Julie's Adventures

To the Other Side of the World

2012-01-23T20:18:00.001-05:00

I decided I'd better dust off the old blog, because I could sure use a great way to keep you all updated on my up-coming adventures. :) I am pleased to announce that I am preparing to go to the Asia-Pacific region as a career missionary with New Tribes Mission of Canada!

I am planning to go head to overseas in July, if all goes well. When I first arrive, I will have several weeks of orientation. Then I will devote myself to learning the national language and culture. After that, my intention is to join a tribal church planting team. I want to work together with others to explain the truths of God's Word to people who have never had the opportunity to hear.

In these months of preparation, I am getting a head-start on language study, enjoying my family, and beginning paperwork. I am also seeking out people who are willing to partner with me in three specific areas: prayer, finances, and encouragement. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with me. I would be happy to hear from you!

Safely Home

2010-12-06T23:32:00.002-05:00

After taking the scenic route out of the tribe (our plane landed in two other villages and a mission base, where I got to visit a friend), I spent another couple days near Goroka before starting the homeward journey.

I made all my connections easily, and had nothing confiscated along the way, even though some of my souveniers were made of wood and I passed through Australia.

And I lived through Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 twice. After a full Friday & night of travel, I woke the next morning on the plane & heard the flight attendant announce the local weather & time of our next destination, "...and today is Friday," she added. Thus began another entire day & night which was Friday!

I had a lengthy layover in Honolulu, so hopped on a city bus to the beach & spent some time there. I also toured a war museum and tried to visit the aquarium, but it was closed. Then I bussed back to the aiport & waited for my flight.

That night, I was seized by an upset stomach, which put a damper on the rest of my travels. But I made it through Denver with time to spare, and was one of eight passengers on my plane to Regina. I was met there by two friends & a very excited dog, and escorted home.

I slept most of the rest of the day away, even though I tried to stay awake 'til a decent bedtime hour. When I did go to bed, I had not problem sleeping the night away, and now feel almost good as new.

It was a great trip--I saw lots, heard lots, experienced lots, and met lots of people, and enjoyed my time. Now I have plenty to process & ponder. And I am glad to be home! :)

Time in the Tribe

2010-12-06T23:06:00.002-05:00

On Nov. 26, I left Goroka and flew by bushplane into one of the many tribes of PNG. I was met there by a single missionary lady and a family who are her co-workers.

They were celebrating American Thanksgiving that day, so I got to join them for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. What a treat!

I spent almost a week in the tribe, and enjoyed my time there.

We took walks around the area, and I took pictures of the tribal homes--round buildings made of woven walls with thatched roofs & dirt floors. Other homes were raised up and had bamboo floors. Most houses had some sort of fence on one or more sides, and also flowers or bushes nearby.

Men from the village spent mornings or afternoons practicing for Tournament Games, which will take place around New Year's. Contestants from different villages come from all around to play soccer and basketball against one another. Each participating village puts in a certain amount of money, and the winning villages get to take home the money.

On Sunday, I attended church in the tribe. They have a new church building under construction: a large, rectangular building on stilts. In the meantime, though, they are meeting in a smaller round building with a wide (5 feet?) 'bench' running nearly all the way around the room and a dirt floor.

There are believers in this tribe, and Bible teachers. Right now the missionaries are working on translating Scripture as well as Bible lessons into the Simbari language. The Sunday I was there, one of the tribal Bible teachers taught a translated Bible lesson from Romans. Those who were able to read followed along in their 'usable-but-not-quite-finished' translation of Romans.

On Monday, I sat in on a literacy class, which was really neat to see. Afterward, the missionary showed me the other primers and books which they have prepared to teach literacy. I found that very interesting.

It was also cool to see what a 'normal' lifestyle (in many ways) these tribal misionaries lived. They capture energy with solar panels & store them in batteries, enabling them to use regular appliances & lights. They collect rainwater and have it running into their homes. They have radio or satellite e-mail access. Their homes are attractive & comfortable, and with many 'modern anemities.' The family in the tribe even has a Wii!

All in all, it was a good time spent there. It was good to see a bit of what the misisonaries do & how they live...and great to make some new friends! :)

Coffee Gardens

2010-11-25T06:26:00.002-05:00

The coffee bean grows inside a fruit, called a cherry, on a tree. When the cherries are ripe, they turn red, and then are harvested. The farmer removes the skin & fruit, then puts the beans into a string bag and washes them. Then they are spread out in the sun to dry, and are taken inside at night or when it rains, because the value of the beans is directly proportional to the dryness thereof. When the beans are dry and shriveled, they loaded into large sacks and sold to the coffee buyers. The buyers then roast the beans, which is what causes them to swell up & look so nice. Then they are packaged & sold (or ground & packaged & sold).

My new friend gave me this instruction on coffee beans yesterday when she showed me around the gardens which belong to her mother, uncle, aunt, and herself.

She also taught me about banana trees. Did you know that each tree grows only one bunch of fruit and then it dies? And up from the stump grow multiple new shoots. Also, when the bananas are getting close to ripe, the farmers like to wrap the bunch in a bag (while it's still hanging on the tree) to cause them to grow larger.

She showed me avocado trees, guava trees, passionfruit trees (and I got to taste a bit of that!), mango trees, orange trees, pineapple plants, sweet potatoes & yams, beans & peas, corn, bok choy, peanuts, and more! It was very educational.

She also took me to see her yard & the outside of her house. It is round, and the walls are made of woven bamboo, and the roof is thatched. Her house is part of a community which is right next door to the collection of mission buildings where I am staying.

It was all very interesting, and I took lots of pictures, but you'll have to wait 'til later to see them! :)

Papua New Guinea

2010-11-23T06:02:00.002-05:00

Initial impressions of Port Moresby, PNG: hot. smells like BO. toilet paper available in washroom (bonus!). English-speaking. Credit cards are NOT acceptable payment for Visa on Arrival. colourful dresses. non-potable water. friendly smiles from ladies.

Initial impressions of Goroka, PNG: less hot. when passengers leave plane, they wait off to the side. terminal is locked up. baggage is unloaded onto a long table for passengers to claim. a crowd of dark faces (mostly children) pressed against gate, peering in. gate unlocked to allow passengers to leave. I was easily identified by my ride by virtue of being the only white female on the plane.

Initial impressions of mission base: much information to learn. many stories to hear. much of interest to see.

I might not be updating this much over the next while, but at least you all know I made it safely to my PNG destination & am anticipating another time of exploration & adventure! :)

The Only Airport Butterfly Garden in the World

2010-11-22T04:07:00.002-05:00

Hello from Singapore!

After an intensely long wait to catch my first flight of the day, followed by a mad rush to make it to my second flight, I was thrilled to arrive in the Singapore international airport.

As I was examining the information board to determine where to go to catch my sky train to terminal 1, I was approached by a helpful staff member who wanted to know how long I had between flights. "Seven hours," I told him. Oh! Well, he proceeded to give me suggestions on how to make the most of that time--there is a sunflower garden, cactus garden, orchid garden (complete with the largest koi fish I have ever seen), and a butterfly garden--the only one in the world that's located in an airport, apparently. There's also free internet access, a free mini-theater showing movies all day long, and a swimming pool (also the only airport one in the world, he tells me). Plus an abundance of shops & cafes, and places for henna tattoos & hair reflexology treatments. If I get bored here, it'll be my own fault. :)

From here, I plan to head over to PNG, arriving there tomorrow a.m.
Then a whole new adventure begins!

Here Comes the Javanese Bride

2010-11-21T00:56:00.003-05:00

On Saturday morning, I accompanied my friend to a Javanese wedding. We left here at 7:30 am and took her motorbike up the hill to the church. We were supposed to be there at 8, and the wedding would start at 9--which it did. I was impressed.

We sat quietly and watched the wedding ceremony, which was performed by the pastor of the church. He talked; the couple sat & stood & said 'yes'; the parents blessed the couple; people took pictures of the whole thing; a tall girl twirled gracefully up the aisle with a candle, and the couple did some sort of unity candle lighting; they signed a document.

After the one-hour ceremony, many people left the building, but we just lingered in the back. At the front of the church, a legal ceremony took place. The couple signed government paperwork, and the legal representative gave a speech & banged his gavel. Meanwhile, the rest of us were visiting.
After the legal ceremony, we followed the wedding party to the bride's house (just down the street) for the reception. There, we shook hands along a line of people and entered into a great covered area (outdoors, but enclosed with coloured sheets and bordered on one side by the wall of the bride's house). We were shown to a table & sat down. The tables were all spread with a variety of Indonesian snacks. Before we even got around to tasting any, though, we were ushered up and through another hand-shaking line where we dropped money for the bride's parents into a box before entering into the actual house. Inside were set up two buffet tables laden with rice, a spicy papaya leaf dish, cow fat, chicken liver, beef, fried chicken, puffy/crispy 'crackers', and watermelon (I passed on the fat & liver). There were plastic chairs set up in this room, so we sat down & ate.

When we were done, we went back out into the main area & sat at a different table, where we proceeded to eat snacks, drink hot sweet tea, and visit throughout the long cultural ceremony which followed. Speeches were given (in the language of high Javanese) and various things were done, including the taking of family pictures, but no one really seemed to be paying attention, as we were all eating and visiting and maybe smoking. Eventually, the couple left to change their clothes, and a couple of singers and their musicians provided entertainment for a time. The couple returned and after a little more talking, things were wrapped up. We went up front to shake some more hands & get a photo with the happy couple, and then left, shaking hands all the way out of the 'tent' and down to the street.

By now, I thought we were on our way home, but actually we were going to the groom's house. That was just next door, almost, so we walked over there and shook hands with more people in the yard. We were shown into the house, were we sat down on the woven mats which covered the floor. Assorted snacks were brought to us, along with sweet tea, so we ate and drank. Then we were escorted into the next room, where we were met with another buffet, featuring rice, noodles, seasoned boiled eggs, something that looked like cow fat, gingered beef (which was amazing), and the same kind of crackers. Again, I passed on the fat, and we sat on plastic chairs to eat. Then we shook hands with everyone again, and left to return down the mountain. It was probably close to 2:30 by the time we arrived home, tired and full.

It was really neat to see and experience such a culturally-rich event!

Snorkeling at the Beach

2010-11-19T09:49:00.003-05:00

Another 'first' on this trip full of 'first's was snorkeling.

Our hosts took Melissa & me to the beach on Wednesday afternoon. The kids had a good time playing in the ocean, and Rachel took me out to see the coral reef. I was excited about trying this, but wondered how well I'd really be able to see anything, since I wouldn't be able to wear my glasses under the goggles. It turned out that they had a pair of goggles that are made for glasses-wearers; it wasn't an actual perscription, but magnified more than regular goggles. Anyway, I wore that one, and was a big help. We saw purple & light & dark coral, and lots of fish! Orange 'Nemo' fish, yellow fish, blue fish, black fish, yellow & black angel fish, and irridescent blue/greenish fish. Rachel saw a couple of starfish & tried to point them out to me, but I couldn't see that far. The fish were so cool. We also saw a sea-snake, which was striped light & dark and was probably close to two feet long. It was cool to see, until it came up to the surface. Then we retreated, because we didn't want it to be so close to us! :)

The vehicle we took to the beach belongs to friends of theirs, and it is a pickup truck with a roof (as high as the cab roof) over the box, but no walls. There are two long benches against the long sides of the box for passengers to sit. Melissa, the kids & I sat back there, and it was pretty fun. No one even fell out. :)

That night, Melissa stayed overnight with us, and that was pretty special. We missed Amanda & Key Zu! :(

In the morning, we both flew out and were on the same flight until our first layover, when we parted ways and I continued on to Salatiga, Indonesia, to check out the city where new missionaries come to learn the Indonesian language and culture.

Friends From Far & Near

2010-11-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

Many of my friends that I knew from Durham are currently serving in Indonesia, but not necessarily in places that I was planning to visit. I had contacted several of them before I left, just to check if they would be where I would be at any point on the journey, but none of them would be. Oh well.

So imagine my surprise to find out, yesterday afternoon, that my former roommate, Melissa, was in the very city I visited! She has moved to a different island, but was here doing paperwork. When she heard that I was here, she delayed her trip home for a couple days so we could spend some time together. She came over for supper last night, and I was delighted to see her! :)

...And that's not all. Just after we exchanged hugs, she told me she had brought a friend. A friend? Who? Ben, who had also been in our class in Durham! He had also been here doing paperwork, even though he doesn't live here either. It was sure nice to see him, too.

It feels kind of like I've been having a Durham reunion, only on the other side of the world! :)

Tribal Trip

2010-11-16T20:11:00.004-05:00

On November 12, I was part of a group that helicoptered into a tribe for several days.
In the tribe, we stayed in the house where two of our party grew up as missionary kids. They had been asked to get running water hooked up to this house and the neighbouring one, so they set up a gravity-feed system to run spring water to the two houses.

There are no missionaries living there now, but there is a firmly established church which has formed many other church plants in the area. There are Bible teachers and literacy teachers in place, and the local church is growing! We had the opportunity of attending church on Sunday morning and visiting with several of the church elders.

While we were there, we spent a lot of time sitting & visiting with people. Well, visiting is maybe a bit of a stretch, for me. Quite a few of the tribal people spoke at least some Indonesian, which meant that the others in our group could all communicate with them. I did not speak any Indonesian, so my communication had to take the form of smiles and the occasional giggle. It was amazing how well that worked, though! A smile can say a lot, especially when accompanied by tender eyes and a gentle hand on the knee, which I received from several of the women.

We also hiked around a little, seeing the gardens on steep mountainsides, houses with woven bamboo walls on stilts, chickens roaming, children playing tag and something that looked very similar to mercy fights, men carrying water up from the river and women carrying babies. We saw wild poinsettias & morning glories, centipedes & snails, and groves of chocolate trees.
We bathed in the river, and enjoyed the good life. :)

On November 15, most of the group left the tribe by helicopter. Only two of us were left, and we went up to his friend's place for supper and the night. We ate rice, noodles, ubi (cassava), papaya, and chocolate fruit. Chocolate is one of the main cash crops there, and it grows in an oblong fruit. The seeds are dried (roasted?) and later ground into cocoa. As it's growing, though, the seeds are encased in a thin layer of white fruit, which can be eaten. It tasted pretty good, though not at all like chocolate! :)

We visited some more, then the men settled in one room & the women in another (actually, I had my own little loft bed/room, which was quite luxurious) to sleep.

We breakfasted there in the morning, then returned to the house to pack up & head out. We (along with another man & his little boy & their two chickens) hiked out of the tribe, then caught motorbike taxis for a short way, then got a rental vehicle (complete with driver) to bring us the rest of the way home, getting back late afternoon.

It was a really great experience!

Made it to Indonesia!

2010-11-16T19:57:00.002-05:00

"CX 777 Jakarta..." read the departure screen in the Hong Kong airport, "...canceled."

Oh no. I had known this was a possibility, because several flights into Jakarta had been canceled recently because of the volcanic ash from Mt. Merapi. But now it had happened. What next?

I joined the other affected travelers clustered around the airline service desk to listen to the announcements being given out. They did not know how long it would be until they could resume flights, but in the meantime, we would each get a green sticker on our shoulders, go downstairs to claim our baggage & proceed through immigration, and be checked in to the adjoining hotel.

We ended up staying in Hong Kong for 24 hours, during which time we were cared for with meal vouchers & comfortable accommodations. The Regal Airport Hotel has been declared the best airport hotel in the world for three years running.

November 11, the day after I expected to fly to Jakarata, I boarded a plane bound for Indonesia. We landed safely and without incident, and a taxi driver bustled me off to the other terminal to arrange my ticket & catch my next domestic flight. Now, here I was, safely in the gate waiting area for my final flight of the first leg of my journey, and realizing that I had no way to contact anyone to come and pick me up.

Just before leaving Hong Kong, I had e-mailed my hosts to say that I was planning to leave Hong Kong and I'd keep them posted on my journey. However, upon arrival in the Jakarta domestic airport, I could find no internet access or pay phone. I asked an "information" woman at the airport, who said they might have such a thing at the international terminal, but not here.

Hmm...would my friends assume I was coming if they didn't hear anything different from me? I hoped so. And prayed that they would come to get me at the airport. If not, I figured, I could maybe ask a taxi driver if I could 'rent' his phone to call them...

It turned out that they did assume I was coming, and even checked the passenger list to see which flight I would be on.

I was so glad to be met at the airport, with my luggage, and make it safely to my first home away from home!

To the Ends of the Earth and the Heights of the Heavens

2010-11-08T20:10:00.006-05:00

Here I sit, on my airport waiting area chair, ready to head off to the other side of the world. In just over an hour, I will fly out of Regina, bound for Calgary, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Jakarta, then Palu (Indonesia).

I plan to be gone for nearly a month, exploring a bit of Indonesia & Papua New Guinea (PNG) and visiting missionaries there. My purpose in going is to get some first-hand exposure to the countries & the work that is going on there; I'm exploring mission possibilities for the future.
I'd appreciate your prayers while I'm gone, and I shall make an effort to upload new posts frequently to keep you all informed of my adventures & experiences.

Sampai nanti (see you later)!

The Cuteness Around Me

2009-07-17T20:01:00.003-05:00

This is a very exciting week on the farm, because we have several cute little babies learning to around!

Edna (the mama in the picture) spent the past three weeks

diligently sitting on nine eggs, two of which hatched on Wednesday. She is very proud of them and quite protective. She allows me to peer at them over the side of her enclosure, though she casts me a beady eye now and then.

Almost as exciting is that Chris (who works on the farm) has adopted a new puppy! She is very adorable, yes? :) She came to work with him today and I got to play with her. It's hard to see her size in this picture, but she's small--only six weeks old.

I thought spring was the season of new life--but right here, it's right now!

A Brief Update

2008-10-08T16:09:00.002-05:00

I thought it might be time to post an update about what's going on in my life.

I am enjoying working in the Millar kitchen and feeling more competent in the tasks I am given to do, which is always nice. I am also making good progress in getting to know the students, and that's exciting for me.

I have been drawn back to the Salvation Army Church in Swift Current, where I attended in my third year at Millar, and have just 'signed up' (so to speak) to teach the Jr. Youth group there on Thursday nights.

Also, some of you may not have heard that I am now the proud owner of my very first car! It is a silvery-neutral coloured 2001 Toyota Corolla, and I bought it about a month ago. I found it on-line and checked it out as best I could. The night before I intended to go and look it over in person (and perhaps even buy it), God provided a couple to give me a ride to Regina (where the car was) and even look the car over for me! I ended up buying it and drove it home that day.

I think those are the highlights.

In summary, I am feeling very blessed & cared for!

Have We Got a Job for You!

2008-09-02T20:55:00.002-05:00

Camp has a way of absorbing all your energy--physical as well as mental. When the whirlwind of summer camp was over, I realized I would need to face the reality of having no plans for the next year.

I went to Alberta with my family to help celebrate my grandparents' 50th anniversary, and there I truthfully answered everyone's questions about my future with "I don't know."

On the way home to Thunder Bay, my parents dropped me off in Saskatchewan to visit my friend Amy. While there, I became aware of the opportunity to work in the kitchen at Millar.

I thought, prayed, and talked about this new development, and the more I considered it, the more excited and at peace I felt. My parents also approved, and even offered to send me my earthly goods (since I only had one suitcase-worth with me!).

All this to say: I am now an official Kitchen Assistant at Millar College of the Bible!

I get to live with Amy! I get to hang out with college students! How perfect is that?

This whole thing transpired very quickly--in a matter of days. I never would have guessed it, and yet I suppose God had it in mind all along...

Birch Syrup 101

2008-05-08T13:25:00.007-05:00

You've heard of maple syrup, but have you ever heard of birch syrup? Apparently it is made in Alaska, New England, and now--even in my own back yard!

My dad and I decided to try our hand at making the sweet stuff this spring. We read up on maple syrup and birch syrup on-line and in Dad's Back to Basics book, then jumped right in.

We started by tapping two birch trees on our property. It took a while before we got any sap, but we got our first cup or so on April 15th. Ever since, we've been harvesting the sap every day. As time went on, we tapped more trees, up to a total of six trees. We decided that was enough for our first attempt.

After filling most of our available containers with sap, we decided we'd better try boiling some of it down. We didn't have a special evaporater, but we did have an old electric stove in the garage. Dad got the stove hooked up just outside the garage, and we spent last Monday and Tuesday boiling down about 100 litres of syrup.

We had read that it takes 80-120 parts birch sap to make one part birch syrup, so we weren't expecting to end up with a lot. By the end of three days, though, we had two small jars and two larger ones of birch syrup!

I was very impressed with how sweet the syrup ended up tasting, because the sap was very much like water. It also has a distinct flavour, unlike anything else I can really compare it to...I guess that's the flavour of birch!

It was a fun experiment, and neat to end up with something that we made ourselves, out of sap from our own trees. Maybe next year we'll try it again.

In meantime, we'll be enjoying our harvest on pancakes and drizzled over ice cream!

My New Life

2007-11-10T18:27:00.000-05:00

For the first time since I was five years old, it is November and I am not in school. Yes, this is my first 'school year' without school! I guess that means it's just...a...year.

So what am I doing with my time? I'm working at Sears Portrait Studio, learning to take good pictures and to do all the paperwork (more like computerwork, really!). So far it's going pretty well, although I still have a fair bit to learn.

I'm also working with my dad to run the youth group at our church. We have a small church, so the 10 or so teens and preteens that have been coming out is an excellent turnout! I'm pretty excited about the youth group.

Other than that, I'm adjusting to being an only child again...something I haven't been since I was a year and a half! My three brothers are all out of the house now, leaving me alone. So sad...

That's my life these days!

Visiting Durham

2007-08-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

Hey, Durham New Tribers! I'm coming to visit!

My two youngest brothers are returning to Waterloo in a couple weeks to resume their schooling, and Josh (my 'oldest younger brother') and I are driving down with them. Like a family vacation, without the parents. :)

I don't know for sure when we're coming through, but somewhere around the weekend of Sept. 8-10. I'm hoping to have an overnight in Durham...maybe stay with some of the girls?...

Thought this'd be as good a way as any to let you know that I'm coming, and looking forward to seeing everybody!!!

The End of Camp

2007-08-28T21:20:00.000-05:00

"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof," is what my Grandpa always used to say at the end of the camp season.

We were really glad to see the end this year.

Besides the facts we added an extra week of camp this summer (making 7 weeks) and that my parents decided to be the chapel speakers, my dad missed some of the last two weeks of camp.

The knee infection that he had in the spring (around our grad time) flared up again during the sixth week of camp. For a few days, he drove into town every day to go to the hospital and get pumped with IV anitibiotics. That would take him away for about four hours a day.

On the weekend between the sixth and seventh weeks of camp, they decided to keep him in the hospital. My parents decided to run camp without him, even though he was supposed to be the director, chapel speaker, boat driver, craft leader, first aid person, etc., etc. We ended up having a lot of people step up to the plate to help, which was awesome. It was really neat for me to see that God can run camp, even without my dad.

But it was still really hard.

He came back halfway through the last week of camp, and took over directing and his other jobs. We were so glad to have him back!! Now he's on a portable IV antibiotic (like he had at grad, in his fanny pack).

All in all, the summer was incredibly tiring, but it was good. Kids were impacted. So were staff--including me. God proved Himself faithful--again!

Five and a half weeks down; one and a half to go!

2007-08-09T09:11:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have survived four weeks of girls' camp and a week and a half of boys' camp! yay!

Things are going well here. In a huge answer to prayer, God provided lifeguards for every week of camp (many of them on a one-week-at-a-time basis)! Also, He provided cooks and counsellors to meet our needs, as well as other staff.

I worked as a cabin counsellor for three weeks, and took a turn as Program Director for a week. That was pretty fun--I basically just mimicked what I always see my mom doing and saying. Other than some severe homesickness, the week was fairly uneventful.

Now we're in to boys' camp, so I'm working in the kitchen. It's a nice change after counselling! :)

Please pray for continued strength and enabling for all the staff, and for God to do His work in the hearts of campers and staff. Thanks for remembering us!

Back Home & In Full Swing

2007-06-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

I arrived safely home on the Monday after graduation, and boy, is home ever a busy place to be!

My parents are planning to sell our house, so they've been busy trying to make it more 'saleable'. In addition, they're super-busy getting ready for camp, which is rapidly approaching (staff prep. is during the last week of June; kids arrive July 1st). So I've been helping do some jobs on/around the house, and we spent a couple of days at camp, too, doing jobs there. It only gets busier until July 1st, and then it's all a blur until half way through August! :)

Hey, speaking of camp, we could still use some more staff for the summer...any lifeguards, cooks, counsellor-types looking for a fun summer ministry?? If so, let me know! :)

Family Trip to the Beach

2007-04-22T15:10:00.000-05:00

In marked contrast to our past several family trips, on this visit with my parents the sky was blue, the sun was shining, the air was warm, visibility was terrific, and the roads were open! :)

(pictures from our previous travel experiences)

My parents were down at a conference in the area, and stopped in here on their way home. They picked me up on Friday, along with my brother, Jon, and we went to Wasaga Beach. We stayed in a motel overnight and walked the beach Saturday morning. After lunch, they dropped me off in Durham and continued on their way. Jon's back in Waterloo now, for the summer term, and my parents and Bud are back in Thunder Bay.

It was great to see them again, even for a short while! Oh, yes, and the beach was pretty nice, too. :)

Road Trip to Mexico!

2007-03-25T18:30:00.000-05:00

Two of my room mates (Key Zue and Melissa), two classmates (Briell and Patty) and I spent our Spring Break week in Mexico! We mostly stayed in Chihuahua with Key Zue's family, who was very good to us, and spent two days and a night with them in the mountain town of Creel.

We visited Copper Canyon, a lake, and a waterfall in the mountains, and spent some time shopping in touristy Creel.

In Chihuahua we explored the city downtown and hung out with Key Zue's friends, who quickly became our friends, too.

The long drive was definately worth it!

Winter Fun!

2007-02-27T14:51:00.000-05:00

We've had some terrific weather lately! Earlier this week we built the beautiful snowman (snow-woman?) you see here on the left.

The fun wasn't over yet, though--we followed up the snowman building with an enthusiastic snowball fight!

In between, we refreshed ourselves with cherry snow cones.

What a great afternoon!

Tourists in the Big City

2007-02-27T14:06:00.000-05:00

My room mates and I went to Toronto to celebrate Key Zu's birthday.

We visited Kensington Market, where we explored interesting shops and sidewalk stands. We bought souvenier T-shirts, browsed through ethnic shops, took pictures of Chinese signs, and felt like tourists! It was lots of fun.

After wandering the snowy streets for a couple hours, we drove to the mall and spent some time there.

We ate supper at The Rainforest Cafe, and it was the first time I'd been there. It was a neat place--all decorated with plastic vines and drooping moss, real fish in large aquariums, and realistic elephants and gorillas that moved around and made noise. Oh yes, the food was good, too!

Julie Arnold, M.D.

2007-02-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

One skill my classmates and I learned this semester was how to give an injection. We even got to practice on each other! Key Zu was my victim. :)

We also learned how to take a patient's blood pressure.

The Season of Parades and Pageants!

2006-12-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome to December!! It's the month of Christmas, and Christmas holidays, and huge fluffy snowflakes, and candy canes, and Christmas carols, and Santa Claus parades, and twinkling lights, and Sunday School concerts.

We have had very little snow so far (just a few flakes on a few days), and I was very excited when the coming of December seemed to also be the coming of the snow. We have a thin layer now, and more swirls around in the air, settling on tree branches and winter coats. Yes, it's beginning to feel like winter.

On Saturday, my roommates and I walked into Durham to watch the local Santa Claus Parade. We found quite a few of our classmates standing on a street corner, so joined them for the festivities. There were fire trucks, church floats (Durham Baptist is my church!), horses, and even a Red Green float! And, of course, Santa himself.

Various people handed out candy canes, and Tim Horton's distributed free hot chocolate. Yay for Tim Horton's!!

On Sunday, I got to take part in a Christmas drama. My classmates, Roland and Jinni Shafer, and their son R.J. and I put on a play as part of a church Christmas pageant. It was very fun!

In a nutshell: a homeless bag lady teaches a king, shepherd, and an angel about the details and significance of the Christmas story. We get to do the play two more times at other churches next week, on the 10th (Durham Baptist in the morning and Mt. Forest in the evening). Those of you in the area are invited to come out and watch if you want to!

With all these Christmas activities, I'm eagerly looking forward to going home...13 more days!!

I'm Learning Spanish!

2006-11-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

Just over a week ago, I finished a course on how to learn a language and a culture. We were taught different techniques to help us do this when the time comes. Now the time has come!

My class started a six-week Culture and Language practicum last week. We were matched up with people on staff or in the community who speak another language, and now we get to practice the techniques we have been learning in class.

I am working with two of my classmates, Todd and Patty, and we are learning Spanish. Our language helper is Cynthia. She was a missionary in Bolivia and is now working here in the NTMC office.

Every week day, we meet with Cynthia for two hours to practice our language-learning techniques. So far we have been focusing mostly on comprehension--we ask her the word for several objects; she tells us; then she asks us where each object is; and we point it out. We don't necessarily know how to say the names of all the objects, but we can recognize them when we hear them. Although the focus is on comprehension, not speaking, there are some things we've learned how to say: "What do you call this?" "What is he/she/it doing?" "Say it again, please." We get lots of practice on those phrases!

After our daily sessions with Cynthia, we go home and practice the things we've learned. We record her saying words and phrases, which we can review at home. Also, we've all been learning how to use a software program developed for filing this type of data. Every day, we file the information we've gathered in our session.

It keeps us busy, but I'm really excited about it. Well, I'm not so much excited about the filing, or even the practicing...but I'm excited about learning Spanish!

Construction 101

2006-09-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

For Practical Training Class, I am on the construction crew. We are working on building a new duplex for more staff housing. I've never seen a house get built before, never mine helped with it (Jungle Camp excluded!), so I'm enjoying watching it come together. Here's a couple pictures of me and part of the crew. On the left we have me and
my nailing buddy Erin, and on the right is a few of us lifting a basement wall. I'm on the left, with the orange hat. Don't we look professional? :)

A Visit From My Family

2006-09-16T15:49:00.000-05:00

Two weeks after I arrived back in Durham, my parents came down to visit, bringing along two of my brothers, Jon and Bud. They dropped in to say hello and goodbye one day, and then dropped Jon off at the Toronto airport to fly to New Zealand. He's spending this semester there, as part of his co-op program. My parents and Bud returned a few days later and stayed from August 31 to September 3.

We decided to do something fun on the Saturday they were here. Unfortunately for our hiking and/or beach plans, it rained most of the day. However, in typical family fashion we decided not to let the weather put a damper on our plans! We took a scenic drive and visited two waterfalls in the area, as well as a couple of touristy shops. We didn't hike long at each waterfall, but stayed long enough to take some pictures and give Bud's new umbrella some use.

My family came to class while they were here, and Bud played soccer with my classmates and was recruited to help out a little with a construction project. It was fun to have them around for a few days.

Then came the time to accomplish the real purpose for which they had come: to drop Bud off at the University of Waterloo, where he's beginning a math/chartered accountancy program. The three of us drove him down and settled him in to his dorm. His roommate seems really nice, so we all felt good about that. Here are some pictures of us at Bud's residence: me and him outside, and him and the parents sitting on his bed.

A New House and a New Roommate

2006-08-29T18:52:00.000-05:00

Between my first and second year of the training, I moved from my old apartment (with no running water) to a new apartment (with running water!).

This new apartment is part of a one-year-old fourplex located right next to the new second year classroom and lounge. It is large, spacious, and has one and a half bathrooms!

It has four bedrooms upstairs, and so there are four of us girls living in it. Melissa and Amanda, who were my roommates last year, Key Zu, and I share it.

Key Zu was my next-door neighbour last year, and she's a good friend. She's from Mexico, and has agreed to teach me some Spanish this year!

The Rest of the Summer

2006-08-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

After Jungle Camp, my class stayed around for a few days to help clean things up around the campus and do some last-minute things. On July 19 I headed home to Thunder Bay for a month of holidays.

While at home, I spent three and half weeks at Round Lake Bible Camp. I worked in the kitchen for the three weeks of boys' camp.

When camp was over, I had a week to hang out with my family. My brother Jon came home from Waterloo, and for a while all six of us were home together. That was really nice. I also got to speak in church about what I've been doing and what I will be doing, and show a lot of Jungle Camp pictures. It was good to reconnect with people there, even if it was short. I also got to see some friends from high school/youth group, too, which was lots of fun.

Now I'm back in Durham again, ready for the next year (at least, I think I'm ready!). I start off with a week of Practical Training Class (doing various work/maintenance projects around campus), and then next week our regular classroom classes start.

Jungle Camp: I did it!

2006-07-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

After spending two weeks building our houses in the bush, my classmates and I moved into our new homes. We spent the next four weeks living in our plastic houses, cooking on our clay stoves, cutting firewood, doing some studying, and enjoying each other's company.

Here's a picture of the outside of my house. We used second-hand greenhouse plastic for the roof, and then thinner plastic for the walls: both clear and black plastic. We also used a lot of screening and so had many "windows." Our ridgepole is 14' high off the ground, to accommodate our loft.

This is what our house looked like inside. These two pictures were taken looking down off the loft, showing our living area and our kitchen. The couch had foam cushions and was actually very comfortable. The bench by the table was only covered with cardboard and cloth. It was not uncomfortable, but the couch was nicer. :)

We had running water in our sink, as we were connected to a network of hoses coming out of the water truck. It returned regularly to the main campus to fill up.

Now, about our stove: The firebox is in the front, and has a metal stove top above it. On the left side (as you view it) is our hot water tank. We'd fill it up with water, let it heat up, and then turn the faucet at the bottom of the tank to get our hot water. On the right side at the back is our oven. The oven was a five gallon metal bucket on its side, with a rack in it. We had an oven thermometer to keep track of the heat. We usually had no problem getting it up to 350 or 400 degrees; sometimes it would shoot up to 500 and we'd have to leave the oven door off so the food wouldn't burn!

Melissa and I slept in the loft, on our airmattresses. Amanada had a bedroom underneath the loft. Also underneath the loft we had a pantry and a shower. Our shower bucket was on a pulley, and so could be hoisted up near the peak of our roof, above the door. You can see the bucket through our wall in the top picture of this write-up. It's yellow. We had a garden hose running from the bottom of the bucket down underneath the loft to our shower stall, where it ended in a sprinkler head for a garden hose. That served as our shower head. It actually worked very well.

While in Jungle Camp, we spent a lot of time just living: cutting firewood, keeping the fire going, cooking, cleaning up, walking to and from the outhouse... We also did some independent studying, had a few classes, and had lots of free time to socialize and have fun.

There were stretching times and there was plenty of work, particularly in the building of it all, but it was definately a great experience. It was lots of fun and it's really exciting for me to look back at what my roommates, my class, and I were able to accomplish.

So, if anyone needs a plastic/pole/duct tape house built, I know 26 people who have had experience... :)

Jungle Camp: I Can Build A House!

2006-06-11T19:59:00.000-05:00

We have just completed Week One of our Jungle Camp house-building time: one more week to go! My roommates and I have been working hard all week to build what will be our home for four weeks.

We started on Monday, by digging post holes and setting up the main supports for our home. We also started work on the loft, which will sleep one roommate, Melissa, and me. On Tuesday, we finished the loft, taping sturdy poles across our framework poles. Don't worry; it's perfectly sturdy--we had six of us up there on Wednesday when we put our plastic roof up! :) On Thursday and Friday we did a lot of work on the stove, which is made out of half a 45 gallon drum, a smaller drum (13 gallons?), and two metal buckets to serve as a water heater and an oven. This contraption is set in a wooden frame packed with dirt, and then is all covered over with clay. We also dug a shower pit and filled it with rocks for drainage purposes. We built a kitchen counter and dug three holes underneath it to house three metal pails, which will be our ground-cooled refrigerators. On Saturday we worked more on the stove, my roommate Amanda set up her bed (she will sleep under the loft), Melissa dug us a slop pit (to dispose of our greywater), and we got our very first window (or should I call it a wall?) hung!

Sunday provided a much-needed day of rest.

I am astounded as how quickly our house is coming along and at how well it's coming together. None of us girls really know how to build a house, and yet it's working! Who knew we were so skilled?!? :) Seriously, it's going really well. I'm learning a lot about sawing and notching wood, working with clay, and how to tie wood securely. Perhaps more than that, I'm learning the importance of encouragement, teamwork, and valuing people.

At camp, we've talked about working as a team, completing the task, and caring for the individual. These three values are huge in Jungle Camp building! I thank God that my roommates and I are working so well together, getting along so well, and having fun even though the work is hard and the hours are long. Please pray that we would continue in love and unity, and that the entire Jungle Camp experience would be a time when we are in tune with God and consciously leaning on Him. Thank you!

Jungle Camp

2006-06-11T19:45:00.000-05:00

Jungle Camp is a really neat part of the missions training program. The entire first year class (26 of us, plus children) takes part in this exercise that simulates some of the planning, preparation, isolation, challenges, and just plain hard work that are part of missionary life.

Jungle Camp is a six-week long class that began June 5th and concludes July 15th. We begin with two weeks of building, in which we are responsible to construct temporary dwellings in the bush. This takes place on the New Tribes Mission property. We use poles, plastic, duct tape, staples, and twine as our primary resources. Each family builds their own houses, and the singles work together in groups. My two roommates and I are building a house together. All the houses are located near each other, so we form our own little community out in the woods.

After the two weeks of building our houses, we move up into our new homes and live there for four weeks--that's right, an entire month! We have one day to move up. On that day, we haul up all our food, clothing, bedding, kitchen utensils, and everything else we think we'll need for the next month. We carry this all up on foot. Once we've moved up, we are not permitted to come back down to the main campus or go out into civilization. We are to cook our food on our homemade stoves, wash our clothes by hand (or in homemade washing machines), and entertain ourselves without computers, PlayStations, or TVs. It should be a lot of fun!

Stay tuned for further information, updates, and (hopefully) photos of our progress.

What am I doing in Durham?

2006-06-11T19:38:00.000-05:00

I'm here in Durham, ON, as a student at the New Tribes Mission of Canada Missions Institute. Here I am taking classes in order to prepare for a life of missionary service in remote and isolated settings.

I am nearly finished the first year of training. I studied such things as animism (traditional tribal religions), cross-cultural communication, teamwork, family relationships, and how to teach the Bible chronologically. It's been a really good year for me, and I've learned a lot, both in and out of the classroom.

I have one more year of training with New Tribes, and then I plan to move forward in the process of going to a needy tribal area. The ultimate goal, of course, is to learn the language and culture of the people well enough to teach them the truth of God's word and see them come to faith in Him, and then help the believers grow into a strong and healthy church.

I do not yet know which country I'll be working in one day, or with which people group. Feel free to pray with me that God would lead and direct me, in His time.

Welcome to my new Blog!

2006-06-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

Hey, everyone!

This blog site is something that I've started in order to have a convenient way to communicate with family, friends, supporters, and others who are interested in what I'm doing. The idea is that I can update this page regularly and you can check it whenever you want, in order to see what's going on in my life.

This is pretty new to me, so it'll have to start off pretty simply, but I think it has potential to be good. We shall see! :)