Esperizzzzanza!

This past week at Esperanza was certainly unique. Even just getting there was an adventure. It started by leaving camp at 4:00 am in order to catch our ferry. From there we drove across Vancouver Island for hours to get to the other side and then catch another boat to get out to Esperanza.

We were expecting to roll up our sleeves and do lots of work - which is exactly what we did. The mornings were filled with classes that taught us about the Aboriginal culture, and how its different from our own. Then we spent about four hours each day doing whatever they needed us to. Some of the more prominent jobs were things like log splitting and trail blazing, which was excellent for everyone to get out and chop wood for hours on end (the guys' favourite), as well as cleaning, child care, sorting, and other odds and ends that needed to be done. I really enjoyed getting outside and being able to serve the people at Esperanza. We quickly adjusted to the frequent rainfall while we worked, and found ways to make it even more enjoyable. Our guys spent most of their free time in the wood shop where they made many different types of swords, knives, and creatures out of wood. It became a social hang out while at work.

During one of our classes, we participated in something called a "Talking Circle". This is something practiced by the Aboriginal people that we found we really liked. Traditionally, everyone sits in a circle, and the one person holds something from nature; a rock, stick, large leaf, etc. Whoever holds it gets to talk about whatever is on their heart. Everyone in the circle is silent and fully listens to them. Then, when they are completely finished, everyone waves their hands towards themselves in front of their face to say "your story is my story". Sharing with one another helped us express ourselves and grow closer as a group. Not only that, but it forced us to simply listen to each other, without throwing in our own comments right away. For me, this proved to be harder than I thought, but I came to realize that sometimes its far more important to listen than to speak.

Possibly the most meaningful part of my week however, was being present at a baptism. Our very own Laura Sawatzky made the decision to be baptized during this week. It was beautiful to listen to her life story and watch how God had been working in her life since day one, and eventually laid it on her heart to publicly proclaim her love for Him. The baptism took place in the beach at Esperanza, where we all gathered and watched as Sandy and Laura waded into the icy water, and she soon got baptized. The beach was full of tears and hugs, as Laura came back onto land a changed person. Following her baptism a group of us jumped off the 10 ft pier and into the ocean. As someone who lives in Manitoba, the very idea of going swimming outside in November is mind boggling. I kept thinking about how back home there had already been snow, and we were diving into the ocean.

I look back on my week at Esperanza and smile. Whether it was doing work for the camp, playing endless hours of Dutch Blitz, eating fresh caught prawns with our new friend Isaac, or learning about First Nations culture, we seemed to really bond as a group and in our ability to work together, regardless of the task or the weather. We were able to give the glory back to God as he gave us the abilities to do each task, and has been with us every single step of the way in our journey so far on Outtatown, and in every aspect of our lives.

-Laura Bernier