exciting happenings, and the kids...

so, right off the bat, i want to comment on some amazing happenings in my life right now...

When I got back to Canada, I was a little overwhelmed with what I was supposed to be doing. And, i wanted to try and work, and i wanted to "do" stuff. And, it was amazing, 'cause the God just told me: "no, don't do anything. savour your time. savour your relationships. savour your home. relax. and, ps... trust. 'cause I will provide." and, in the short time that I have been home, i have been greatly blessed with all of it. yesterday, I found out that I may have the possibility of a job already in MOntreal, coaching rowing. Also, today, when I woke up, I found an email saying that I am approved for a student loan. amazing. it is amazing when you know that "all things work together for good..." (Rom 8:28).

in other worlds, can I say how wonderful it is to get running and cycling and swimming again?! dang... it feels so good! (the first little while didn't feel good, but it does now!). And, i am currently on a "detox from all the carbs i ate this summer while cooking for 29 kids." diet. pretty much that means: be serious about getting back to a diet filled with fruit and veggies and protein. sigh... heaven!

THE KIDS

the team during bible study

So, on my team this summer, we had 29 amazing kids. And, it was unbelieveable. we had 3 canadians, everyone else was from the states: minnesota to texas, california to virginia. they were 13-19 and as diverse as you can imagine. and, it was in these kids that you realize about how each person is so incredibly different from one another, and although you treat them as a team, each person has their own struggles, and victories and stories. For 8 weeks, these kids are your life. and, you carry thier lives: you carry their passports, their spending money, their medication, their food, their plane tickets, their trust, and hopefully, their respect and friendship.

At debrief. me, nick, "spoon"

You have to expect that there might be the chance that at 2am someone will come get you because their tentmate is puking all over the tent. you have to expect that kids will fall, and gash open their legs on rocks and need stiches. you have to expect that there will be times where you want to get angry with them, and times where you want to cry with them, and times which you want to laugh with them, and times where you want to not let them go home to bad situations.

On the way out, in the back of a "taptap"

One of the most amazing things over the course of the summer was the night where I got to wash their feet. For those of you who don't know, during the last supper (in the bible, before Jesus was going to die), he washed the feet of his disciples, as an act of servanthood. following in this example, I wanted to wash the feet of the kids... and, im saying, the feet are not the nicest thing, when you wear 6-8inch workboots all summer long. we are talking jungle rot, calleses, blisters. you name it, they had it. and, with each person, i gave a word of encouragement or wisdom into their lives. and, it was scary. I was shaking. and, it was amazing. I can't tell you how many of them came up to me at later times, and was like "this is exactly what i needed to hear... thank you." and, to me, that is why i went on this trip.Luke having a little shut on, on the worksite, during a foggy afternoon.

I know, i know, that they had life changing experiences. I know that when they would play with the local kids, or when they would hold/feed orphans at the sister of charity orphanage in port-au-prince, or when they first discovered what a squattie pottie is, or when every day they would have to trek down the mountain, and back up with a 5 gallon bucket of water, or when they would dig/level a never ending basketball court, or when they would have deep conversations with eachother, or when their tents would flood, or when they saw prayers being answered:

their lives were changed...

and, so here is to those kids, who also changed my life. I miss you, and i am praying that you are being encouraged on your transistion home. do not forget what you have learnt this summer while in haiti...

During bootcamp, at the pool, when we won the "clean award"