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A Series of Events
WEDNESDAY
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!"
Luke 8:24-25 (NLT)
The day started off so well with everyone getting the best sleep in three days, unperturbed by any pests (a prayer requested and answered!) Yet the forecast for the day aptly coined “Humpday” would also predict the physical, mental, and emotional obstacles that would challenge us, both as individuals and as a team.
CCCC normally stands for Cornerstone Christian Community Church but this morning, it stood for: Covid, Cranberry, Car, and Coffee. We were informed during yesterday’s Next Steps that there was a child from Monday’s Play Day who tested positive for Covid. To keep the participants safe, we wore masks indoors and with any crowded areas, and started daily Covid testing. That added time to our morning prep, which didn’t affect the early birds on the team as much as the night owls. The physical toll of the busy-ness also contributed to unexpected health challenges that required a stop for supplies before reaching NW. Then we realized that our car had to be parked in a different location that day. Upon arrival, it was discovered that an entire thermos of coffee had leaked into a backpack requiring clean up. We arrived late to Next Steps but we appreciated the patience demonstrated by our gracious host.
We continued to serve at Next Steps, only this time, we were serving a baked bannock which was prepared the day before. It allowed for a less hectic pace and more opportunities to greet and interact with the participants. We also prepared the next day’s bannock.
Once again, a Play Day was set up in the afternoon in a third community. Police presence preceded the arrival of the team but was not of any significance to the planned day. This community seemed to have more cultural diversity than the first two, as well as more participation from older children and even adults.
After another delicious meal, we were treated to donuts from a local franchise called Robin’s and got to try the Persian (the pink one), a Thunder Bay specialty! We decided to forego a tour of Terry Fox monument and call it an earlier night. The ladies were all were spent and needed more time to process and recover. (Josh, however, decided to stay for boxing training; fix our wifi; and help Bera with his snowmobile.)
The evening rest was accompanied by thunderstorms and hail. Our nightly reset was a welcome gift.
