WALL CLIMBING @ TERRA NOVA

UP AND RUNNING! EVERY SECOND TUESDAY NIGHT! (next on March 24th, 09)
6-730 ELEMENTARY AGE and 7:30-9 HIGH SCHOOL

There is nothing like the trust that is built when a youth climbs our
climbing wall.

Basically I am the person on the bottom holding them up. It's called
Belaying. You both have harnesses on and are attached by ropes and special
cables. It is very safe and belayers must be specially trained. To the
person climbing it can be a fear or a huge challenge but it is definitely
difficult either way. They need to trust too.
Trust you will keep them up and safe and it puts them in a very vulnerable
situation. When they make it to the top though it adds confidence in
themselves and in you for helping them to make it there. It is an amazing
teaching tool.

We will be having discussions afterwards for both elementary and high school
ages.
UPDATES SOON!

WHAT'S HAPPENING? HAPPY WINTER

Hey guys!

It's been a while since my last BLOG entry so there is lots to read!

GIRLS! What do you get when you sit several teenage girls around a table and allow them to voice their opinions? Lots of fun, a learning environment, pains in your stomach from laughing so hard...just to name a few. Girls group has been happening every second week steadily. The girls wouldn't miss it! We talk about the tough issues regarding faith and life. There is also time to just be together and share laughs and life experiences. Nearly every teenager attending goes to a different school so their stories are never the same and certainly never boring. We have recently been studying Jesus's parables and what makes Christianity so difficult to believe. Some teens find it difficult to believe because of the way they have been treated in the past and to others they need a great deal of encouragement before taking a step to believe. Regardless of where they are at, they they love coming and learning and asking more and more questions.

ReachOut has begun! It is going great with tons of new kids joining us. I must take some pictures! Last night we played several new games and had a great discussion. We meet together at ReachOut to discover new and inventive ways to help in our community and learn about each other and God. Someone even brought us cupcakes last night! It was a great night and I can't wait till the next one. Every second Wednesday night at Terra Nova!

Day Camp Summer 08!

Day Camps this summer were a big success. I worked alongside one
other full-time staff and a few others to make this an amazing summer
for all the children attending. We had new children each week and
some who returned each week for the whole summer. We did an array of
activities ranging from going to the pool, water games, sports, art,
cooking and much more. Much planning was required on our part as
staff. Everyday was filled so that they would never get bored and we
had special events each Friday afternoon called "Friday Afternoon
Specials". One Friday afternoon we had an "un-birthday" party for
everyone at camp. Another we enjoyed circus day and another we went
on vacation for a beach day. I think their all time favorite day was
pajama party day. On the last day of camp we had a big party with a
cake and other snack foods. Nine weeks we were open for business for
Day Camps. Many things to begin for Fall 08! I'll keep you posted.

3o HOUR FAMINE...SUCESS!

HEY EVERYONE! HUNGRY YET?

REACHOUT did it's annual 30 HOUR FAMINE. It's where we get all the kids together to do activities and learn a bit of what it is like to live without food for 30 hours. The teens collect donations which go to helping third world countries through WORLD VISION. On Friday night a world vision representative came in to talk about the good work that is being accomplished through the 30 hour famine. He also showed several videos to motivate and inform them about all the injustices being done to people all over the world. We later played games and had challenges for them to complete in teams. On Saturday we helped WEST ISLAND MISSION by collecting food door to door. The mission distributes food to people in the WEST ISLAND who are underprivileged and in serious need of help. We collected a FULL VAN LOAD. We later did a video recording in groups about being hungry and helping the needy. On Saturday night we ENDED THE FAST with lasagna, garlic bread and cake. WE HAD A BLAST! AND HELPED WHERE PEOPLE WERE IN NEED.

TO FEAR-OR NOT TO FEAR!?

That was the QUESTION at ReachOut last week when we had FEAR FACTOR NIGHT. We leaders put together a bunch of harmless yet very gross activities for the kids to do if they volunteered. It was gross...and believe it or not (you will if you work with youth) they LOVED it! It was one of our best ever events. It didn't slow done after the competitions either! We had a great discussion about our fears, prayer and God being there if you need Him. They were very receptive to talking about God and had a ton of questions and comments. Clean up was quite something!

This past Sunday we went with Reachout to give lunches out to the homeless. It was a beautiful day!!! We could have seriously walked around in shorts. We met up at Terra Nova to make lunches first. When we got onto the street it looked as though we would never find someone in need. My group wandered for almost 10 blocks down St. Catherine's street until we found the first person. All of a sudden there were too many. We had brought 4 large bags of lunches but didn't have nearly enough for all the need we saw. We had great conversations with some of them. One guy had just a game-boy to keep him amused all day long. It was a game from the 80's. He had found it in a trash can. He was explaining each component of the game as if it was the newest hottest thing on the market. We went along with it and must have spoken to him about his game for about ten minutes. It sure made his day though, that someone would bother to stop and talk with him. Another man took the lunch and then pointed us towards another group of street people. He asked us twice before we left if we would go to them. He seemed to have great concern for two friends in particular. "It's a really different look on the world you know?" said one of the teens with us. Another said she only wished we had enough for all of them. I believe that God worked to soften these kid's hearts today and teach them that we should love everyone. Even those who are dirty, maybe addicted or drunk and alone.

Be blessed today, Laura

Girls group started this past week with 7 girls. We talked about trust, why
it is valuable and how much people lie in everyday life.
Did you know that a pretty recent study showed that only 70% of teenagers
value honesty? That is pretty disturbing to me. It was also disturbing to
the girls it turns out. They came to the conclusion that lying IS a part of
everyday life. The next day I got two phone calls saying how much our
discussion affected them the night before.
That at school they recognized the little lies or how they exaggerated the
truth probably regularly. The whole evening left them wishing next week-was
the next-day. I hope to be running Girls Group every week this Fall.

Until next time

Hey!
Well the weekend camping trip was amazing! Great weather and no
bugs! We arrived Friday, hung out and stargazed until it was very
late. The next day we went on a LONG hike around the lake, went
kayaking, swimming, had a campfire that lasted 2 hours and set up a
tent for the Saturday night. We were so cold! Everyone was awake by 7
am and needed to go inside. We did more kayaking and hiking the next
day. In between these times we had Bible studies and meaningful
discussions. For one, we needed to spend some time alone in the woods
and write about what you see, think and smell. They said some pretty
amazing things. We even had one of our discussions out in the middle
of the lake! We became very open and honest with each other. We
talked about listening to God, nature, and God's creation, and being
there for one another. Our relationships with each-other grew
stronger and new ideas and a greater understanding of who God is came out.
When it came time to leave, nobody wanted to. We
hung around until the last possible second. Oh and there were the
embarassing moments too, of course! We laughed the entire weekend!

Here's a look about what they said out in nature: (COMMING SOON)


God bless!

Food for thought:
I got to thinking this week of how fortunate we all are here in
comfortable Canada. I know, it sounds like a random thing to be
thinking about. I went to the doctor the other day. I needed
medication. Do I ever stop and think hey, not everyone in the world
has that luxury? That hey, someone could die because of what I had
and here in Canada I take a few pills and am fine three days later.
Take for granted that I come home to a warm bed to sleep in and a
family who in general are really healthy. I can even say that last
weekend I spent time at a camp ground. Hanging out with friends and
enjoying the view. For too many, children need to support their
younger siblings and never get to enjoy life. I say all this not to
make you feel guilty, but rather to cause you to think about what God
has blessed you with and our responsibility to others in need. At
Terra Nova later this month we are having the 30 Hour Famine, where
we will raise money to help many in need though World Vision. I think
this is an awesome way or recognizing that we are fortunate, but not
to take it for granted. There are so many ways to help if we tried. I
am taking some girls from Girls Group Camping next weekend as well
and hope to discuss some of this stuff with them and to remind them
of the beauty of God's creation.

Be blessed today.

Well, I sure had an interesting Saturday! I took the group downtown to feed the homeless. We got together at Terra Nova to make bags filled with a sandwich, a juice and a granola bar. In total we made over 60 lunches. It was such a beautiful day! We couldn't have asked for better. I really was hoping and praying that we would be able to find enough people to give sandwiches to! We started by talking about loving and serving others and some ways to approach homeless people. Another YFC worker named Ron was a good help with that because of his years of experiance working with street people. Then we went into a small coffee shop that runs for street people on St. Catherines near Atwater. We talked a bit to those who run it and learned a bit about why they do the work they do. Then we started walking down St. Catherines. We nearly immediately came across a group of street people in a park nearby. One man was talking about his drug addiction, while another asked us what religon we were with. One man we ran across in the late afternoon talked to us for nearly an hour. He was just so, so happy that someone was going to listen to him. His wife had kicked him out due to his excessive drinking. It was an eye opener for these girls. They heard and experienced a bit of what these people had lived. One man, a young man, explained that he found out he has bone cancer. He wasn't drinking or high. Just happy to see a friendly face. He explained how when dealing with this disease, it is easier in the warmer weather. Then he thanked God for the sunshine. We walked away from him silently, feeling compassion for him. When we ended around 4:30, we had been walking for nearly 2.5 hours, but could have easily continued. As tired as they were the girls wanted to give out just a few more sandwiches. Ron took about 10 to give to the homeless in his neighbourhood, and the rest were gone. When walking back to the car we spotted two homeless teenagers. One of the girls stopped and nearly cried. "I wish we had more to give them!" They all agreed they would love to do it again. Besides helping out and learning a bundle, we had a great time together.