Day 3 - start of PLAYDAYS!

 Hello! It is a chilly start here on Monday.  Woke up to a temperature of 9C.  Good thing is that there are few to no mosquitos around right now. You can see the mist on the lake as the temperature slowly begins to rise.

The food team began at 6am - meaning wake up around 5-5:30am to start preping food for the day.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner all need to be made before we leave the camp.  Menu for the day was:

Breakfast - scrambled eggs and toast (we did 4 dozen eggs)

Lunch - turkey sandwiches (had to wash the lettuce, and brought tomatoes to slice, bring the cold cuts and cheese as well as cucumbers

Dinner - Spaghetti and either meat sauce or meatballs. The meats were saute’d at the camp and brought in instant pots (from home) I believe we had some 6 jars/cans of spaghetti sauce added with the meat and veggies.  Spaghetti to be cooked in the city along with garlic bread.  We had so much food… and that is a blessing.

Not one.. but TWO full pots!

We were able to join the Northwind staff for their staff meeting, and met some new faces and said hello to some familiar ones. 

 We went through some intercultural ministry training, looking at a picture that we zoom in and in and in on.  You get to think about your place in the large puzzle. Sometimes you are not quite sure where your picture fits, until someone makes a connection with you and you feel you belong. Think about your own life and situation. Do you feel sometimes you just don’t fit? What do you do? How did you join? What about those we meet - in your work places, on the street, at church; can we help them to feel welcome where we are? I think about this in my many roles in life and how can I help others to be a part and not feel like or be treated as an outsider?

After our hearty lunch (really we have too much food!) we packed for play days to Windsor St.  This was a smaller set which also allowed us to work through the newness of doing play days, not only for us as a team but also summer students (through Canada Summer Grants). Here we had some carnival like games (e.g., bean bag toss, frisbee toss, plinko, frog leap…) and the team along with coach Gabe ended up doing some games/drills with many of the residents there. We also had hot dogs and snow cones.  We forgot a few things, but made do.  At the end the team told the story of creation - dramatized in actions and how we are redeemed cleansed because of Jesus and the cross.

We have to do some adjusting for the next few days; orientation for Next Steps for new people, arranging who will do play days prep, food prep, join next steps, and just getting organized for all the work to be done the next few days

Continue praying for team unity along with working with the staff. It might rain tomorrow and we hope that it clears up so we can go to do play days. Next Steps is also starting tomorrow and pray for our connections and interactions with the clients there.  Don’t know what it is? You’ll have to check in tomorrow to see (and if you can’t wait, dig back in our old blog posts!)

Day 2 - to Thunder Bay

 We made it! Day 2 (Sunday) started out with a quick breakfast at the hotel for 7am and then on the road by 8am. Took us a little longer than expected to get going, but we managed to get on the road by 8:20. As you can imagine, there are not a lot of gas stations along the way on the Trans Canada highway, so we started first with a fill up and then on the road!  

It is very scenic driving out to Thunder Bay. If you have never done it, you should try it! 

A couple stops along the way for bathroom breaks and lunch - did I mention how scenic it is here? Truly speaks to God’s creation through the majesty and beauty of creation! 

We arrived at 138 May St S which is Northwind’s space for the Gathering. We walked across to their counselling offices where they had supper waiting for us and we met someone who is in culinary school who cooked dinner for us!  Butter Chicken and Basmati Rice, along with a salad!  

One of the requirements is the need to do the Safe People and Places training. This is mandatory and helps us to better understand the role that we have in watching out for abuse and also how we can keep ourselves safe and those we serve safe as well.

After training, we headed back to the Cove where we assigned rooms and cabins and settled in for the night. Northwind purchased the food items we need for the week and we made sure to pack it away well and tight to keep the raccoons from getting at it.  

this year we are using two cabins and are also very fortunate to be able to sleep at the house for many of us. The cabins are nice but the house is even nicer. Very thankful that they are sharing their space with us

Tomorrow we will begin our day with joining the staff for their team deovotionals and staff meeting before we prep for play days.  The food team needs to be up early (6am) to prep breakfast and lunch and get foods ready to go in to the city or dinner. It will be a busy day but full.

Prayer items:

- lots of mosquitos are out. Hoping not to get bitten (much!)

- that our interactions with staff are encouraging for them

- that we learn from staff and the clients they serve about how we can best support and serve them. Learn their stories and how to best support 

- continued safety when driving

- safety for Bethany who joins us Monday morning

- that we learn what God wants to teach us through our service this week.

Day 1 Travel

 Well we are in Sault Ste Marie for the night. Arrived in around 6pm (2 cars) and 9:30pm (other 2 cars). Drive was a bit slow leaving Toronto but here we are! All made it and ready to turn in for the night 

Tomorrow we will leave by 8am to get to Thunder Bay before 6pm for training. Pray for safety along the way. I heard there may be some protests on hwy 17 from Indigenous groups. Hopefully this doesn’t slow us down tomorrow. We need to make good time to get there! And we will need to caravan as long as possible too. Maps and cell coverage might not be great. But can you really get lost along the Trans Canada highway? 

A New Year! Thunder Bay - Northwind Family Ministry trip 2025

Welcome to a new year!  Our Thunder Bay / Northwind Family Ministry Trip (NWFM) is excited to be going back to Northern Ontario again this year!

Team at the Bake Sale June 2025

It's hard to believe that the time is almost here.  We are preparing to leave July 5, 2025 to make the 16 hour drive to Thunder Bay.  We will drive over 2 days; first stop Sault Ste Marie!

Our team is made up of 19 people - many veterans and one new family is joining us too.  There will be 11 adults and 8 children.  

Our main tasks this year include

• Next Steps
• Play Days
• Restorative work at the Cove

During play days the theme this year will be focused on "Earth" (other weeks will include "Wind" and "Fire/Water"

At the end of the play days, each day, we will run a short skit/Bible story.  Our focus this year will be on creation.  Here's our team in preparation!

Please pray for safety and that we get enough rest througout the week.  Pray for health and keep those mosquitos away!  We hope and pray that our time will be impactful and support NWFM in the work they do.  

Day 7 - street outreach

 Today is Friday, July 26

Happy Friday! It's the last day we will be working directly with people that Northwind serves. Today we have the privilege of doing a prayer walk and also doing some street outreach combined with Transformation Church, and with Northwind Family Ministries.

As we are winding down, everyone had a bit more time this morning to rest before coming into town.  We enjoyed some of the water front and also had lunch at the Cove. 

At breakfast we realized that some animals the past two days had gotten into the food stores - and had even learned how to open the freezer (bottom freezer)!!  So last night, we emptied the one and then barricaded the other.  Well they weren't too happy - they knocked over the recycling, and knocked our coffee maker off the counter!  Fortunately it still worked!

We did a devotional this morning from Lectio 365 - today's was called "One Giant Leap" which started the focus on mission to the nations.  Timely as we were going to go out to minister to those out on the street today.  We wanted to have open hearts and minds towards these people God has created but are struggling perhaps because of trauma at home, trauma from Residential Schools and the church, or any other kind of trauma that landed them without a home or struggling in the homes they have.  Keep in mind, we are NOT talking about "small homes" in Markham. We are talking about much simpler houses - but theirs all the same. Sometimes I find we say we are "struggling," yet in comparison to many other areas we are quite wealthy!  

We drove into the city after lunch - people are tired. Many fell asleep on the car ride in!  Today we did a prayer walk about the city, near Northwind.  We prayed over the areas we saw. We were introduced to some of the other organizations that help and support those street adjacent, such as "Grace Place" and PACE.  

As we walked past a place called "The HUB Bazaar" we were invited in - we took a look around and met Raphael Moses. He is an Affirmative & Holistic Health provider featuring Traditional & Cultural Teachings. He spoke to us about the many herbs and plants he has and provided each of us with some Mint for tea.  He spoke of the benefits of Mint and blessed us with this gift. On the weekends they have people who come and have a small booth - it is a Bazaar and so many will come to sell their wares; even here there is great community.

Then there was DINNER!

We always like to do a farewell, thank you dinner that we host and invite staff who have worked with us through the week to join us. We used two restaurants that are local in Thunder Bay this year - Golden Wok with Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, and Thunder Bay African Restaurant (at Bethany's request) as it was newer and different!  Needless to say we had a LOT of food and some good variety! 

After this we had two plans.  One team was going to do street outreach (adults only) while the rest would clean up and finish working on a surprise for the Northwind Staff.

Outreach was exceptional. We walked along with a wagon with water, juice, iced tea and some granola bars. We walked about and offered a drink and snack, spoke with people and asked if they wanted prayer. It was an eye opening experience, especially if you've never been before. (If you have the opportunity, join Cornerstone on our street outreaches Sunday evenings).  We met many along the way in our 1.5 hr journey around the downtown/waterfront area. It is so unfortunate that the waterfront area sits as it does. It surprises me that this area has been (essentially) abandoned by the city; businesses boarded up, things in disrepair and covered in graffiti, and people struggling all around. While there are many organizations around to help none can truly solve this problem without something larger happening and changing. Pray for the leaders of the city and those who can make a difference.  Pray also for the organizations, non profits, NGOs etc that are trying to help the "orphans and widows" and provide justice and mercy. (see Micah 6:8).  In this neighbourhood, including those with homes and families around we saw many who were on the street, some doing drugs, some drinking, and even a few street workers in sex trade.  It is so unfortunate that there seems to be little we an do to really help. We provided them a drink or a snack and a listening ear if they wanted to share. (This is a small area near the waterfront   There were several other tents nearby but didn’t want to take photos of their spaces and post) 

While 8 of us were on street outreach, the rest of the team did some clean up, and finished a thank you gift to the Northwind Staff.  We all wrote cards to encourage them, with Bible verses, a large poster, and 3 baskets of snacks for them to enjoy.  We truly are thankful that they supported us in this time.  In short-term missions, we go to do some great work but these people do the work day in and out, all year long. They and the people they serve teach us so much about missions, about who we are, and how we can change our perspective - and hopefully for the better!

It's late now... the outreach team came back around 11:30pm.. one more day - and Saturday is going to be a day to rest (and clean the Cove).  We'll see you all back in Toronto as we arrive Sunday evening at Billy Bishop.  

Signing off for now.  Please feel free to reach out to any of us to talk about our missions trip.  We have had time to think about it - so come up and ask!  We will be happy to share!

Thank you for your support - financially and in prayer. We will continue to accept donations to fund our trip, and to help fund future trips as well!

Day 6 - last day of play days and Next Steps

 Thursday July 25

So this is the last day of Play Days and Next Steps. The Next Steps program ends on Thursdays - and today there is a special ending to the week. They end the program each week with Chapel during the Next Steps program. I noticed that many people were very supportive of each other and many came because it was chapel on Thursday. This is their church. Church does not need to be a physical building, following a specific worship set and preaching. These people want to hear more of and about God and Jesus. They want to improve in their lives and learn more about Jesus.

On this last day some came again for the bannock and coffee, others came for the friendship, and more came for the chapel. Today they had singer Jesse Green come to sing and share her music and talent.  Two of our team (Andrew and Holim) shared their testimonies; stories that show how we are people like them, who have struggled and how Jesus pursued them and waited for them. They were attenuative. I believe they also drew hope from the sharing.

After lunch, we were able to go to our last play day complex - John St. Here again we ran into special friends we met last year. Alice and Holim (and their kids) were hoping to see someone their youngest made a special bond with last year. We heard at the start of the week that she was at the reserve. But their daughter had a dream last night that she saw her at the play day. They had gifts for her and so looked forward to seeing her.  Guess what... she was there!  So they were able to connect and chat. I remember that Northwind has a special connection with some of the people there. They sit out and talk with each other. They watch out for each other.  What struck many of our team members was how close many of them are with each other. They often refer to each other as cousins or uncle and aunt even though there is no direct blood relation with them. Some look after others' kids. One fosters 4 kids from there, along with her own!  They truly do care for each other.

I walk away from all this thinking about how do we treat each other. How do we find good and build hope in each other? Would we support one another, or just bring judgment. And how can we learn from these interactions and change our perceptions and ways of looking at others when we are back home?

We can all see how carefully Northwind has been in connecting with these people and doing things that serve them. They have so many programs to help. They are right there in the thick of it helping and supporting. They demonstrate how Jesus wants us to care for the least, the lost, and the lonely. Orphans, Widows, those suffering, and those seeking. How do you share Jesus? You do it through action and taking care of their needs, because Jesus calls us to care for them. The Word alone will do little. Actions alone are good, but do not draw us to a higher purpose, reason or call. 

So when you see street-adjacent people in your walk, you see the person begging for money on the street or at the intersection, how do you see them? Are they a nuisance? Do you see them as people?  And what if that was you or someone you knew? 

We hope that through this week you have had a glimpse of the work being done here and we hope you will join us either on missions, or street outreach back home or in any other area that serves others. 

One more day ot go - we will be doing a prayer walk around the city near Northwind, and also the adults will do some street outreach in the evening on Friday.  Pray for safety and protection, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with people in the area.

We will also take the time to say thank you and good bye to those we have worked with all week.

 i

map of the 49 Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the 49 different communities

It is possible the Northern Lights were slightly visible tonight.