...it seemed like a good idea at the time...
Actually, it was a good idea. We went hiking today. On Grouse Mountain. Well, they called it hiking. It was more like stairs. Actually, it was all stairs. Two miles of stairs. Steep stairs. We went through the door into the hike and basically climbed stairs up the side of the mountain. At the 1/4 mark I was so tired, and there was this big sign saying that from there on the trail was steep and dangerous and to proceed at my own risk. I had thought the trail to that point was hard but NOOOOO, it got more intense. But it felt so good afterward, to say "I have climbed a mountain!!" It took me an hour and a half, but I did the Grouse Grind. I'm from the prairie... I have never climbed a mountain before. It was pretty exciting. And then we took a gondola down, which was nice.
On a different note, I have less than a week left in Canada. Some prayer requests would be health and energy for everyone here, especially as we prepare to go. Some people still have lingering coughs. Also that we would not be nervous or afraid of what is coming, but that we would rely on God to carry us through, for He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). And also that the two teams and the two going to Mexico would be spiritually and emotionally ready for this last week and the adventure that lies beyond it.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Worship
My mind is racing
A hundred miles an hour
And I can't quiet it
No, I can't forget
So I scream "Silence!" again
And you smile at me, my friend
You take my open hands
Gently pull me to my weary feet
So we can dance
And as we dance
The music slowly fades
And all those things are washed away
"And if our God is for us
Then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us
Then what can stand against?"
A hundred miles an hour
And I can't quiet it
No, I can't forget
So I scream "Silence!" again
And you smile at me, my friend
You take my open hands
Gently pull me to my weary feet
So we can dance
And as we dance
The music slowly fades
And all those things are washed away
"And if our God is for us
Then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us
Then what can stand against?"
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Broken
Last night I spent 6 pm to 6am in prayer for the nations with around 16 other people. I originally was only going to go for half the night- go home at midnight and get some sleep so I could have energy for today. But my heart was caught.
We heard the cries of the nations last night, and joined and prayed for things, some general and some specific. Some countries that kept my attention were:
A section of Africa. There is much persecution of believers there. This has a lot to do with the Islamic faith, and believers must be wary about what they say where. Sometimes people just disappear. There is one country though where revival is happening. Believers are multiplying so fast that the government does not know what to do with them all. It just can't keep up. This is awesome! But there is also one country that is one of the most closed countries in the world, and the missionary presenting said that last he heard, there were 4 Christians in the entire country. Four. In the country. This is not a small country. And the only one he's ever met was in Canada as an immigrant.
Asia. In a country in Asia there are a whole bunch of people groups who do not have any access to the Bible. They are smallish people groups, but there are very few missionaries. In 1908 someone put out a call for 300 missionaries to this region. Today, there are 30. Why, as Christians, do we not heed calls of need? Where are the other 270 people that need to go here and translate the Bible and tell these groups about Jesus? Because they are so hungry for truth. I cried and cried when the missionary was talking about this. There are so many people and languages in this area and no one to go. Raise up, you comfortable people who sit in your houses and wonder where God is leading you. Go looking for your answer. Because there is brokenness and there is a cry and your passion is wasted on your living room couch. Hear the call of the people at the ends of the earth. Will not someone risk everything for the only thing that matters anyway?
Another country in Asia, where about 1.7% of the population is Christian. This country touched my heart when it was being presented, and I wish I could tell you about it. I want to go there.
Thailand. There is a lot of the sex trade in Thailand. A lot of North Americans go there for sex tourism. The Thai people are beautiful, but trapped in spiritual bondage. Pray for them. There are so many hurts (as in any country, but these were highlighted last night so these specific ones are on my heart), and so many dark places, yet there are people turning to Christ.
Germany. This is definitely one that was close to me, probably because I was there in May. Germany could be considered a least reached country. There is a general trend of turning away from Christianity there, and the need is great. Berlin was highlighted, because that is where we were. The people in Berlin are very cold, untrusting, efficient people as a general rule. They are suspicious and they know about Jesus, so bringing the gospel to them has to be done differently. Catholicism goes way back in Germany, and faith there is often stagnant. Pray for a revival in Germany, another reformation in the land of the Reformation, where people turn back to Jesus with their hearts and minds, and open them. Although the wall fell in Berlin in 1989, the wall stayed in people's hearts. Pray that it would fall there too.
Pray for our own countries too. There is a lot of repenting that needs to be done in Canada and the States too, and many things to pray for. We have many broken people here. We have the nations in our backyard. And we have injustice, stagnant faith, and so much pain in our "free" country. Pray for the nations, but don't forget to pray for our own country as well.
Mexico. Pray for revival in Mexico. Pray that the Catholic Church would not oppose the evangelical church and that people would trust God and turn to Him.
I got challenged with whether or not I would be willing to go. Spend my life, or a significant portion of it, in another country. Even a closed country? Would I go? I was passionate last night. Could I be passionate for life? I think so. Or, why don't more middle-aged or retired couples go out on the mission field? What is stopping them?
I can't explain everything from the whole night, but these were some that impacted me. And so I got 3 hours of sleep and now we're going shopping in the States today. It'll be fun.
We heard the cries of the nations last night, and joined and prayed for things, some general and some specific. Some countries that kept my attention were:
A section of Africa. There is much persecution of believers there. This has a lot to do with the Islamic faith, and believers must be wary about what they say where. Sometimes people just disappear. There is one country though where revival is happening. Believers are multiplying so fast that the government does not know what to do with them all. It just can't keep up. This is awesome! But there is also one country that is one of the most closed countries in the world, and the missionary presenting said that last he heard, there were 4 Christians in the entire country. Four. In the country. This is not a small country. And the only one he's ever met was in Canada as an immigrant.
Asia. In a country in Asia there are a whole bunch of people groups who do not have any access to the Bible. They are smallish people groups, but there are very few missionaries. In 1908 someone put out a call for 300 missionaries to this region. Today, there are 30. Why, as Christians, do we not heed calls of need? Where are the other 270 people that need to go here and translate the Bible and tell these groups about Jesus? Because they are so hungry for truth. I cried and cried when the missionary was talking about this. There are so many people and languages in this area and no one to go. Raise up, you comfortable people who sit in your houses and wonder where God is leading you. Go looking for your answer. Because there is brokenness and there is a cry and your passion is wasted on your living room couch. Hear the call of the people at the ends of the earth. Will not someone risk everything for the only thing that matters anyway?
Another country in Asia, where about 1.7% of the population is Christian. This country touched my heart when it was being presented, and I wish I could tell you about it. I want to go there.
Thailand. There is a lot of the sex trade in Thailand. A lot of North Americans go there for sex tourism. The Thai people are beautiful, but trapped in spiritual bondage. Pray for them. There are so many hurts (as in any country, but these were highlighted last night so these specific ones are on my heart), and so many dark places, yet there are people turning to Christ.
Germany. This is definitely one that was close to me, probably because I was there in May. Germany could be considered a least reached country. There is a general trend of turning away from Christianity there, and the need is great. Berlin was highlighted, because that is where we were. The people in Berlin are very cold, untrusting, efficient people as a general rule. They are suspicious and they know about Jesus, so bringing the gospel to them has to be done differently. Catholicism goes way back in Germany, and faith there is often stagnant. Pray for a revival in Germany, another reformation in the land of the Reformation, where people turn back to Jesus with their hearts and minds, and open them. Although the wall fell in Berlin in 1989, the wall stayed in people's hearts. Pray that it would fall there too.
Pray for our own countries too. There is a lot of repenting that needs to be done in Canada and the States too, and many things to pray for. We have many broken people here. We have the nations in our backyard. And we have injustice, stagnant faith, and so much pain in our "free" country. Pray for the nations, but don't forget to pray for our own country as well.
Mexico. Pray for revival in Mexico. Pray that the Catholic Church would not oppose the evangelical church and that people would trust God and turn to Him.
I got challenged with whether or not I would be willing to go. Spend my life, or a significant portion of it, in another country. Even a closed country? Would I go? I was passionate last night. Could I be passionate for life? I think so. Or, why don't more middle-aged or retired couples go out on the mission field? What is stopping them?
I can't explain everything from the whole night, but these were some that impacted me. And so I got 3 hours of sleep and now we're going shopping in the States today. It'll be fun.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Talking
This week we had some teaching on evangelism. The idea of going out and telling people about Jesus makes me uncomfortable. Honestly. Going up to people and asking them if they know Jesus is weird. But today I thought of why. Going out with the purpose of telling people about Jesus, and having no other reason for going to a certain place, still makes me uncomfortable. I shy away from knocking on doors, it makes me feel like a Jehovah's Witness. But talking about Jesus in day to day life doesn't. If I have a different reason for talking to someone, like I need to make a bank account or we are going for coffee or we are mucking stalls together, then Jesus will probably come up. And this sort of talking about Jesus doesn't make me uncomfortable. See the difference? Now, I don't know the theology behind either of these options, but I realized today that one freaks me out like no one's business and the other gets me excited. The reason behind my existance is God, and He spills out into conversation. It happens. But going to the mall to tell people about Jesus throws me off a bit. Not that it is bad. But going to the mall and then telling people about Jesus seems normal. Does anyone else feel this way?
Some general information: Our flights to Mexico happen on November 5. I get to get up at 4 in the morning, drive to Bellinghame, and from there take a shuttle to Seattle airport, in order to make an 11:30 flight to Houston. From Houston we fly to Guadalajara. It will be great.
Some general information: Our flights to Mexico happen on November 5. I get to get up at 4 in the morning, drive to Bellinghame, and from there take a shuttle to Seattle airport, in order to make an 11:30 flight to Houston. From Houston we fly to Guadalajara. It will be great.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Who you are
And a week later...
This week we learned about spiritual authority. And the biggest question was "Why haven't we ever heard this before?!?!" In our evangelical, especially Mennonite, churches, we don't really talk that much about the Holy Spirit. I mean, we know He's there, and that's about it.
But what we learned this week is that the Holy Spirit is not only living, He's active. And through Jesus we as Christians have the AUTHORITY to heal the sick, cast out demons, etc. [Note: I learned way more than I could ever suitably explain on here, so please bear with the short version. Everything might not be explained as well as you might like.] The most fascinating thing for me this week was the idea that we don't have to pray for healing. The apostles never did. They had authority through Jesus Christ. And so do we. We can command, in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord of all, diseases. Sickness. Lies. Evil spirits. Even bad weather. We have authority over these things, and because Jesus is the most powerful, they have to obey. This isn't saying that every time you pray for a sick person, they'll get well, because that is God's prerogative. We don't do the healing. God does. But if the person doesn't get well, they should have an understanding of why not. Listening to the Holy Spirit is very key in this whole thing. He speaks a lot. And so praying with authority becomes a mix of praying (asking God, or intercession) and speaking against something with the authority we have in Christ's name.
I don't know if that makes much sense. But it's hard for me to put everything into words, and I want to tell you all this. Some more comments from this week: The proclamation of Jesus as the Christ affects things in the physical realm (John 18:5-6) and the spiritual realm (Acts 2:36-37). The authority we have been given is not because of who we are but who we represent. Accept God's healing the way He wants to bring it; it's not necessarily instantaneous or obvious. Strongholds of evil in a person's life are not necessarily demons, they can be lies or addictions, but these are still strong and need to be dealt with. Go to the Lord with everything. Ask the Holy Spirit to show the root of the issue, and don't just fix the "fruit" of the problem. The less you know, the more you rely on Jesus. Having freedom (from lies, addictions, etc.) gives you the ability to be healed. Humility is being dependent on God. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me. Surrender everything to God, submit your mind to Him. Healings are a sign of the Kingdom of God - they're a demonstration of God's victory over evil, they point the way to Jesus. The purpose of healing is to point people to Jesus. Putting out a challenge is an act of faith - we have no certainty that God will come through, but He will. If He doesn't, He looks bad. He'll come through to glorify Himself, and if that were anyone but God, that would be the most prideful thing ever. But it's God, so it's not. There is salvation through no one but Jesus. Screw being politically correct. At every presentation of the gospel, call people to a decision. Always go out in twos, the second person is then covering the first in prayer so the first can be effective praying for someone else. Love must be the first thing in healing - the person is more important. Focusing only on the healing is counterproductive to relationship. Always go back to God's Word, otherwise you're going to start relying on your own feelings and experiences, and these will fail you. Quote the Bible. Get used to things not making sense. And realize that the thing is never the thing. I was created as a poem, unique in Jesus Christ. Pray against retaliation, because evil is not happy when Jesus happens. Other people, possibly even meaning well, might pray to their gods for you, so be aware of this, reject those prayers, test spirits, and submit to God. Spirits are regional, but God is everywhere. Forgiving people sets you free. Do spiritual warfare as the Spirit leads, because this isn't magic. And focus in on freedom and healing.
Anyway, there's a snapshot of what I learned this week. And here's something I wrote:
There is no longer any time
To go out
Or turn back
That time has passed
You have given yourself
To follow a path you cannot see
To go down a road you will never regret
Never forget
And you can no longer let go
For this is who you are.
This week we learned about spiritual authority. And the biggest question was "Why haven't we ever heard this before?!?!" In our evangelical, especially Mennonite, churches, we don't really talk that much about the Holy Spirit. I mean, we know He's there, and that's about it.
But what we learned this week is that the Holy Spirit is not only living, He's active. And through Jesus we as Christians have the AUTHORITY to heal the sick, cast out demons, etc. [Note: I learned way more than I could ever suitably explain on here, so please bear with the short version. Everything might not be explained as well as you might like.] The most fascinating thing for me this week was the idea that we don't have to pray for healing. The apostles never did. They had authority through Jesus Christ. And so do we. We can command, in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord of all, diseases. Sickness. Lies. Evil spirits. Even bad weather. We have authority over these things, and because Jesus is the most powerful, they have to obey. This isn't saying that every time you pray for a sick person, they'll get well, because that is God's prerogative. We don't do the healing. God does. But if the person doesn't get well, they should have an understanding of why not. Listening to the Holy Spirit is very key in this whole thing. He speaks a lot. And so praying with authority becomes a mix of praying (asking God, or intercession) and speaking against something with the authority we have in Christ's name.
I don't know if that makes much sense. But it's hard for me to put everything into words, and I want to tell you all this. Some more comments from this week: The proclamation of Jesus as the Christ affects things in the physical realm (John 18:5-6) and the spiritual realm (Acts 2:36-37). The authority we have been given is not because of who we are but who we represent. Accept God's healing the way He wants to bring it; it's not necessarily instantaneous or obvious. Strongholds of evil in a person's life are not necessarily demons, they can be lies or addictions, but these are still strong and need to be dealt with. Go to the Lord with everything. Ask the Holy Spirit to show the root of the issue, and don't just fix the "fruit" of the problem. The less you know, the more you rely on Jesus. Having freedom (from lies, addictions, etc.) gives you the ability to be healed. Humility is being dependent on God. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me. Surrender everything to God, submit your mind to Him. Healings are a sign of the Kingdom of God - they're a demonstration of God's victory over evil, they point the way to Jesus. The purpose of healing is to point people to Jesus. Putting out a challenge is an act of faith - we have no certainty that God will come through, but He will. If He doesn't, He looks bad. He'll come through to glorify Himself, and if that were anyone but God, that would be the most prideful thing ever. But it's God, so it's not. There is salvation through no one but Jesus. Screw being politically correct. At every presentation of the gospel, call people to a decision. Always go out in twos, the second person is then covering the first in prayer so the first can be effective praying for someone else. Love must be the first thing in healing - the person is more important. Focusing only on the healing is counterproductive to relationship. Always go back to God's Word, otherwise you're going to start relying on your own feelings and experiences, and these will fail you. Quote the Bible. Get used to things not making sense. And realize that the thing is never the thing. I was created as a poem, unique in Jesus Christ. Pray against retaliation, because evil is not happy when Jesus happens. Other people, possibly even meaning well, might pray to their gods for you, so be aware of this, reject those prayers, test spirits, and submit to God. Spirits are regional, but God is everywhere. Forgiving people sets you free. Do spiritual warfare as the Spirit leads, because this isn't magic. And focus in on freedom and healing.
Anyway, there's a snapshot of what I learned this week. And here's something I wrote:
There is no longer any time
To go out
Or turn back
That time has passed
You have given yourself
To follow a path you cannot see
To go down a road you will never regret
Never forget
And you can no longer let go
For this is who you are.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Quick note
How time flies! I honestly have no idea where this week went. We played a lot of volleyball though.
One thing I have been thinking about lately is relinquishing rights. We had a session on this the other day, and basically came to the conclusion that I actually have no rights. Going on missions... or actually living for Jesus... means that I have given up my right to possessions, my right to having money, my right to time, my right to having a schedule (well, you can have as many schedules as you want. That doesn't mean anyone will obey them.) My right to safety (which is an illusion anyway), my right to pride, my right to say goodbye (if I'm out of the country when people die, or if I'm killed I guess...), my right to be understood, my right to my future, my right to individuality, my right to be a calloused individual, my right to be thanked for something I do, and my right to my life, among others. If something is asked of me, will I follow? If this one thing I have, my faith, is worth living for, it is worth dying for. And unless something is worth dying for, it is not worth living for. And if I give my life to this one thing, which is what I am trying to do, I guess I don't have any rights on top of that. I have given them up.
A prayer request would be for health. A lot of us here are or have been pretty sick with a nasty cold that sits in your chest. Pray that those with coughs would get better and those who are not sick would not get sick.
One thing I have been thinking about lately is relinquishing rights. We had a session on this the other day, and basically came to the conclusion that I actually have no rights. Going on missions... or actually living for Jesus... means that I have given up my right to possessions, my right to having money, my right to time, my right to having a schedule (well, you can have as many schedules as you want. That doesn't mean anyone will obey them.) My right to safety (which is an illusion anyway), my right to pride, my right to say goodbye (if I'm out of the country when people die, or if I'm killed I guess...), my right to be understood, my right to my future, my right to individuality, my right to be a calloused individual, my right to be thanked for something I do, and my right to my life, among others. If something is asked of me, will I follow? If this one thing I have, my faith, is worth living for, it is worth dying for. And unless something is worth dying for, it is not worth living for. And if I give my life to this one thing, which is what I am trying to do, I guess I don't have any rights on top of that. I have given them up.
A prayer request would be for health. A lot of us here are or have been pretty sick with a nasty cold that sits in your chest. Pray that those with coughs would get better and those who are not sick would not get sick.
Monday, October 04, 2010
For in death there is life
It's frustrating sometimes that no matter what I do, there is still more. As much as I'd like to be, I am not perfect, which means I have to keep striving towards it, which is a continual battle. Becoming Christ-like is not an easy process, nor a finite one. We have talked a fair amount recently about personal holiness and spiritual warfare. They are actually quite connected. Yesterday in church a lady spoke about how Christianity means taking risks. And it is a struggle. There will be opposition. As soon as you decide to follow Christ, you will be opposed. (But, if you're being opposed, you are probably doing something right. If the devil is ignoring you, you are no longer a threat, and then you're in trouble.) Following God means risking everything. She spoke from Exodus 5. The cool part is, risking everything, even losing it, is more than worth it if it is for the kingdom of God.
We also talked about suffering on Friday, and how it is necessary, for 23 reasons.
1) God wants us to suffer
2) To make us more like Jesus
3) So that we can comfort others
4) So that we won't rely on and trust in ourselves
5) So that we may give praise to God in everything
6) So that our endurance may be developed
7) So that more fruit may be produced in and through us
8) So the reality of our faith may be proved
9) So that our faith would mature
10) So that we may learn obedience
11) So that I would be humbled
12) So that the sufficiency of God's grace would be clearly demonstrated
13) So that I would be purified
14) So that glory would be given to God
15) So that I would be driven to the Word of God
16) So that I would grow spiritually
17) So that God can display us as His
18) So that our lives can be a testimony to angels and demons
19) So that we will be driven to God
20) So that God can mark us as His own
21) So that my thoughts are on Heaven
22) So that I will be prepared for Heaven
23) So that God will draw me back to Himself
Because of these reasons, and being challenged on risk-taking obedience, I generally define suffering in my head as "the losing of something". As Christians, we are losing something, and that could be our possessions, our money, our freedom, our rights, our family, our lives. But giving these up for the glory of God is worth it. Suffering, any way you define it, is worth it for Christ. I mean, if he owns your life anyway, why bother living safely? If we try to save our own lives, we are not going to be living at all, for living in fear of death is no life. I would rather choose to live, even if it means dying.
We also talked about suffering on Friday, and how it is necessary, for 23 reasons.
1) God wants us to suffer
2) To make us more like Jesus
3) So that we can comfort others
4) So that we won't rely on and trust in ourselves
5) So that we may give praise to God in everything
6) So that our endurance may be developed
7) So that more fruit may be produced in and through us
8) So the reality of our faith may be proved
9) So that our faith would mature
10) So that we may learn obedience
11) So that I would be humbled
12) So that the sufficiency of God's grace would be clearly demonstrated
13) So that I would be purified
14) So that glory would be given to God
15) So that I would be driven to the Word of God
16) So that I would grow spiritually
17) So that God can display us as His
18) So that our lives can be a testimony to angels and demons
19) So that we will be driven to God
20) So that God can mark us as His own
21) So that my thoughts are on Heaven
22) So that I will be prepared for Heaven
23) So that God will draw me back to Himself
Because of these reasons, and being challenged on risk-taking obedience, I generally define suffering in my head as "the losing of something". As Christians, we are losing something, and that could be our possessions, our money, our freedom, our rights, our family, our lives. But giving these up for the glory of God is worth it. Suffering, any way you define it, is worth it for Christ. I mean, if he owns your life anyway, why bother living safely? If we try to save our own lives, we are not going to be living at all, for living in fear of death is no life. I would rather choose to live, even if it means dying.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
The Amazing... Trek?
Today was the longest day of my life. Not literally. But I'm fairly certain I did more physical exercise today than any other. And it was stressful. None of this sissy walking here and there stuff. How about, let's run across Abbotsford for half an hour. Racing two other groups of people. It was... The Amazing Trek. Think Amazing Race, Abbotsford style. Our team was made up of the three Global Servants here at training, Jon, Heidi, and myself. We raced against the two teams of TREKkers that are also here, Portugal and Thailand.
Some highlights of today for me were... winning! That was pretty sweet. Or waking up at 4 in the morning because the card said to be ready sometime between 4 and 6, and having the people show up at 5:45. Bushwhacking and getting stinging nettle all over my legs. Cutting through someone's yard at 6 in the morning, climbing a fence, and appearing on the side of the main road, right in front of the Portugal team (not planned, but funny). Doing a blindfolded activity and walking into a ledge, falling over and cutting up my knee but good. The best part of that one was that I was following Jon, who was not blindfolded, and he forgot to tell me there was a ledge there. But the second activity with the blindfolds, in the afternoon, we aced. Well, we aced the first one too, but there was more pain involved. Eating a lot of gross foods, including a half-developed baby duck still inside the egg. Apparently it's a delicacy somewhere. (We did not consume the egg shells.) Getting a clue on a flash drive that contained the sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" for 250 pages, and finding the clue in there. No joke. Two hundred and fifty pages. Eating lunch at the Sikh temple. Running around Abbotsford looking generally dirty and ragamuffinish, like we were lost hitchhikers or vandals all day. Catching a trout in a fish farm pond, and later building a fire and frying it. (This was a very hurried and slightly gross frying. Do not picture delicious fish. I had to fillet it. Guess how well that went...) Putting on a fireman's coat and pants, and doing various activities while wearing them. Literally looking for a needle in a haystack. Doing a corn maze. And many other things.
We learned a lot today, about strengths, weaknesses, leadership, having a good attitude, and teamwork. We also learned that some things are "hotter than fire", including fire, stinging nettle, and jalapeno peppers; that running most of the day is hard work; that there are no guarantees in life, or races; that it pays to think ahead and listen to your friends; and that finding a needle in a haystack is actually next to impossible, except apparently for Jacob, who found it in 10 minutes. We ate a lot of mostly unpleasant food, got some weird stares, and bonded as a team... not team?... group of Global Servants.
I think I'm going to go to bed now...
Some highlights of today for me were... winning! That was pretty sweet. Or waking up at 4 in the morning because the card said to be ready sometime between 4 and 6, and having the people show up at 5:45. Bushwhacking and getting stinging nettle all over my legs. Cutting through someone's yard at 6 in the morning, climbing a fence, and appearing on the side of the main road, right in front of the Portugal team (not planned, but funny). Doing a blindfolded activity and walking into a ledge, falling over and cutting up my knee but good. The best part of that one was that I was following Jon, who was not blindfolded, and he forgot to tell me there was a ledge there. But the second activity with the blindfolds, in the afternoon, we aced. Well, we aced the first one too, but there was more pain involved. Eating a lot of gross foods, including a half-developed baby duck still inside the egg. Apparently it's a delicacy somewhere. (We did not consume the egg shells.) Getting a clue on a flash drive that contained the sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" for 250 pages, and finding the clue in there. No joke. Two hundred and fifty pages. Eating lunch at the Sikh temple. Running around Abbotsford looking generally dirty and ragamuffinish, like we were lost hitchhikers or vandals all day. Catching a trout in a fish farm pond, and later building a fire and frying it. (This was a very hurried and slightly gross frying. Do not picture delicious fish. I had to fillet it. Guess how well that went...) Putting on a fireman's coat and pants, and doing various activities while wearing them. Literally looking for a needle in a haystack. Doing a corn maze. And many other things.
We learned a lot today, about strengths, weaknesses, leadership, having a good attitude, and teamwork. We also learned that some things are "hotter than fire", including fire, stinging nettle, and jalapeno peppers; that running most of the day is hard work; that there are no guarantees in life, or races; that it pays to think ahead and listen to your friends; and that finding a needle in a haystack is actually next to impossible, except apparently for Jacob, who found it in 10 minutes. We ate a lot of mostly unpleasant food, got some weird stares, and bonded as a team... not team?... group of Global Servants.
I think I'm going to go to bed now...
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