Day 2 - The Gathering

 Thanks for coming back!  Day 2 of our mission trip - I almost forgot it was only Sunday!  So much seems to have happened between yesterday and today!

Our schedule is 7am wake, breakfast in the dining hall and then we go forward with our activities for the day.  Each day we prep both lunch and dinner as we will eat those meals in the city at Northwind's offices.  What do we eat?  Breakfast is simple - breads, eggs, leftovers, yogurt or anything else that is present!  Lunch will be sandwiches, wraps, or possibly leftovers, fried rice or whatever else can can quickly conjure up.  Dinner will be in slow cookers for the day and then eaten at the offices at night.

Bera and Bonita attend Redwood Park Church in Thunder Bay.  Some of the board members for NWFM attend as well.  It is similar in style to Cornerstone - hey Kristy - the lead sang, played acoustic and had a drum pedal attached to the bass drum today! 3 in 1!

My prayer for the team this week was to have open eyes and hearts to see what God is doing here in Thunder Bay and with each of the people, whether staff, volunteers, or residents.

After church we went back to the offices of NWFM for lunch - as mentioned a simple meal of make your own sandwiches - and making for 19 people is not necessarily an easy task!  You'd be surprised how much you need!  3 loaves of break, 2 large containers of ham, head of lettuce, box of tomatoes, a bucket of mayonnaise... and a few bags of chips :)

After lunch we had a bit of time so we drove to a local park.

What surprised many of us is how the stark contrast from where NWFM and City Hall is to the area just 5 minutes away that the park was in.  It was almost like a different city; the needs seem so different and the environment is different as well.  

Returning we went to help setup for The Gathering.  This is something that those NWFM serves wanted to have.  They wanted to have a weekly bible study.  They wanted more regular study in God's word. NWFM was doing it monthly before and in a smaller setting.  With this request they then began The Gathering; the focus is a small bible study and sharing, then leading to some discussion and then finishing with dinner.  They do 2 sittings - one at 4:15 (story, sharing and discussion) with dinner at 4:45.  At 5:30pm they move to another room for Bible study. There is also some time for a kids' program so that parents can be in the Bible Study.  

A couple photos where The Gathering takes place.  We were able to eat between sittings. We had to clean the tables and prep for the second sitting for dinner.  

Starting at about 5:50pm, people began to come.  They have to hand out tickets for each week as they will often fill up having served about 40 per session.  We noticed a very big difference between the first and second dinner sittings.  Those in the second sitting were often from Next Steps, or were going to the shelter later for the evening.  In the first sitting we had more mothers, couples, and elders.  Different crowd.  The first set were quieter but willing to talk and share.  The second were more boisterous but also were very out going and willing to share, but a group that seemed to have more difficulties.  

I met a man at the 2nd dinner that has only been here for 2 1/2 months. He hitch-hiked from Winnipeg to here.  Looking for work. Thought it would be better here than in Winnipeg.  He has not found work yet, and is living at the shelter. I don't know more of his story but I am imagining that there must be more to his story if he was willing to leave to a place where it is a complete unknown.  I also saw others who struggled to find housing, struggled to help a friend or family and would rather be out on the street and shelters than where they were previously. I saw one who snuck a drink from her purse - a mysterious liquid - likely alcohol of some kind - and how alcohol and drugs are destroying lives and families.

However everyone we interacted with was very kind. Those who were willing to share opened up.  If they didn't feel like it that was okay too.  I spoke with some who I had met over previous trips and they remembered me as well.  It was so good to reconnect with these people and glad to see that some of them were also supporting/helping/working for Northwind as well!  They are helping and giving back to the community that supported them.

After both dinners were done and the space cleaned the rest of the team returned to The Cove.  (given the size of the team, we brought all the kids back after the first dinner and also some of us had to stop to get some more supplies)

We had a surprise waiting for us!  Bonita was so kind to us; hearing that we were thinking about getting the "famous" Thunder Bay Persians, she went out and bought us all these special donuts that are famous in Thunder Bay.  Coming up one day?  You have to try one!  (this will be breakfast the next morning since we had so many!!)

It is time to retire and sleep.  We will have a busy day tomorrow with our first play day.  We will be going to Limbrick.  Breakfast again will be 7am, and we will head into the city at 9:30am.  We will learn about the play days and games, and get set up.  As we go to each of the housing complexes I am asking people to be watchful and mindful of the people and where they live.  To think about their situations and also the impact of residential schools and how the government treats our indigenous peoples in Canada.  We know Northwind has had a great impact on their lives in a positive way. They are meeting their needs and helping them with counseling. The chiefs have invited them to various villages.  It is exciting to hear how God has opened doors and provided NWFM an avenue to support our First Nations peoples.  The team is "jelling" well and the kids are a key part in all of this!

Thank you for your prayer and support.