BC Mission Trip 2011 - We've Arrived!

 

by Sue Chan Acuna on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 10:45pm

Sunday morning, 10:10 a.m.

We awoke in camp this morning and knew immediately why this part of the world is called "Misty Rivers."  A fog hung over the camp, but there was clearing for a few feet above the river.  By about 8:00 the fog had completely cleared, leaving us with a beautiful - though chilly - sunny morning.

Our trip went smoothly, without injury to any person OR vehicle.  We did get hung up at the border; for the first time every vehicle had to pull over and send the driver inside.  I got off easy and only had to hand over a stack of passports and wait while the customs lady checked them out.  Other leaders had to answer some unusual questions, like did we have proof that each kid has health insurance, and how were the kids going to support themselves while they were in Canada.  It was a minor inconvenience and was over within about 20 minutes.  After that, it was smooth sailing to Williams Lake.

Yesterday was another long day of travel, made more interesting by a sport I call Wildlife Spotting.  I didn't do well, spotting only 1 owl, 1 eagle, 1 bear, and 2 deer.  One van saw 2 moose (or "mooses," as I call them, just to irritate people), and when the first vans arrived in camp they spotted a moose calf across the river.  I'm waiting to see photos of that one.

Campfire

This morning we're off to church around 11, then after lunch we'll head to our respective villages to drum up enthusiasm for VBS tomorrow.  This is a great day for our veterans, as they re-connect with old friends.  It won't be long before they're toting kids on their backs or shoulders, and dodging bicycles and dogs running circles around them as they walk.  The "newbies" will be a little overwhelmed as they get their first look at reservation life, but the more outgoing of them will grow extra legs and heads as they offer their own backs and shoulders for transportation.

A few campers were not prepared for the extreme cold last night, so this morning we handed out a few extra blankets and gave some helpful advice (sleep in long pants and socks, tuck your nose inside your sleeping bag).  Hopefully they'll be warmer tonight - though it's only supposed to get down to 12 and not the 8 we had last night.  (That's Celsius, remember.)

Tomorrow is our first big day in the villages.  Please pray that we are adequately prepared for our lessons and that our sports camps are fun and injury-free.  But mostly pray that we can BE Jesus to everyone we meet.

BC Mission Trip 2011 - VBS, Day 1

by Sue Chan Acuna on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 10:46pm

Monday, 8:10 p.m.

I'm sitting at a picnic table in short sleeves, which tells you about the weather.  We've seen only one rain shower, but we've heard the end of the week could get nasty.  Pray for the clouds to go AROUND us rather than OVER us, please.  That's what happened yesterday, even though the wind came up and we were sure we were going to get wet!

As I write this, there's a card game being played by a mix of locals and team members at the adjacent picnic table.  Over in the grass a group of teens is batting a volleyball with some little local kids, and at the soccer net about 10 local kids are kicking a soccer ball with one of our teens.  There's another card game under the shelter, and at the campfire some teens are poking the fire and chatting with their young visitors.  Our mission to love the people here continues no matter where we are!
The Kitwanga team left about half an hour ago to make the 40-kilometer trip BACK to the village of Kitwanga to join the youth at a campfire.  We expect them back around 10.  They were pretty worn out when they got back this afternoon after leading VBS for almost 80 kids and following it up with soccer camp.  But most of them opted to return to spend more time with their Kitwanga friends.

Kitsegukla, British Columbia

In Kitsegukla we had 65 kids, ranging in age from 2 to 22.  My high school/college-aged team did an amazing job of leading, especially for the first day.  In fact, I have a skit committee working right now to polish up their presentation for tomorrow's lesson.  It's a wonderfully motivated group, though when it comes to songleading, they're a little lost without my son Matt leading the charge.

The Old Hazelton team has the smallest group and the shortest commute (about half a kilometer's walk into town), but because their village is so close to camp, they continue to minister to all the local kids who drop by.  Though the other teams are quick to reach out and make friends, the Old Town team still feels a sense of responsibility for "their" kiddos.

And the New Hazelton team, though they had only 25 kids today and also a short commute (maybe 8 km from camp), spends lots of time driving around the area and shuttling kids to their church.  Though the driving can be inconvenient, they have the unique opportunity of seeing where all the kids live, and meeting many of their family members, as well as lots of "car talk" time.

As we returned to camp after our first day and swapped stories, it was evident everyone was satisfied with how the first day went and can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.  Please pray that we will take the time to notice the quieter kids and find ways to draw them in and make them feel special.

BC VBS, Day 2 - Tooooooooooosday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 11:11pm

Tuesday, 8:40 p.m.

Sue and kids in their community

This morning I learned that one can UNzip a tent more quietly than one can zip it back up.  Driven from my sleeping bag by Mother Nature at 4:30, I stepped out of my tent - and had to stop to catch my breath.  The clouds above the eastern mountains were glowing a beautiful shade of pre-dawn pink.  A few birds sang, the river rushed and gurgled below the bank, and the temperature was surprisingly mild.  Tempted as I was to linger and wait for sunrise, I knew I couldn't function on only 5 hours of sleep, so I headed back to my very cozy bed (my air mattress is covered with a fleece mattress pad, a flannel sheet, an unzipped flannel sleeping bag, and a down throw) and managed to sleep for another 90 minutes.
I'd forgotten that a couple of the kids in our village gave me a new nickname last year: 

"Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!"  This year it's followed by, "You belong in the zooooooooooooooooo!"  Today it seemed like every time I sat still somebody stuck something on me.  By the end of the day I was wearing two strips of masking tape:  one said "lol" and had a smiley face, and the other said "Bob" (I have no idea why), and two adhesive gems (used for today's craft), one on my cheek and the other on my forehead.  At one point one of the boys said, "Hold my hat" and plopped his cap on my head.  It was all very amusing, especially when we returned to camp and I had to explain my tape and my gems.

Before dinner tonight Derwin asked for team members from each village to share how the day had gone.  Whereas yesterday's sharing had sounded mostly like, "I met a little girl named Anna; her favorite color is blue and her favorite animal is an eagle," today the stories were more about how the teens had found ways to discuss their faith.  Noah told about how he was giving a "shoulder back" (a ride on his shoulders, as opposed to a "piggy back"), when the little guy mentioned that his aunt had died.  He asked Noah if he'd ever known anyone who died, and Noah was able to share his own experience as well as his belief in Heaven.  I've asked everyone who has a good story to share it with me so I can share it with you.

The weather is still holding; today we had one short shower go through, but that was after a MUGGY day on the soccer field.  When the soccer players want to end camp early, you know it's pretty miserable.  Pastor Kahle's phone said it was only 22, but with the heat index it felt more like it was closer to 30.  (I've just discovered that my cell phone has a converter, so chatting in metric has gotten even easier!)

Derwin just took a large group of kids to the soccer field to practice for tomorrow night's annual Canada vs. U.S. match.  I believe the Americans have taken home the trophy the last 2 or 3 years, so the Canadians are out for revenge!  (Though most years the Canadian team ends up being a blend of both countries' players. . .)
The adult leaders who are new to this trip can't get over how energetic and enthusiastic our teens are, even after a busy day.  Their positive attitudes and willingness to help out with whatever, whenever, are inspiring to us all!

Please pray for stamina and patience tomorrow; Wednesday is usually the hardest day because the newness has worn off, and everyone is short on sleep.
Thanks for your prayers and your messages!

 

BC VBS, Day 3 - WINDSday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 9:16am

Thursday morning, 6:40 a.m.

One of the amazing things about this - and probably every - mission trip is watching how hard the kids can push themselves from their comfort zones.  Take Alex for example, who is very shy, very artistic - and very quiet.  So quiet, in fact, that at morning campfire on Tuesday another adult asked me if he was okay because he was keeping to himself.  Yesterday in our village, I saw him with one little boy on his back, and ANOTHER little boy up on his shoulders.  I called him "3-headed Alex."  At campfire last night he shared how the two boys had asked him to pick them both up at once, but he'd told them he didn't think he could.  They looked at each other, then at him, and said, "JESUS could do it!"  And, as it turned out, so could Alex.

Yesterday was another hot sticky afternoon - 26 degrees, but so humid it felt closer to 30.  (Are you looking the temps up yet?)  In the morning I'd given my team a pep talk, warning them that Wednesday is always a hard day, but if they kept saying positive things instead of mentioning how hot and tired they were, they'd feel better.  In the heat of the afternoon, Erika kept muttering one of our camp songs:  "I'm alive. . .awake. . .alert. . .enthusiastic. . ."  We were sitting on the bleachers in the hot sun watching soccer camp, and everyone was sticky and droopy.  But Erika - and the others - still hugged the kids or kicked the soccer ball around with no complaining.  I was so proud!

Sarah shared how she'd used an EvangiCube, which unfolds and refolds to show different pictures, to teach 6-year-old twins about Jesus.  One of them asked, "Does Jesus only love white people?"  "No," she said, "He loves everybody!"  "But I thought only white people went to Heaven," he said.  "Everybody who loves Jesus goes to Heaven," said Sarah.  And the little boy let out a cheer: "Woo-hoo!  I'M GOING TO HEAVEN!!"
Victoria spent time getting to know a local teen who was visiting our campsite.  After a game of Twenty Questions, the two girls - one from Northern BC and the other from Yuma - were surprised to see how much they had in common:  they both love Bruno Mars, Glee, and Ryan Reynolds, they both really like to sing, and they share a birthday!  Her new friend also thought she heard Victoria say she'd like to "buy" an Italian husband, which sent the two girls off into giggles.

Last night we thought we'd get rain, but the thunder showers went right around us (again).  However, the wind picked up, flattening a couple of tents and blowing over a few chairs.  It meant that even though we had a guest team from Oregon visiting us in the evening, we couldn't light the campfire.  Thankfully, the wind dropped by bedtime, so our rustling tarps didn't keep us awake.

I have to feel sorry for RV-ers who pull into this beautiful, remote campsite, only to see kids everywhere: playing soccer in the road and volleyball in the grass, playing cards and chatting at the picnic tables, sitting around the campfire singing and praying together.  They don't know that half of those kids will leave by 10 p.m. - and the rest of them are the cream of the crop of teenhood. I'd love to tell every one of them how these kids have given up ten days (or more) of their summer vacations in order to spend a week smelling like bug spray and woodsmoke, getting too little sleep, standing in line for meals, and scratching mosquito bites.  But each one of them is here because they have the heart to share their faith with others, in the hope of changing a life - and maybe someone's eternity.

Tonight we will host Family Night, which is when we invite people from all four villages to join us for dinner.  Please pray that our team members will make the guests feel welcome - and that the rain will go AROUND us again.

BC VBS, Day 4 - Thrillsday!

by Sue Chan Acuna on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 1:08pm

Friday, 8:45 a.m.

While there’s really no such thing as a “typical” day on this mission trip, yesterday stands out as a day of unusual events.

We awoke to a distinct threat of rain, but it didn’t really hit until after lunch, as teams headed out to their respective villages.  However, teams found that the farther out they went, the drier the roads were.  Everyone enjoyed a cooler-yet-rain-free day, especially on the soccer field.

Mid-afternoon, the team in Kitwanga learned that one of the higher chiefs had passed away.  They were told to wind things up and head out, and were warned they probably wouldn’t be able to return on Friday.  Tradition dictates that when an elder dies, everything in the village is promptly cancelled.  We were thankful that the villagers were still allowed to travel to our camp for Family Night, but they did arrive with confirmation that VBS was now officially ended.  The Kitwanga team said their good-byes last night and will spend today helping with some camp chores and planning a program for our closing campfire tonight.

Thursday night is traditionally Family Night.   Teams spend all week reminding VBS attendees to join us for a dinner of sloppy joes and hot dogs, accompanied by any potluck items that show up.  Last night was a challenge due to intermittent rain showers, but thankfully none were drenching enough to chase everyone under shelter.  The younger kids didn’t even seem to notice; jump ropes kept turning, and the volleyball, football, and soccer balls kept flying.  As we gathered at the campfire to sing God’s praises with our 200+ guests, the sun broke through and a rainbow arched over the campground.  Sometimes God speaks his approval very clearly!

Early in the week Derwin asked for 3 high school volunteers to give their testimonies at the Family Night campfire.  Each year this has a powerful impact on our guests, many of whom assume the Christian American kids lead charmed lives.  Last night three youth spoke about hardships in their lives - broken families, death of loved ones, and bad personal choices – and about how they saw God at work both during the tough times and in their lives today.  All three were in tears by the time they got to the end of their stories, as were many of us who heard them.

On a side note: in order to get from this area to the highway 5 kilometers away, we have to cross a one-lane bridge over Hagwilget Canyon (approx. 60 meters to the bottom).  All week, as we’ve traveled to and from our villages, we’ve passed a sign warning that the bridge would be closed daily beginning July 15 (Friday), from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with openings at the top of every hour.  As I pulled off the highway yesterday and headed for the bridge, I prayed, “O, Lord, please let their bridge repair be delayed.”  When we approached the sign, we saw it had been changed!  Work will now begin on Sunday morning, which will have a small impact on our departure, but nothing like it would have had on our daily trips to the villages.

So today we will close VBS and say our hard good-byes to our village friends.  While we all hope to return next year, we caution our teens NOT to make that promise, because we can’t predict the future.  There will be hugs and tears all around, and as we drive away, the tears will continue both inside and outside the vans.
Tomorrow about half the group will make a day trip to Hyder, Alaska, while the other half will hang out closer to camp (some will hike, some will go into town for a movie, some will just relax and nap).  Please pray for safe travel for the travelers and good rest for the stay-behinders.

BC VBS - The Wrap-Up

by Sue Chan Acuna on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 11:40am

Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.

As much as I'd like to write about Friday through Monday separately, I'm afraid it would get rather long.  I'll recap the highlights instead!

On Friday the Kitwanga team was visited by some of the kids from the village, and together they worked on the VBS craft.  Craft time is often the best time to have one-on-one conversations with the kids, and a good chance to talk about how much Jesus loves them.  The team members spent the rest of the day helping with projects around camp, and planning the program for the evening's campfire.

The rest of us headed to our communities for VBS as usual, but with a couple of differences:  for one, we had sad edges because it was our last day.  For another, we went bearing Goody Bags, which contained school supplies, small toys, toiletries, and faith-sharing items. (The kids who've attended VBS before know these are coming, so a few will show up only for the last day.)  It was hard to say good-bye, but thanks to Facebook, many of us will be able to keep in touch with our VBS friends.

Back in camp, Friday night's campfire was swelled by lots of visitors - almost as many guests as team members!  Planned by the Kitwanga team, the evening included lots of singing and plenty of time for sharing.  Several new team members were surprised by how much they had been affected by their time at VBS.  One said, "I knew the kids would cry when we left, but I didn't realize that WE would be crying, too!"  The veterans' experiences were understandably different; as one veteran shared, "This year it was about more than just having fun with the kids.  I found myself really looking for ways to make Jesus real to them."

On Saturday morning at 6, about half the camp (myself included) left for a day trip to Alaska.   Though there were only two fish (and no grizzlies) in Fish Creek, the waterfalls along the highway were spectacular, and the view of Salmon Glacier was breathtaking.  It meant another full day's driving right before our 2-day drive home, but it was well worth it because of the awesome scenery and the extra time spent with old and new friends.  Another group went on a hike up a nearby mountain - about 8 miles round trip, with a gain in altitude of at least a kilometer!  Team members who stayed behind relaxed in camp and helped disassemble the shelters we'd built earlier in the week.

Friday and Saturday also brought the beginning of breaking up the 2011 team as we said good-bye to our Canadian friends.  At our last campfire on Saturday, we all felt their absence as we sang almost every song we'd shared at VBS. Before going to bed, we removed the extra tarps from the tops of our tents.  The evening was clear - we'd been treated to a lovely sunset - so we thought we'd get them folded while they were dry, rather than wait til morning when they'd be wet with dew.

Imagine our surprise when we awoke at 5 a.m. to the sound of rain on our tents.  Thankfully, there was only a little leakage, and the rain actually served as a motivator to get out of camp as quickly as possible.  Our goal was to make it to the bridge in time for the 7 a.m. opening, and we were in line with all 8 vehicles by 6:50!  Sometimes God has funny ways of taking care of us. . .

Our last evening together was spent sharing pizza at Boston Pizza in Williams Lake, followed by an emotional time affirming one another.  Lori gave us all beads and invited us to give them to each other, along with words of appreciation or affection.  There wasn't nearly enough time for us to get to everyone!

After an easy border crossing, the vans arrived in Tacoma at different times on Monday evening, and everyone scattered to their respective homes.  Though we will never all be together in one place again (until Heaven), we'll always be united by our time together.  For one week we put our differences aside and shared a single mission: to bring hope to everyone we met by sharing how much Jesus loves them.  My revised version of Galatians 3:28 goes like so:
 "There is neither American nor Canadian, Arizonan nor Californian nor Washingtonian, neither male nor female, nor is there adult or teen, for we are all one in Christ Jesus."
May the lessons we learned about how easy it is to share Christ's love be lessons that stick with us forever.
Amen.