These past two weeks have been pretty busy, and a ton of fun. I helped out with the summer camp that the church puts on. Hearing all week a language i cant understand was a pretty interesting experience... "bla bla bla Engels vrouwen!" meant "pass the ball english woman!" Many inspiring stories were created, from a prostitute coming to find peace while at the church with us all week, to the little kinderen who shone God's light in their homes by singing the songs we taught them (many were unchristians). I managed to convince my kids for a few days that my name was Frankenstein ("its a Canadian name!"), and met a lot of inspiring people, once again.
After the busyness of the last few weeks we finally have a chance to reflect, also on the changes ahead! For the most part we are very excited, a little uncertain, and ready to embrace whatever comes our way! Yet these last couple weeks are booked full with good bye dinners with family and close friends. Last night the whole family was together for a last time, perhaps in a year. For the next three evenings there are more good bye dinners... So the excitement is a little shadowed by reflecting on what we leave behind.
Yesterday was spent with an old friend on the beach!
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I make my home on the farthest sea, even there you are with me, your right hand holds me fast. -psalm 139:9
Beautiful blue skies
This past week some friends from Alberta came to visit! I was their tour guide for a couple days, as we enjoyed more beautiful weather.
The Netherlands and Canada are beautiful in their own unique way. Yet there are so many differences, not only in the landscape and the language, but the people are also quite different than Canadians. While I am in Canada I typically say proududly that I am Duth, but here I am forced to realize I am actually way more Canadian than I am Dutch! It is wonderful to be here and live a totally different world, expanding my horizons and views. At the same time, there truly is no place quite like home, where one can take off their shoes and relax, completely understanding what is going on around and being completely understood myself. It was really refreshing to spend time with these girls, not having to constantly translate languages and also being able to communicate on culturally at the same level! With that being said, I love my Dutch roots homeland more than I can say, and I think that while in Canada I proudly say that I have Dutch roots! Its nice to be taking a part of this place home to Canada as well through Maurits!
Yeah, this guy kinda forced me to drive his scooter home one day. Last time this happened a duck almost became road kill, but we are both still alive to tell the tale!
Boquet from my english class on our last day
Bouquet now just a week and a half until we are travelling back to Canada. We try to always look forward, and we are pretty excited about what the future will bring. Maurits is especially excited to begin, and is counting down the days! I am excited to begin a job I love, but terrified at the same time when all the little worries crowd in...what if Maus doesnt like his job...why is he stepping away from the job every young guy dreams of...will having no family in the fraser valley make things more difficult...how will friend groups shift after being away for so long and no longer being single...what if a bee stings us on the way to the airport and we swell up and have to go to the hospital and miss our flight while we are unconcious with needles all over us....aah yes I am sometimes a bit of a non-rational woman.
But life is quite the adventure, and even in irrational moments I know that God holds our future and He promises to make our path straight. Anyways, whatever happens we are still belonging to Him and that is most important! For now we try to be wise and follow Him, simply trusting.
And for my faithful followers in Smithers...see you in just two weeks!!
