After a week of outreach preparation, with lectures about different cultures, preparing material for outreach, and packing, our DTS went to Ottawa. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive. We stayed with various members from Grace Presbyterian Church, who showed us great hospitality. We would split into three teams (ArgenTEAMa, Mauritius and French Polynesia) during the day, and did all kinds of random things.
Things I Never Thought I'd Do, But Did in Ottawa:
- Lead a kids club.
- Lead another kids club (for a total of two times).
- Started conversations with random strangers on the street--and enjoy it!
- Double-Dutch skipping.
- Ate Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches that had been sitting in my backpack for some time.
- See actual artwork by M. C. Escher at the National Gallery of Canada.
- Wasn't scared of talking to homeless people.
- Handed out invitations to a church service, to students during exam week.
- Worshiped in public with a bunch of other Christians in the middle of a secular university.
- Lead a worship time with my team on Sunday morning.
- Ate a beaver tail.
As a team we also drew inspiring and happy things with chalk in a park, prayed with a Move-In group (more on that later), played Grounders on playground equipment, had a horrible time trying to find a Tim Horton's that actually had chairs, and toured the Parliament Buildings.
We spent a lot of time with the Move-In group. It's a bunch of people, in this case college-aged people, who move in to a poorer, rougher neighbourhood. Then they spend one night a week praying for their community, and just live their lives, build relationships, and show Jesus' love to the people who live around them. They really inspired me with their love for their neighbours, and their passion to reach out to them with the life and hope that Jesus offers.
This past week and a half was full, stretching and rewarding. I learned a lot, and was really impacted by all the people I met in Ottawa.
And now I'm back in Dunham. We have just enough time to do laundry and pack, because tomorrow I LEAVE FOR MAURITIUS!!!
I'm so excited!
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