Kilts... bagpipes... Halifax Citadel

Today's main adventure was to the Halifax Citadel. (You can see a picture that I took from google!) The Halifax Citadel was a "principal navel station in the British Empire and was very important to Canada's development and evolution from colony to nation." (Google it if you want more information!) It was a very windy day today up until dinner time but slightly freezing/blowing away was so worth it to spend a chunk of the day at the Citadel!

There was so much history to be explored, lots of men dressed up in the uniform of the day, the changing of the guard, and bagpipes were playing! There were also men engaging in their first day of drill training which was fun to watch!

The group learning the drill routines will actually be part of competitions (if that is the correct terminology!) and even though this is all an "act" or "play" the people working

there actually get ranked according to the training they go through. So when you are at the Citadel it is like really being there in the time (except that it is 2010!).

The guards actually stand on guard for an hour before they get a two hour "break". And for the most part they stand perfectly

still - even as people stand next to them to get their picture taken and whatnot. I got to watch the changing of the guard which was really cool. The picture to the right is of two guards changing positions. The guy in the background is the one shouting orders to them... it is all done very well and is very intriguing.

Are you wondering what they men think of wearing a kilt for their job? Well they actually like it! One guy told us that it is the perfect summer wear... so there you go! And actually even in history when the decision was made that they would start wearing pants a whole pile of the gu

ys at the time protested and left... they liked their kilts! Why did the forces eventually transfer over to wearing pants? Well - all because of the barbed wire fences they had to go over!

There was lots to see and much to do there, everything from a walk through army history, a visit to the old schoolhouse, to walking along the wall. We also saw/heard the canon go off... it still goes off every day at noon... every single day! We went in one of the walls behind the main

wall to discover that it was very dark and quite scary (yep, I didn't walk down it!!) but right by the doorway was a small window that the guards would look out of.. and a bird had taken of the space. No bird was there when I looked through the small window, but just a nest with a single egg... I do hope the mother and/or father come back... can you see the poor little egg there?

Once we were done at the Citadel Matt, Jenn, and I went for lunch (they are the last two here from Youth Council and leave tomorrow) and then we walked around and looked at some of the shops. I've been doing very well with figuring things out with my map... people are very nice in Halifax and the cars always stop for pedestrians... amazing I know!! The one things that messes me up from time to time is that there won't be streets names a

t certain places... I kind of expect them to be there when I reach a four way stop... that can get me turned around and briefly panicked - but it's all good!

One last picture... (why so many pictures? The kids like pictures the best!!) a huge ship coming into the harbour... yes, those seem to be like the boxes that our trains carry in British Columbia... but on a huge ship! (I know - they have many modes of transportation!) But I thought it was pretty cool!

Sunday - New Church Experience

I had full plans to write last night... but ended up taking a nap around 7pm which ended up with me getting up at midnight to put on pajamas then heading back to bed. Yes, I was tired!

So I woke up on Sunday to the view of fog... lots and lots of fog. By the time I got down to the dining room for breakfast the rain was coming down hard and fast. We then got ready for church (three other member of PWRDF Youth Council were still staying in the residence) and headed outside. The rain had slowed down but was still dripping down from the sky. You need to know at this point that I definitely did not pack my rain coat... why you ask? Well, no one told me to - I know, I'm going to a strange city for seventeen days and you think that I am expecting only nice weather... of course I am! Isn't it spring in Halifax? Oh - Spring means rain? Right, I forgot about that. And I should have made the connection between being on the coast and rain? Right, well that was the last think I was thinking about!

Anyway, we made it halfway to church then it started to poor again so we got in a cab!

(Thank goodness!) We ended up early to church, which was fine - we sat and listened to the choir then morning prayer started. The service itself began at 10:30am, it was a great service... my first BCP service so it was new and interesting. I don't think that I would ever decide to always attend a BCP service, but it was a great experience. There were definitely a few things that surprised me, a few times I had no idea what was going on. And the number of children and young families who were there absolutely amazed me! I don't think I have actually ever been to a parish with that many children present at the Eucharist service! The church is also round - I know, cool hey?

We headed back to residence to get changed then Beth and I went down to the water in hopes to go on the pirate tour... but we were informed that because of the rain the tour was not running but the Harbour Hopper still was going. So we took our chances and went on the Harbour Hopper... the exact thing we laughed at all day each time it went by us the day before! The Harbour Hopper is an amphibious vehicle that was built in the early 1960's for military purposes and has now been transformed into a tour bus/boat. Yep, you read that correctly! We got on the Harbour Hopper and it drove us through the downtown streets of Halifax and we got to learn a lot of really cool history then it drove into the ocean, turned into a boat, and we learned about the harbour! It was great... a bit crazy... but great!

After that we had lunch... I said goodbye to Beth who was heading back to Ottawa... and I toured around a bit more, and started on my way home. I wouldn't say I got lost, but I also wouldn't say I totally knew where I was headed. Eventually I looked up, saw the tall residence building I was staying in, and headed in that direction - and eventually recognized a few streets and landmarks (meditation house, odd shaped shrub-like thing!) and got back to St. Mary's!! Then I ended up laying down and sleeping, and sleeping some more!

Ocean!!

Today has felt like two days! We spent from 9am - 2pm in the final stretch of the PWRDF Youth Council Meetings. Once again, productive - but sad to say goodbye to everyone at the end of our closing Eucharist. Our closing Eucharist was at the Cathedral... I love seeing the churches in other places - it was big, nice, some lovely pictures, red chairs... yeah, no pews... and some great detail in some pieces of art.

Oh - and everyone who was in the accident yesterday evening are fine. Once case of whip lash and much soreness due to previous injuries, but otherwise everyone is doing great!

So, we said goodbye to the group and thankfully (for me) three others were not leaving yet, so it means I am not all alone for four days!. So we toured Halifax, and walked around, and around, and around. Literally - and because we had to do that to get to the next piece of our journey not because we were lost. Oh, I am so glad I am will people who have a pretty good sense of direction! It was good - I am so exhausted and I can't believe how much touring we did along with our meetings this morning! (Hence the feeling like two days!)

We saw a lot of the ocean as we walked along the boardwalk a few times - yes, I saw the ocean... even a bit of ocean without land directly across! Yep, I was excited - super excited. Many really cool buildings - a purple house... it was amazing... and a number of neat doors. We

went into a few breweries, ate some great food, saw some more neat sites, and walked and walk

ed and walked.

Really, we walked all about from about 3pm to 11:30pm... it was great. But I am tired, and my feet are even more tired - which is good I think. Plans for the next few days... well tomorrow starts with church at St. George's (a friend of mine goes there), the church is in a circular shape - so that should be neat! And there is much talk about a sailing tour of something to do with pirates - if it happens I shall report more later!

Meeting One Almost Done

Well, I am hoping for an earlier night tonight… slowly transitioning to the new time zone – I really don’t enjoy time change… definitely not my favorite thing… the transition period can be painful at moments! Like this morning, the sun came through my window at 6:00am – but I hadn’t changed my watch yet so when I looked at the time it said 2:00am, oops!

The PWRDF Youth Council had a very productive day today – our goal was to get some concrete work done on our Mission Statement… then we started calling it a Vision… then we called it Statement Work. Yes, we went through many different titles for our work but eventually (and most importantly) the work got done and we now have a fabulous draft!

Most of today has been spent inside the brick walls of St. Mary's... so we all enjoyed our walk to dinner at a restaurant on the ocean. Unfortunately on our way back to St. Mary’s University from dinner part of our group was in a car accident and are still at the hospital getting checked out. So, that is really too bad - but thankfully we have been told that everyone seems to be fine.. you know how the standard visit to the hospital goes after an accident!

Tomorrow is our last day together which amazes me - and it feels like we just gathered together. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that I missed the meeting on Thursday evening. We have more work to do together tomorrow and then we will have a closing Eucharist service a the Cathedral (yahoo!!).

The weather is not the best right now... I think the wind may have followed me across the country. But the plants are all very green which is great! I'm hoping for some nice spring weather at some point though!

Another Journey Begins...

I know… one year later and I am finally approaching this blog again. There seems to be a pattern of writing in the spring while I am at church type gatherings. Yep – you guessed it… I am off again! Where? This time Halifax. I left Savona this morning at 4:15am to catch the 6:00am flight from Kamloops and arrived in Halifax by 8:00pm… (4:00pm PST.) Of course I didn’t get to St. Mary’s University until after 9pm…

I was reminded over the last few days how much I really don’t enjoy packing – and this time packing for seventeen whole days added to the lack of enjoyment. Packing – yes it means I get to go away… but it also means that I have to be organized enough to do all that packing… and ironing… and more packing. And it also means that I am extremely far away from my family for quite some time… which when I am packing is never a great thought!

Going away also means preparing to go away – planning for my absence, which is very doable and has been done but I forgot how much work it truly is. But through this process this time around I was reminded about how when you have a huge “to-do” list to tackle before you leave, you sometimes you just need to stop… take a break. Tuesday night in the midst of packing and preparing to leave I paused my work and went out and walked the labyrinth – which was lovely. And yesterday as I sat in the office contemplating not attending worship so I’d have an extra hour of time I realized that was a bad choice… and worship was just what I needed.

So – I remind and encourage you to all find the moments when you need to take an hour or so for yourself! And take that time… it is so worth it – and the rest of the work will go much smoother after you take the time.

So yes, Halifax. Why? Well, I have PWRDF Youth Council Thursday, May 27^th – Saturday, May 29^th; then I have a break from Sunday, May 30^th – Wednesday, June 2^nd (yes, some time to wander around Halifax!); then General Synod from Thursday, June 3^rd – Friday, June 11^th… then I fly home on Saturday, June 12^th – and then I will sleep!!

What is PWRDF? – Primates World Relief and Development Fund – I’m the BC and Yukon Representative for the Youth Council. Check out – www.pwrdf.org

What is General Synod? – The Anglican Church of Canada’s national meeting that takes place every three years with delegates from each diocese across the country. So, I am the youth representative for the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior. More about General Synod at www.anglican.ca/gs2010

I’m super excited to be attending General Synod and also excited to be going to Halifax, and it will be great to gather with the PWRDF group again. I will try to share some of my experiences every day or so… I make no promises other then that I will try!

Now bed… or should be in bed… gotta love time change!

Ask and Imagine - Days 8-10

Our first day back from our Pilgrimage was spent planning our presentations. The presentations were done by each Pilgrimage group, they were forty minutes long, and were about some theme or a lesson (hospitality, community, ect...). They weren't necessarily about our Pilgrimage experience but about what we learned there about one topic.

My groups topic title was: "Becoming Human - Exploring God's Call Through Community." Communities recognize our gifts and help us to learn those gifts and also our limitations. We used a quote from Jean Vanier for some of our discussion, "Deeper down, it's always to find your desire; what do you want to do with your life?" When we explore call through community we need to allow our heart to be touched, not only touching the hearts of others. We look and see others living out their vocation and experience how it affects and touches our life. We explored Matthew 9:9-13 where Jesus, walking along, saw Matthew who was sitting at the tax booth and called to him, "Follow me." Matthew then got up and followed. What might Matthew had been thinking and feeling? His life changed direction; this choice probably surprised many people around him. Sometimes going to that new place, taking that step and chance, being open to changing directions when we are called is us taking our gifts, gifts that we may not had known we had, to that new place. That place where we are called to be. 

A story which helped spark our topic and discussion. Jean Vanier (one of the founders of L'Arche) was at Daybreak for a retreat and each of the core members was given an opportunity to sit with Jean and ask a question. A woman by the name of Thelus asked him, "Why do people (assistants) leave, Jean? We open our homes and our hearts and then they leave. I don't like it when they leave, why can't they just stay?" Jean's answer was, "Thelus, this is your life. It is your mission to teach them and form them. To teach them to love themselves and go into the world and share that love. You touch their hearts. That was Thelus' calling, that is what she was called to do at that time and in that place. And it wouldn't surprise me if she touched and formed many lives. 

Our presentation went well and it was nice to hear and see everyone else's presentations and experiences. Our time at L'Arche really opened us up to many insights. We learned about them and learned about ourselves. After presentations were over I was able to meet up with Jay Koyle who was at Sorrento Centre last summer and who will be back again this summer. It was great to catch up on life (even just for the short bit of time) and share bits of my Ask and Imagine experience. And it is always great to visit people in their "territory"! :o) 

The next day was our Silent Retreat Day. It was nice to sit, think, pray, and reflect. We started with some intentional silent reflection time. Some did creative art and some of us, myself included, did Spiritual Journalling. Starting with the statement "You are here..." I wrote

many pages and just kept writing. It was a very interesting and reflective activity.

We then ventured to a nearby Labyrinth, it was a great way to end our morning of silent reflection (yeah, it wasn't a full day). The Labyrinth is a place for walking, prayer, meditation and relaxation. It is not a maze, there is one entrance and one path to the center and back again. Each step that is taken within the Labyrinth is an intentional step; a step in our journey. I really enjoyed walking the Labyrinth, there was a nice breeze, wonderful silence, and as much time as we needed to take. We each walked the Labyrinth in our own unique way, in our own pace; stopping when we felt the need and continuing on when it was time. When we all got to the center of the Labyrinth we celebrated the Eucharist together then had a picnic lunch. The plan after that was to head back to the university for some small group discussion but we ended up all laying on the grass. Reflecting together, visiting, sharing stories, laughing, listening and wondering. It truly was great, a moment that could not have been planned or organized. We ended up with the rest of our afternoon and evening moved around but it was all worth it! 

I was able to catch just over an hour of time to myself in the Huron Chapel. It was really nice to sit, reflect, journal and pray. It was time that was a benefit to my experience and probably helped prepare me for leaving and getting back into the routine at camp. There is something about taking that time for myself, to allow my thinking and prayers to go where they truly desire to go. And to be in that place of safety and allow for exploration and reflection to take place. 

Our program director prepared a slide show for us, our evening ended with us all sharing tears as we looked at the pictures of everything we had done together over the week. All the challenges and experiences. After packing and a last night of visiting we all went to bed. 

Monday morning we got up and started cleaning up our living spaces. After a closing liturgy (yep, some more tears!) most of us got in the "taxi van" to head to Toronto to catch our planes home. It was hard to leave the group, hard to say goodbye. We all shared ten days of our life together; ten days of lots of learning, conversation, fun and exploration. We contemplated the option of all just not leaving and staying there for the rest of the summer, but life at home and work called us back. I had two and a half hours from the time I got to the airport to when I needed to be at the airport to get through security and board the plane. And in that time I was able to meet up with +Gordon and Barbara who generously took me on a tour of part of Toronto. I was able to see different parts of the city; the church Barbara is at (it's beautiful!), some of the universities, the lake, and lots more. And most importantly I was able to have a great visit, to catch up and share. 

I learned lots at Ask and Imagine, I think I will be processing the experience for a fair bit longer. It was a lot to take in, experience, and reflect on in what was really a short period of time; and it was amazing. I learned things about myself, community, choices, vocation, journey, taking chances, learning, taking time, and just being myself. 

Below is a picture of a quote from Frederick Buechner, this quote was on my way to my room. Every time I ventured to my room I walked by this quote. 

Ask and Imagine Pilgrimage Days 5-7

The Pilgrimage was amazing, absolutely amazing! We left early Wednesday morning for Canterbury Hills where we spent the day doing high ropes. I am not a huge fan of being up in the air or up amongst the trees for that matter, so when I started thinking about not having my feet on the ground (as gravity would like to have it) it was a period of fear and excitement all at the same time. Our first task was learning how to tie the knots, and what a task that was. Primate Fred Hiltz and I seemed to have the same issue, tying that knot correctly seemed not to be as easy as it was supposed to be. After much repeating, much coaching, and re-doing it a few times, it was tied - and mine wasn't coming off until the day was done!!

The courses started with the task of climbing the tree, they had put what looked like large staples into in the trunk of the tree. I climbed up a ladder then started my way up the 

trunk, then I just went higher and higher and higher. The first course I did had three wires, one for my feet and two for my hands. It wasn't terribly difficult and I was able to make it a

cross, and that was when I decided that I really liked being up in the air, up amongst the trees. A new view, a new challenge, a new experience - it was amazing, tons of fun! The hardest part I think was getting down, leaning back and allowing myself to let go, trusting that those below weren't going to let me drop down at an excessive speed. 

The second course I did was much higher and much more difficult then the first one. 

When I got up the tree I got myself on to a wooden plank, which I assumed would

not be slanted, but I soon found that it was slanted and I all of a sudden had to work to keep myself on it. The course consisted of wooden planks that were held up by rope, which I had to walk on to get to the other tree. Getting from the wooden plank on the tree to the "floating" wooden plank involved a bit of a leap. And since the wooden plank was slanted I didn't have a long 

time to prepare myself for the leap. Eventually it was a "just leap" moment, that or I would end up falling. Getting across the course was tons of fun, also very scary and there were moments of wondering whether I would complete the course or if I would end up throwing up from the tops of the trees. The course also required a lot of upper body strength, something that I don't seem to have a lot of. But, there was a huge sense of achievement when I finished the course and slowly began my way down to the dirt of the earth where gravity tried its best to keep me firmly on the ground. 

After High Ropes we had a wonderful dinner together and then took off for our 

Pilgrimage destination. I spent the next two days at the L'Arche Daybreak community and I don't think that words can even explain the experience I had. It truly was amazing, filled with learning, wonder, joy, experience, and so much more. 

L'Arche is an intentional community of people with developmental disabilities and assistants who live and work with them, creating home together. Being part of the community for the short period of time I was there opened my eyes to a way of learning and living that amazed me. I love being part of community and being at L'Arche showed me what community can really be. It was a community where everyone supports one another, where the achievements are celebrated (big and small), and where everyone is always ready to lend a helping hand; it was really touching.  I started my journey to L'Arche totally not knowing what to expect, not knowing what I would be doing, who I would meeting and not prepared for the extent that it would affect me. 

We spent our first day at L'Arche in the woodworking building. The core members we worked with were setting pieces of wood together then I would put an elastic band around them and stacked them up. It was a simple task and because we were in the woodworking shop we had to have earphones on so we couldn't have conversation. But the smiles I received and gave each told a story. They told a story of wonder, enjoyment, thankfulness for the company, and excitement. I have never received so many smiles that were so deeply filled with love and beauty. The work was also very meditative, repeating the same motion so many times allowed, at times, for my thinking to take over. The motions became continuous, and it was wonderful. 

After a full day working in the woodworking building I went to one of the homes for the remainder of the afternoon and for dinner. It was in that home, the "red house" that I began to understand what took place. The assistants and core members all worked together. They shared the work, the joy and the pain. We colored, prayed, ate, enjoyed company, conversed, and learned from each other. When it was time for me to leave one of the older core members said to me, "this is your home - you are welcome here. And you can call me your big brother." He then grabbed my hand, kissed it, and told me never to wash it. It amazed me how quickly trust had been gained, from such a short period of time. It was truly touching and rather overwhelming, being accepted into a home so quickly. 

Our last day at L'Arche was spent cleaning out a garage for one of the houses, it was one of the tasks that the assistants had just not had the time to get to. And we had

a huge amount of fun with it, it was filled with excitement and lots of laughter. Never, has cleaning out a garage been so much fun. We found a bag of pictures which to us symbolized someone's life, and it turned out that it was pictures of our program director's children and different parts of her life. She had spent six years in the L'Arche community. It was great! We then had lunch, where the same guy from the Red House was, he remembered me saying, "I know you!" then calling me Blue Girl for the rest of the day. (I had a blue sweater on.) After lunch we helped clean the craft center out, the work they do there in painting, claymaking and candling amazed me.

Far too soon it was time to leave the L'Arche community and begin our journey back to Huron. It was hard to leave, I felt that I could have stayed there for a few more days, experiencing and being a part of the amazing community. It is a place that I could see myself spending time at for and extended period of time, but also something I don't really see myself doing when it comes to reality at this time. Nevertheless, the short period of time I was there has affected my life greatly.