Wachay!

“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” ~Isaiah 40:31

Wachay! Hello! Hola!

Yesterday was an eventful day. I began the morning in the workout room of the Best Western. Mike, one of the staff members has worked at the Best Western for the past 4 years. It was good to see him. During my workout, he actually came downstairs and asked what I would like him to deliver me (to the workout room) for breakfast. So sweet!

Our train ride yesterday took us from Cochrane to Moosonee (it ran from 9:00-2:15). I was thankful to only have to drag my elephants around for one more day. However, it did seem that where we went, there was always someone to say “would you like a random cart for your luggage?” “YES!”

While we were on the train, Alaina and I were reading Colossians to one another. We were not proclaiming the epistle, but were calmly and quietly reading aloud to one another. A Cree gentleman sitting diagonal from us turned and asked, “What are you two doing?” “We are reading Colossians.” He began to ask more and more questions, leading eventually to: “are you born-again Christians?” He then described that he was previously very bitter toward Christians because their message does not align with the traditional culture. He explained that he is a “Healer” or a “medicine man.” He was coming to the hospital in Moose Factory for 5 days to work. He shared his beliefs and gave us great insight on the “new age” spiritual nature culture. 

When we arrived, Allan Jolly (the head elder at the Cree Gospel Chapel) met us at the station. He had arranged for Kevin, one of the elders in a church on Moosonee to drive us to the docks. The temperature was around 11*C, which for us, is like 52F. Brrrrrr! I was not nearly dressed well enough and it was freezing! Thankfully, the cold temperatures calmed the bug population for the day and I did not feel thrown into the midst of the fly plague.

For the time being, we will be staying with Josh and Kristen. Josh, and his wife Kristen, have committed to 2 years as the youth pastor for the Cree Gospel Chapel. They are a great blessing and a joy to be around. They are very gracious hosts and have already made the transition easier.

We went to the Northern (one of the 2 stores on the island). Prices are outrageous! $15 for a box of cereal, $8.94 for a bag of apples, $3.19 for a loaf a bread, and $20 for toilet paper. Yikes!

We also had the opportunity to attend the Cree Gospel Chapel Wednesday night study. It was the first time I’ve heard Allan preach. The message was excellent and filled with humor. He spoke on Luke 13:21. In the world, we ought to be yeast. As he pulled out a small yeast packet, he illustrated that if the yeast remains in it’s package; it is inactive. In order for they yeast to become active, it needs to be mixed in with the “dough.” The yeast never becomes the flour or the dough, but the flour is forever influenced by the yeast.  He also illustrated that he has never made home-made bread and that with Loraine, his wife, out of town, he had no one to ask specific questions about yeast. “It sounds like a powder or maybe little crystals. I’ve never really seen yeast. I just  see a little bread in the pan and then poof.”

After church, I decided, thankfully, to unpack. What should have been a 20-minute job, turned into a 90 minute unpacking extravaganza. My shampoo bottle exploded in my large luggage bag. It did not just leak, it blew UP!!!! Everything in my bag was covered in blue, sticky, smelly shampoo. After I “bathed” all of my luggage, I can assure you that even my bug spray, as well as everything else in that bag, is clean, fresh smelling, and dandruff free!!!

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for planning and preparations taking place to work out a schedule of events and activities for children’s ministry, as well as the women’s study. 
• Please pray for Harry, the medicine man on the train that will be working in Moose Factory for the next 5 days. 
• Please pray for Allan, and his wife, as they are both struggling with some health difficulties and as Allan has many responsibilities on and off the island.