Hitting the ground running

We are back!!!
We hit Canadian soil just over 2 weeks ago. First, to Winnipeg where we took part in the Outtatown grad ceremonies (i gave the final challenge to the grads). What a huge transition these days are for our students - from living simply out of back packs, working with and serving people, and having made the most amazing friends to returning home to the pressures and consumerism of North America, and returning to people that expect them not to have changed - who expect them to fit back into the mold that they left...

Following grad we had an great week debriefing and having some good hang time with our staff. One of the great benefits of this job is the opportunity to collect such incredible people into our lives! I think the goodbyes at the end of that week were harder than the goodbyes with our students.

And now... now we have made our return to PG. Leaving Winnipeg 8 days ago we flew into Edmonton to catch up with family and then arrived in PG this past Sunday and hit the ground running: 10:00 arrival, 11:00 church, 2:00 lunch with parents. Monday I started my job with Folklore Contracting - I am a project coordinator with them - pulling details together to make sure that planting contracts run well.

It is good to be back. We miss the people that we worked with, but it is time to reconnect with our world here. It is good to be back, I love our home here. I love the knowledge and stories I am able to bring back to Canada. I am looking forward to sharing good coffees catching up and discussing life with our people here !

3 hours to Leave Time

It is currently, 2:am here in Antigua. I've stopped to take a quick break from packing. Wow the time has flown by!!! It is hard to believe that we have been here for a little over 3 months already. This past week was our student debrief week. The students took time to share with each other what they have learned throughout the year - incredible stories / powerful time!
It was also Holy Week / 'Semana Santa'. Antigua has some of the world's largest celebrations of Easter in the world. So over this past weekend the streets were packed with the festivities. Here are some picture from Good Friday.
http://picasaweb.google.com/colintina/GoodFriday

Earlier today, all of our staff and students made it out of country... easier said than done sometimes! Hopefully, our next post will be from Winnipeg - there is the potential for some technicality problems with our passports. ..

upcoming...
Student graduation - I have to finish getting a speech together for this.
Staff debrief for a week
A quick visit to Edmonton
Then starting work in PG...

Homeward Stretch

We are back in Antigua!! The rush is over and Tina and I are able to take a little down time - we are loving it. Last week we finished our second amazing race (pictures here) which was great!! Now, all of our peoples are in their final week of debrief. A week to reflect on all that they have experienced in the Outtatown experience. It is always an amazing time of sharing stories, hearing how God has worked in lives, and of good friends encouraging one another before returning to Canada.
This morning I was able to take some great downtime. I went out with my camera and filled my memory card within an hour and a half it was a beautiful morning!!
here are some of the pictures that I took:
http://picasaweb.google.com/colintina/AntiguaMorning

Upcoming, It is Easter week / Passion Week / Semana Santa and here in Antigua is a huge deal - some of the largest celebrations in the world. Christ, his suffering and execution - the passion - is taken very seriously here! We were able to house the students close to or in Antigua - actually in 2 convents - so that students would have a chance to observe these celebrations!
And, next week - we all head for Winnipeg!!! So hard to believe that our time here is almost over. We are looking forward to heading home and connecting with everyone there, but we really treasure the time that we get to spend in this place!