. We climbed to the top to the lighthouse and after that a small group of us: Steve, Shaun, Charles, Heather and I went for a hike to the Cape of Good Hope, it was a fun adventure.

Wednesday we headed into town and went to see a movie, it was fun to do something that we are so familiar with. We left the mall and went to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, it was a neat experience. Our tour guide had also been imprisoned there in the 1980s which made his stories more interesting.

Thursday was shark diving. After an hour or so on the boat I started feeling pretty sick. We got there and after an hour or so a shark came. The first 18 people got into the cage in groups of six, the water was murky so they could only really see the shadow of the shark. When it was my turn to go into the cage I thought the shark was gone. Within one minute of being in the cage the diving expert yelled to get down, as I went down I looked out and into the shark’s mouth, it was so scary. Clearly I hadn’t gotten the technique down beaus the people watching thought I lost my fingers because they were too close to the outside of the cage. After I got out, two sharks came and attacked each other in front of the cage, it was awesome!

Friday part of the group went rock climbing and the others spent the day in town. Saturday we headed back to Cape Town to climb Table Mountain, most people climbed up and the others, including myself, ventured up on the gondola, as much as it was the lazy way out, there was no way I was going to make it up climbing, so congratulations to those who did! We concluded our week in Simonstown by going to another movie and relaxing in the afternoon. Between the adventurous and the opportunities to hang out together I would have to say that this week was among my favorites.

Natalie Kay

Photos from our time in Stellenbosch

2009-03-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

Aaron's Baptism on Strand Beach.

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch University

Spending time at Kuyasa in Kayamandi.

Chorus our bus driver with Becca.

The Bianca Choir.

Hanging out at Die Eiland.

Stellenbosch

2009-03-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of our two weeks in Stellenbosch we were privileged to have Blaine Greiner join us. We met Blaine in first semester in Calgary/Canmore as he was the speaker for “Boys Week”. The passion to love and help others that Blaine shows is amazing and contagious!

Throughout the two weeks spent in Stellenbosch, many activities were planned for us. Our main focus was on a service project in the township Kayamandi. Other activites we took part in include: hanging out with local university students, lectures at the universities, Johan’s lecture and personal growth exercises, listening to a choir in Kayamandi, and time to check out the local markets.

Kayamandi is a black township located on the North West edge of Stellenbosch. It has a mixture of trials and triumphs, happiness and heartbreak. Our site teamed up with three organizations working within the township: Legacy, Kuyasa, and Prochorus. We divided up into teams of four or five people and each organization got two groups to work with. My group consisted of Tim, Kristen and Tessa, and our guide from Legacy was Joseph. During the beginning of our first week (which was focused on planning the projects) our team was a bit distraught on our plans. After praying about it, we modified our plans a bit and realized how great our new plan was, and we became super pumped. Joseph knew a woman in the community who had no roof on half of her house. She has a five month old baby and was really in need of extra help. We were able to build her a roof and also help out with a few basic necessities she needed. We also built a fence outside of Legacy. For a group of four, with only one boy, two building projects seemed crazy, but it went without a hitch! Kudos to Tim for his patience with us girls.

The second week, we were introduced to a new guide name Princess. Joseph fell ill and had to go on sick leave. We continued to visit him and update him on our work progress. This man is genuinely amazing! He has lived a pretty tough life, yet his heart for the community of Kayamandi only grows bigger. He puts absolutely everything he has into Legacy and Kayamandi (even his health as he was stubborn for a while not to take a couple of days off work), and his love for God is real and pure. Joseph left an imprint on all four of our hearts and in ways, changed our lives for the better.

Regan Bompais

2009-03-10T03:13:00.000-07:00

This section of the blog is dedicated to Mrs. Swanson. Enjoy!
PS: I posted photos from our time at Durban and Mdumbi, click the links on the right.

Bonnievale Pictures

2009-03-10T02:49:00.000-07:00

Captain Con. The man who runs the camp.

The Campsite.

The River.

High Ropes Course.

Seventy Become One

2009-03-10T02:47:00.000-07:00

After a few days of surfing and shopping in Jeffrey’s Bay we met up with Site 2 at an adventure camp in Bonnievale making a group of about 70 students. We were greeted with a warm welcome by the staff, and some of us fell in love with them after tasting the first meal they prepared. The high ropes course, rope swing and kayaks kept us entertained in our time together. Many of us spent the scorching afternoons swimming or sitting in the shallow waters of the river. Our skills and pain threshold were tested during slingshot paintball amongst bushes, rocks and thorns. We were one with nature as our nights were spent outside, battling African bugs and small mammals. We shared an evening of worship music and smores around a bonfire with Site2 and continued to build relationships with our fellow adventure seeking Outtatowners.

Kevin Brandt

Bungy Jumping

2009-03-10T02:34:00.000-07:00

Blaukrans Bridge

2009-03-10T02:26:00.000-07:00

Definition,

Bungy Jumping: The act of voluntarily throwing yourself off of a 216m high bridge, head first into an open abyss of nothing but free fall and gravity. Plummeting through the air at 120mph, the only thing separating you from falling to your death is a single chord attached at the ankles.

Sounds riveting, doesn’t it? At first to me this mostly sounded absolutely terrifying. Heading out to Blaukrans Bridge, many of us were anxiously awaiting this exciting experience, and many of us were still trying to convince ourselves that we were actually going to go through with it. When we arrived at the highest bungy jumping bridge in the world, despite the fog, we got strapped up and proceeded to the bridge. As we awaited our numbers to be called, and in order to do something with the adrenaline pumping through our veins, we had a huge dance party to the techno beats pulsing through the bridge speakers.

When our numbers were called, we were attached to the chord and were escorted to the edge of the bridge. There were a few styles of preparing yourself for the jump, some danced, some concentrated, some cried. Luckily, my own tears were shed previously as I explained to Steve how terrified I was of this adventure. However, Steve is a very thoughtful, reliable leader and successfully convinced me that it was in my best interest to dive hundreds of meters of a bridge. So, I took his word for it and went against every instinct in my body and I jumped off that bridge. The amazing thing is that once you were falling it wasn’t scary, it was just an exciting sensation of freedom and uncontrolled giddiness.

By the time I was back up on the bridge I was ecstatic and wanted to do it again. It was a great bonding experience and a thrilling adventure. For those who didn’t enjoy it as much, at least it’s something to check off of life’s to-do list.

The next step…shark diving…

Kristen Wiltshire

J-Bay Photos

2009-03-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

Our site location.

Hanging out in J-Bay.

Sandboarding.

Horseback Riding.

Surfing Lessons.

J-Bay

2009-03-10T01:36:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey’s Bay, a small tourist town well known for its huge surfing attractions (aka the ocean), was incredibly fun for the three days we spent there. It was a time for us to relax and enjoy the nice hot weather. We were also given the opportunities to participate in either horseback riding along a gorgeous beach, sandboarding among the sand dunes and surfing lessons. I ended up doing all three options and they were all equally fun and challenging in different ways. I’ve got the bumps and bruises to show for the effort I put into it:)

Even in this short time meant for relaxing we’ve found something to do that honors God. There is a volunteer, Bev, where we were staying who cooked all our meals, organized our activities and drove us to where we needed to be. She worked 7 days a week volunteering. While she was buying groceries for us her wallet was stolen and she desperately needed car repairs done. By the end of our stay we had managed to raise the money she needed and more! It was a fantastic time for all of us and we really enjoyed it!

Kris Doner

Overdue White Water Rafting Photos

2009-03-10T01:34:00.001-07:00

Mdumbi Photos

2009-03-10T01:03:00.001-07:00

Some shots from the hike.

Our own private beach.

The hole dug by Chet and Steve.

Our classroom.

The room for 15 girls.

Just hanging out.

Our front yard.

Inside the Mdumbi dining hall.

Durban Photos

2009-03-10T00:38:00.001-07:00

Chorus (our bus driver), Ghandi and Tim.

Hanging out at the Aryan Benevolent Home.

Some of the host families.

Regan with Mikey, one of our country partners.

The City of Durban.

2009-03-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mdumbi

2009-03-02T23:59:00.001-08:00

Mmm…Mdumbi. Yes, Mdumbi was quite tasty. The food, people, atmosphere, and most of all, the beach, made Mdumbi one delectable dish. Let’s take a closer look at this tasty dish.

The food:

The food was fantastic, usually some type of stew or pasta, which was cooked on an open fire. For a chosen few chocolate bars got the best of them, for others they purchased traditional Xhosa bread, which was massive.

The People:

The people at Mdumbi are unique. Most of them volunteers, they are always friendly and willing to talk. The two founders of Mdumbi, Johan and Hyman started Mdumbi as a backpackers hostel, but soon realized that the community around them could benefit greatly from the business they were running. After eight years Johan and Hyman have planted a pre-school, community center for kids, a micro-financing program for people in the community, as well as bringing health and AIDS awareness to the community. Not to mention the majority of workers being the local Xhosa people. It was very refreshing to see someone who had an idea and ran with it.

The Atmosphere:

The atmosphere was something I have never experienced before. Mdumbi by itself is a very rural area. There are very few people living around it, and the people that do are local farmers and herders. This allowed our group to just relax and hangout since there are not many places to go. The majority of Mdumbi’s buildings are grass huts, including the ones where we slept. It was a very unique experience.

The Beach:

It was set along the Indian Ocean, and let’s just say it was basically ours for the week. Rarely would you see anyone else on it. Boogie boarding was a big hit, going on for hours on end. Catching massive waves gave us a thrill which most of had never experienced.

Now that we have analyzed our “dish”, let’s look at how we “ate” it. The week was titled “Knowing Yourself.” We started off by taking a test called the enneagram test, which is similar to the Myers-Briggs test we took first semester. After this we had a series of discussions on passions, spiritual gifts, and our own personal spending habits.

Following this was a day and a half of silence, with no talking, or any veal communication we were encouraged to spend the silence with God. Whether that be through praying, listening, reading your bible, or maybe even Boogie boarding with God. The rest of the week was basically our to relax and just hang out. A couple of people made their way along the coast on a scenic hike to Coffee Bay.

All in all Mdumbi was an amazing place that I will never forget. The relaxed atmosphere is something which is very rare in our world today and was something I loved experiencing!

Charles Enns

Durban

2009-03-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

After a lovely stay at Pietermaritzburg we traveled to the seaside city of Durban. We were all very excited about this, as it would be our starting city for our coastal journey of South Africa. Durban is a very beautiful city. I was put into a home-stay with Mr. Ryan Barkey and Mr. Vijoy Simon. We were taken in by a lady named Reena. She was the coolest lady/mom ever. Her cooking was amazing and sometimes we laughed so hard that we cried. Reena cared for the three of us like her own. I can honestly say that there was not one dull moment that went by while we were in her care.

Durban was very informative for our group. We visited two temples, one being the Hare Krishna temple and the other a mosque. We toured the Ghandi Centre and a place called the Aryan Benevolent Home. The Aryan Benevolent Home was a place for the elderly, the mentally disabled and the physically disabled. Some were happily retired, and some were just at the point of needing a caring person to help them through their day-to-day tasks. Others sadly had been left at the home due to family circumstances. The really cool thing about this is that they all lived together in a community where they treated each other like brothers and sisters. You could see on a lot of their faces that they were proud of what they had accomplished and overcome together as a community.

The last days in Durban were spent going to a water park. This was very fun as we had the option of going to the water park or walking across the road to go play in the Indian Ocean. This was our first visit to the Ocean as a full group. I think we were all amazed how warm the water was. Overall Durban was a place full of good times, interesting and fascinating culture, and memories that I’m sure will last a lifetime.

Dave Dueck

Pietermaritzburg Service

2009-02-05T05:25:00.001-08:00

Painting the old prison wall at Project Gateway!

Howick Falls and the Drakensberg Mountains

2009-02-05T03:20:00.001-08:00

Waterfalls near our cave.

Rhino's Peak on the top left.

The view from bed.

Hiking up to Pillar Cave.

Howick Falls, we abseiled down by the redish orange rock on the right

side.

More photos coming soon...

Howick Falls/Pietermaritzburg/Drakensberg Mountains

2009-02-05T03:17:00.001-08:00

A great week for outdoor adventures! Saturday we had our first significant travel day. Leaving at 6:30 so that we could arrive at Howick Falls for an afternoon abseil (repelling) down a 107-meter waterfall! The last week has been really rainy in the Howick Falls area, which resulted in an incredibly powerful waterfall. Geoff Gould our guide said the falls were the largest he has ever abseiled down. About half way down we started to get wet from the spray and the last twenty meters were hurricane like conditions. Spray in your eyes, hanging free spinning around in the air trying to see the boat we are supposed to land in. The water at the bottom was incredibly rough with large waves filling the boat with water. By the time we were done we were soaked through. What an amazing experience!

We arrived late in Pietermaritzburg due to some complications on the last abseil, thankfully no one was hurt and our Geoff saved the day. Vijoy and Paul were the last pair to go and Vijoy got stuck on a knot in the rope about 7 meters from the bottom. Geoff was able to do a pick-off and get Vijoy onto his rope but because of the power of the falls all the ropes had tangled and they could not get all the way down. They ended up having to jump out of the harnesses the final three meters to the water below. Vijoy kept his cool throughout the whole situation, which really impressed Geoff.

Half the week in Pietermaritzburg one half of the group hiked up to Rhino’s Peak in the Drakensberg Mountains while the other half did service projects at Project Gateway, an old prison which has been converted into a mission providing a number of services in the community here. The hike covered three days and two nights. Arriving around 3:30 at the bottom we then hiked up an 1:30 with our packs to Pillar Cave where we spent Monday and Tuesday night. Tuesday morning we woke up bright and early with a beautiful view of the mountains from our beds. We had great weather conditions for the day, warm sun most of the day with some cloud cover here and there and a pretty strong breeze to keep us cool. We left at 7 in the morning for a 12 km hike. The first four km were walking up the trail and then a final rock scramble gaining 1000 feet in altitude. The final 2 km were across a plateau along the top to the outcropping of rock called Rhino’s Peak, which gave us a beautiful panorama view the surrounding mountains and the valley below. Parts of this plateau that we were walking across are considered Lesotho. We ate lunch at the top, took pictures, met some Lesotho shepherds and started the hike back down to Pillar Cave. It was an exhausting day, especially for some who were sick, and a great accomplishment as we all made it up together. When we finally reached the cave at around 4, we took a dip in the river. The water had smoothed over a rock making it a natural waterslide and a great way to cool down at the end of the day.

Wednesday morning we relaxed around the cave and spent some time with God in His beautiful creation before we started the journey back down to the bus. It was a foggy morning and ended up misting on us on the way down. Our shoes and pants were soaked from the wet grass along the path. Just before we reached the end of our journey we heard some baboons squabbling across the river and managed to catch a glimpse of them on the way past. Another reminder of where we are. It was an awesome experience, which was made that much better by a warm shower back at the prison.

Steve

Soweto Pics

2009-02-05T01:06:00.000-08:00

Lisa, Janell and Shayleen being escorted to the bus.

Lisa, Josh and Janell.

A fairly normal area on the outskirts of Soweto.

The twin power plants.

Thami, our tour guide for the week.

Waiting for the Bus.

Lori and Kevin.

The Gumboot Dance!

Dave, Josh and Charles playing games.

A Market type area in Soweto.

Soweto

2009-02-05T00:50:00.000-08:00

Our week in Soweto has been the highlight of South Africa so far. There were some mixed expectations on the table after learning some of Soweto’s violent past, and receiving some wide-eyed looks from Afrikaners in Pretoria who discouraged us from going. However, Soweto turned out to be much more than it was portrayed to be. We soon realized this as we began the week with Gospel harmonies ringing through our ears at a Sunday morning service at the Soweto Vineyard Church, where we stood and were out-sung despite our best efforts. Here we got a sermon from Pastor and Outtatown speaker Mpho. It was amazing to see what versatile speakers there were, the sermon was translated by a talented local translator back and forth from Zulu to English. We then packed our gear and camped out at the Ipelegeng Community Center for the week. Here we found time to re-group after being at separate home-stays the week before. I was surprised to find the people we encountered here to be some of the more friendly and fun people we’ve come across so far. Many of us joined in on some community aerobics classes in the gym while others were invited to do fun things such as watch a comic play put on by some local actors.

From our community center we toured Soweto, gathering out front every morning to jump on the bus. The first days we spent learning about the town, we saw the miniscule wealthy area and the vast poverty,which surrounds it. I had my mind and heart filled from our trips to the Apartheid Museum and exhibitions on the Soweto uprising of the 1970’s. These experiences were some of the more meaningful ones, and helped to put into perspective the stares and gestures our group received as white people walking down the Soweto streets. On the Wednesday we ventured to a region of Soweto known as Kliptown where we were entertained by the phenomenal “Gumboot Dancing” presented by some of Kliptown’s youth. We were bombarded by their boisterous culture as they sang and danced and every young kid found an Outtatowner to cling to and follow all the way to the buss. This was an entertaining time for all of us, and it was a gib part of what made Soweto a unique experience for me.

To close the week we spent two days in service both at an HIV/AIDS hospice, and down in Kliptown again at a nursery where we served food, played games, and laughed until the kids were tired and slept. Overall, the week was a very enriching time, and I think that everybody else would agree with me when I say Soweto was Soweet!

Aaron Streight

2009-01-27T05:55:00.000-08:00

The Big Five: Marcus Fowler(Water Buffalo), Steve Klassen(Rhino), Paul Swanson(Elephant), Tobi Farrell(Leopard), Jenilee Forgie(Lioness)

Site Three Ladies

Shaun and Caldwell in the bucky(pick truck) on the way home

Caldwell and Natalie trekking Diamond Hill

Shayleen at Diamond Hill

Breanne

Aaron

Shaun

Charles, just one of the boys

2009-01-27T04:38:00.000-08:00

Tobi and a new friend

Chet battling for King of the playground

Ryan enjoying the afternoon at the nursery

Natalie and Jenilee at the Voortrekker Monument

The Voortrekker Monument

Kevin, Aaron and Becca in Freedom Park

Steve and Charles enjoying a moment

The Union Building

University of South Africa

a young lion on the prowl

a mighty lion up close

Site Three's new pet

Pretoria

2009-01-27T04:37:00.000-08:00

This week we stayed in the city of Pretoria with Afrikaner host families. Staying with an Afrikaner family was such an awesome experience. My family made sure I got to taste traditional food and see how a home runs. I had such a great time, the family I stayed with was so generous and kind.

On Saturday we had a day off to spend with our host family and my family took me to a cheetah research center. I got to see adult cheetah’s and baby one’s too. After the tour, was over my family and I got to pet and take a picture with a king cheetah. It was pretty sweet. I really bonded with this family and I’m so happy I got the chance to see the way they live and be a part of the Afrikaner culture.

Lisa Schellenberg

A brief recap of the events during Pretoria week:

Day 1: Sunday

AM-church with the Afrikaners

PM-spending the afternoon getting to know our host families

Day 2: Monday

AM-an early morning trip to the Gospel Train

-there are 42 commuter train cars that run as churches in the mornings for commuters on their way to work. They sing loudly, bang on the seats and rails and speak passionately about God

AM-Lion Park

-pet lion cubs, feed a giraffe and ostriches as well as drive through different lion prides and get a close up look

PM-a stop at the mall to purchase some necessary items

Day 3: Tuesday

AM-Afrikaner history lecture

PM-visit the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park

-Voortrekker Monument commemorates the great trek taken by the Afrikaner people in the 19^th century.

Day 4: Wednesday

AM-visit the Tshwane Leadership Foundation

-an inner city organization that runs different ministries throughout Pretoria

PM-a lecture at the University of Pretoria challenging us to partner with South Africans to make the future a better here

Day 5: Thursday

AM-Afrikaner history lecture, including a visit to Diamond Hill a battle field from the Anglo-Boer war during the year 1900.

PM-visit the Sammy Marks museum, a European entrepreneur who was a self made millionaire

Day 6: Friday

AM-visit some poverty stricken Afrikaners who live on a communal farm

AM-Drum Workshop

PM-a lecture at the University of Pretoria from Piet Meiring

PM-braai(BBQ) at the Voortrekker Monument with host parents

Day 7: Saturday

A free day with host parents

2009-01-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

On the Gospel Train

2009-01-27T04:21:00.000-08:00

Outside the dropoff trainstation of the Gospel Train

Heronbridge Retreat Center

2009-01-27T03:41:00.000-08:00

The first three days were a much-needed relaxing welcome to South Africa. We arrived at 8 AM Thursday morning and stayed at Heronbridge till Sunday early in the morning. After being on the move for over 36 hours and going from –40 degrees to 30 degrees, it was nice to be able to relax by the pool. We had limited activities during our stay at Heronbridge. A small introduction to South Africa, some team building activities and a lot of time reconnecting were how we spent our time when we weren’t in the pool playing water polo/rugby.

Heronbridge Retreat Center Photos

2009-01-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

Kris and Lori

Water polo/rugby at Heronbridge

Shaun and Tristan stepping out of the airport

Jodie Smith-Old Testament

2008-12-02T22:09:00.001-08:00

This week we had the privilege of learning about the Old Testament from Jodie Smith, our last speaker for the semester. She spent four days with us and we studied things from all over the OT.

We started by looking at six misconceptions of the Old Testament and the creation story in Genesis. We looked at the account of Noah, the plagues, the ten commandments, and many kings, both good and bad. We analyzed the song "Days of Elijah" and also did a comparison of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. For another one of our sessions we spent some time learning about Hebrew poetic devices and wrote our own laments.

My favorite part about our time with Jodie was in the last session when we made an alter of rocks, each rock symbolizing an important lesson someone learned on their time on Outtatown, something that they never want to forget. It was a really meaningful exercise to use something tangible and permanent to represent something that God has been speaking into our lives.

Heather Snyder

Sky Diving

2008-12-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

One day a few people on our site were sitting around contemplating what we should do that weekend, Shaun suggested we should go sky diving. At first the idea was kind of a joke but by the time sunday rolled around 22 of us had decided to jump out of a moving aircraft.

Skydiving was one of the most ridiculously cool things I've ever done. From the plane I had the best view ever, I could see all the way to Vancouver Island and Mount Baker. When the plane door opened and it was time to go I was so excited I wasn't even scared. The freefall lasted about 15 seconds and then the parachute opened and the view was even more spectacular. When I landed on the ground I was met by the cheers of people who had already gone. If you have the means I highly suggest going skydiving.

Lisa Schellenberg

Silent Retreat

2008-11-30T13:50:00.001-08:00

We recently had the chance to experience an entire day of silence. We focused our time listening to God's voice in solitude by spending time in prayer, studying the Bible, going for walks, and doing nothing. Though it was a little uncomfortable for some of us, we agreed it was an excellent way of communicating with God. Many of us experienced God in a way we never had before. Some encountered God in a very personal and extraordinary way, which made us realize that He still speaks to people in this day and age.
Kevin Brandt

2008-11-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

Lynele enjoying the beautiful Esperanza view.

Charlie and Chet chopping wood.

A sunny day at Esperanza, rare.

Janell and Aaron working hard.

Barkey looking confused.

2008-11-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

Breanne, Katy, Kelly, Shayleen and Shaun

Chet getting squished by Shayleen

The ferry ride.

Aaron being superman?

Becca on the rope swing.

Esperanza

2008-11-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

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

Week Two at Charis

2008-11-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

This week we had two really good speakers who both got us really thinking about our relationship with God and our families. Our first speaker, Steve Klassen (not our site leader, an older Steve) really focused and valued how to embrace a healthy lifestyle with God. He taught us how we need to listen to God through his word, at work all around us, in silence and solitude, and through our hearts. This was a big focus in his teaching since listening to God is so important and many of us don’t spend the time to just sit with God.

Our next speaker was Dan Unrau who spoke about family systems. He focused on the balance of families and how we only change once our families become unbalanced. We talked about secrets and triangles within families and how they are unhealthy, while differentiation and playfulness within families are healthy. Overall we had a very interesting week learning more about ourselves and learning more about God.

Anneke

Knowing Yourself Week

2008-11-13T14:26:00.001-08:00

Following our week of urban adventure in Vancouver, we traveled to Charis Camp just outside of Chilliwack, BC. Charis is a cozy and beautiful place, which is pretty much our home base for the rest of the semester.

Our first week at Charis was a week for class, assignments, mentoring and reflection. We explored the topic of “knowing yourself”. We took a personality test, discussed the importance of values and explored different “love languages”. Not only did these exercises help us to understand ourselves, but also we learned more about each other and how to be better friends within the community. We also spent time with our small groups. We met for a bible study, focusing on the concept of grace.

We had time to relax, play games, explore the wilderness, or just hang out. The small group challenge put us head to head in a variety of skill testing activities. Rolling down hills, collecting leaves, relays and more.

It was also a fun week of growing both in self-awareness and friendship, and we topped it all off with a sweet Halloween bash.

Michelle

2008-10-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning service in Vancouver.

Regan and Sarah.

Charles and Natalie.

The Men at the Sikh Temple.

Regan and Shayleen.

2008-10-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

The sky train.

Vancouver.

The Sikh Temple.

Vijoy, Dave, Becca and Lynele at the Ivanhoe.

Tessa, Lynele, Lisa and Anneke.

2008-10-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Sam at the Buddhist Temple.

Breanne and co. in the leaves.

Michelle and Kris.

Lori and Michelle.

Lynele and Anneke.

Vancouver Urban Plunge

2008-10-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Urban Plunge has come and gone, and because of the experiences our hearts have been affected in ways many of us have never dreamed possible. Outtatown partnered up with YWAM Vancouver, and they led us through a week that was meant to put us out of our comfort zone. From wandering the streets getting to know the area, to trying out new ethnic foods, to the Rose Prayer Walk, we began to grasp the lives if the Vancouver population. We visited three different temples including a Buddhist temple, A Sikh temple and a Muslim Mosque. All of these places had there own you unique flair and we learned a lot from each one.

One of the most profound days was “impact Vancouver day” in small groups we had to be creative and design a way to impact the city. My group created a “wanna chat?” circle. We took out some chairs onto East Hastings and were there only for one purpose, to listen. It was amazing how many people actually sat down and poured out their stories. We listened to stories of tragedy as well as celebrated the stories of triumphs with the people sharing. We did not realize how many people are just looking for an ear to listen to them.

Overall, the Vancouver urban plunge was extremely successful opening our eyes to issues that dominate the city, and need more people to focus on. Through all the brokenness we first saw in the downtown eastside, beauty was prevalent and by the end of the week, it shone bright with hope.

Regan

2008-10-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Site 3 boys and Blayne.

Vijoy, Aaron, Tim, Chet, Dave and Barkey.

2008-10-31T17:57:00.000-07:00

Vijoy, Tobi, Dave and Josh.

The Hike.

The Boys.

The Hockey Game

Guys Week

2008-10-31T17:55:00.000-07:00

Guys week has come and gone and what an experience it was. From the quality male bonding time to discovering and enjoying Canmore, Alberta to paintballing to just cuddling up at night to watch Braveheart; we as men did a lot. Also as men, with the help of Blayne Greiner and Gary Cropley we talked about our “feelings” about the other sex and what does it mean to be a Godly man in North American society.
With Blayne sharing not only where he’s at with God but his own personal stories, I for one gained some insight and I’m sure many of the other guys did as well. Of everything we did do as a group my favorite would be the session we spent coming up with questions to ask the ladies about themselves. Just the whole process of brainstorming, deliberating, agreeing and fine-tuning was so humbling to see because as a young adult I realize that I’m not the only one trying to figure out my role and looking for God’s guidance when it comes to relations to the opposite sex.
By the end of the week, I was in some ways sad to leave because of everything that had happened and been accomplished as men of God. But not too disappointed because the girls from our site came to pick us up in the morning. If there is one ideal that I will take away from this weekend is that if we as men treat all women the way Christ treated the church there would be a lot less tragedy and more joy everywhere.

Vijoy

2008-10-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what this is.

Kyra, Heather, J-Fo and Shayleen.

Kyra and Natalie

Kelly, Shayleen and Kristen

2008-10-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

The Ladies out for Dinner

Site 3

Crazy Tessa

Kelly and Amy hiking.

Girl Week

2008-10-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

Girls Week
Fun, adventure, learning. These were all things that we experienced while on girls week in Calgary. Our speaker, Sharon Peters from Vancouver, shared the beauty of being ourselves, and the beauty of being women. She made a point of helping us discover who we want to be, not what we want to be, and encouraged us all to witness the beauty God placed in each one of us as women.
Amidst all the things being learned in the classroom the week was also filled with amazing activities planned by our very own female site leaders. We spent time go-karting, mini-golfing, shopping, hiking a mountain and experiencing God’s wonderful creation, and of course a spa night. A Christmas party also took place where caroling, candy and a gift exchange were involved. I know what you are thinking, a Christmas party in October? But it was the last time the girls from all three sites would be together for a very long time and making it memorable was perfect.
All in all the week was awesome, we learned new things, met new people and had a blast doing it. I think that a lot of us had anticipated a long hard week without the guys, but being on our own yet surrounded by 70 girls for 7 days allowed so much room for us to grow, experience and just be girls.

Shayleen

PS: We also got this awesome hip-hop instructor to teach us some sweet dance moves. A lot of us failed quite miserably but it was fun while it lasted.

Week Four

2008-10-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

We finally left Pinawa, well sort of. Not to take away from the place but a few people were starting to feel the affects of being stuck in a small town for an extended period of time. So, we took to the road and got to Winnipeg to make it for the morning service at the Vineyard church. We had the rest of the day free and a few people were able to visit their families. We ended the evening with a Missions Under Discussion cafe at Canadian Mennonite University and drove back into Pinawa.

Returning to Pinawa we were blessed by a man named Nathan Rieger, who is the pastor of the Vineyard chruch we went to. He spoke to us for two days about idols. Not just the statues and alters of other religions but the things that we're trying to squeeze next to Jesus. If a mantel piece can describe our lives then it is to be Jesus that is above the fireplace and he is not supposed to be sharing that place. One phrase was, "Jesus is Lord, and they're not". Not to say that we are to deny what we enjoy but that we are aware of what we put before God. Nathan explained that idols give us three things. They give us value, they give us power, and they give us a response to pain. The second day of our sessions was my favorite. Nathan got us to sit in a circle and left the floor open to us. He wanted us to share some of the idols in our lives. In the end, about half of us did. It was a surreal experience; one of those things that usually happens between best friends after a tragedy happens, but it happened in a group of 38. People shared significant things and it brought the group closer together.

That was only Tuesday. That afternoon we went back into Winnipeg to do our first urban plunge. The first day was The Amazing Race which involved many parts of the city that even Winnipegers hadn't been to. It put us in close contact with the marginalized people and we gained a lot from the experience. The Thursday and Friday were spent in groups doing different ministry assignments, most of which were labor intensive. It was a contrast to The Amazing Race, which included praying and talking to random people in the street. Some people enjoyed the fact that they just put their heads down and pulled nails for four and a half hours while some didn't. It made us all think about the nature of ministry. Overall, we went into our Thanksgiving weekends with a new perspective on poverty and an awareness of it all around us.
Josh

Winnipeg Urban Plunge

2008-10-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sam, Natalie and Vijoy.

Downtown Winnipeg.

Tim, Janell and Lisa posing.

Dave, Kris, Katy and Heather blending in.

Barkey, Lori and Kyra dressing up.

2008-10-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tara Bishop with our group.

Week Three

2008-10-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

We are just finishing our third week at Wilderness Edge Retreat Center in Pinawa, preparing for our first Urban Plunge experience in Winnipeg. The past three days we've had the pleasure of hearing from Tara Bishop who has lots of insight into the field of urban mission.

Tara is the associate pastor at 614 St. Jamestown church in Toronto. She took some time to teach us about her community and the ways in which her church is able to work there. The St. Jamestown district is one of the most densely populated regions in all of North America, with approximately 28 000 people living in just under 20 apartment buildings in only a few small city blocks. In St. Jamestown, white people are a visible minority since the area attracts new immigrants looking for low rent housing options. 614 churches take their mission statement straight from Isaiah 61:4, focusing on the verbs "rebuild", "restore" and "renew".

Through her lectures and workshop-style activities, we learned about the challenges people (especially new immigrants) face living downtown, and the need to address social issues. Through her personal stories, we got a better picture of how to react when we meet people who are living on the street, (and how not to react) in order to give them dignity. Perhaps one can never be truly prepared for a short term mission assignment, but Tara helped direct our thoughts to be in a humble state of mind when we begin our mission - realistic and optimistic about the impact our service can have.

We also began preparing for our mission to South Africa by learning about culture shock. We learned how to recognize and deal with (as a group and individually) the transition between cultures both when we arrive in Africa and when we come home. Many of us were surprised to realize that aspects of culture shock can be felt whenever we find ourselves in a significantly different setting and routine, even while we are still in Canada. The opportunity for community conversation about what we're learning and struggling with was also helpful as we continue to grow as a group, learning to understand each other and grow together in discipleship.

Michelle Metzger

Baseball Challenge '08

2008-09-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Team "Party People" lining up to bat.

The view of first base.

Tessa at the plate.

Big swing by Tim.

2008-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Having fun on the slide.

Vijoy and Kevin.

Merry-go-round, the most dangerous playground toy invented.

Chet being creative with the swings.

2008-09-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

The birthday boy Tim golfing.

Janell and Sarah, they mean business.

Preparing to portage.

2008-09-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Portaging.

Charles relaxing on the rock.

Kris tending the fire.

Paul mid sentence.

Dave and Charles, the bearded men.

2008-09-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Unloading the boat.

Katy and Kelly.

Setting up the tent.

Sam and Kyra.

The Ladies.

2008-09-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dave, Kelly, and Kris.

Sam and Becca.

2008-09-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Preparing for the night.

Camp cook Tobi doing her thing.

2008-09-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Kristen and Heather.

Steve with an epic rock, paper, scissors victory over Lisa.

2008-09-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Lisa mastering the skill of paddling.

The dining hall at Pioneer Camp.

2008-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

The cheese cake crew.

Canoe Trip Part Two

2008-09-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

After getting to know each other at the Wilderness Edge Retreat Centre, we were ready for adventure. On the weekend of the 19th through the 21st of September the Outtatowners set out for a three-day canoe trip from Manitoba Pioneer Camp on Shoal Lake. Some of us were seasoned outdoor orienteers while others experienced our first canoe trip. It didn't matter. Everyone was able to find their place whether it was setting up tents and packing the canoes, preparing meals, or taking leadership in the canoe.
After a jittery start in which I accidentally flipped my canoe, we trekked over 27 kilometers including a 900-meter portage in both directions. I was in charge of navigation during day one. Learning how to take compass bearings with the aid of a topographical map was difficult at first, especially in a moving canoe. By the time we had arrived safely at the campsite I had it mastered. The portage was a first for me. I'm glad I didn't know I had to do another portage until after the first was finished! On the final day I switched from the bow to stern of the canoe. I must admit, it may have seemed like we were playing bumper boats at the beginning, but I was able to navigate my canoe back to Manitoba Pioneer Camp the same way I navigated our group to the first campsite
Each person sees the world through a filter through which we interpret the world. During the out-trip we were challenged to set these filters aside in order to fully understand how beauty and brokenness can be present side-by-side in Creation and in our own lives. The harshness of the wilderness is often contrasted with its beauty that can only be experienced by being part of it. For us that meant living in respect with Creation without the conveniences that accompany the brokenness of modern living. The adventure left us feeling physically and mentally exhausted, even broken. The camp was a welcome site when we returned.
Ryan Caldwell

The Glorious Canoe Trip

2008-09-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

Chet doing what he does best.

Preparing for supper.

Aaron and Shayleen.

Flotilla.

The sunset.

Canoe Trip Part One

2008-09-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

Natalie and Tim, professional canoeists.

Canoe Trip
What comes to mind? Campfire? Sleeping bag? Yes, all of that, but also a time to connect in an interesting way with a community of people. As a group of 21 students we left from Manitoba Pioneer Camp to paddle Shoal Lake. Canoe trips are always a lot of fun, laughing and talking with a unique group of people. As we were in God’s creation we were to be looking for His beauty. It’s September therefore the leaves are turning colours, and it’s absolutely beautiful. The sun was shining, the wind was on our side and it was so nice to be on the lake. As we canoed, we got to have some time with our new friends either one-on-one or in a group of three in the canoes, which helped us get to know one another. As we sat around the fire admiring its beauty we talked about our feelings about the trip, and it is just so amazing to have the opportunity as a community to express our thoughts on our journey. A personal experience of mine as we were away was the last night, I took some time to sit and reflect and think about some of the things we’d been learning, and thoughts I’d been having. I just sat on a rock looking at the stars in the middle of the lake. God really spoke to me in that time, as I was struggling with healing from past pain I was reminded that God wants to help us, not harm us. Tobi, one of our site leaders, came and talked to me about God, and His love. He brings pain to the surface when He thinks it’s necessary to deal with it. I just was enthralled in His beauty and His love that night, and it was a moment I will forever remember. What an excellent way to kick-off our adventure as a site group!
Natalie Kay

Reflection on Gerry Michalski

2008-09-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

To start off our journey we found ourselves at Wilderness Edge Retreat Center in Pinawa. It's a beautiful little place with almost as many deer as there are people. The speaker we had for the last few days was Gerry Michalski who is the pastor of Soul Sanctuary in Winnipeg. Our first session was at 9:30am on the morning of the 15th. Maybe it was because Gerry started off with a basic summary of his life but he gave off the impression that he was an approachable guy. Gerry's big thing that he wanted us to get was the need to understand people in their cultural context. Once we grasped that, he said the only thing left is to share the gospel in that context. Clearly the guy believed in this because even his power point presentations were filled with images and clips to contain our generations fleeting attention. Gerry even took it to the big screen, the profit of our culture, by breaking down and showing us significant truth in The Guardian. The last day contained a comprehensive look at the first piece of the armour of God: the belt of truth. After three days, Gerry left us with a lot to think about. When he left, I felt like a conversation had ended, even though he was the only one speaking. The seed has been planted and we will just have to wait and see if we can harvest something. He maybe even gave us a few insights into questions we didn't even know we had yet.
Joshua Krueger

Welcome to the Outtatown Site 3 blog!

2008-09-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

We have safely arrived in Pinawa and are in the middle of three days of instruction from Gerry Michalski. Gerry is a pastor at Soul Sanctuary in Winnipeg and is passionate about informing young people of the importance of sharing God's love to those around them in a relevant way.
Two days from now we will be preparing for the Canoe trip at Manitoba Pioneer Camp.