The Next Steps

General Orientation Oct. 2015

I sit here in my hotel in Toronto with mixed feelings! Over joyed at the fact that I finally got my visa! And with some sorrow as well, as it becomes more real that I am actually leaving Canada.

Nice streets in Down Town Lancaster PA

When I was in Toronto two weeks ago I was not able to get my visa but with the help of many people we figured out everything we needed to do. And I left the whole situation in God's hands as I headed down to Akron PA for my general orientation with many other MCCers.  Some were just starting their journey with MCC and others had been with MCC for years. Some where staying in North America to keep working from the offices to support local programming and others, like myself, were getting ready to go off and serve in other countries.

Orientation was great.  A lot of it was a repeat for me as I had just done orientation last year with SALT.  There were some different things, and I of course the people help shape how orientation can go. Which did make it go differently too! I got to know fellow co-workers from the Saskatchewan office and that was a great joy! Along with many others who were heading across the world!

 Nice streets in down town Lancaster PA

Please pray for those who are all on their way to their new placements; for safe travels and that they can feel at home quickly in their new roles.

Tomorrow I fly out of Toronto to Paris! Where I have a 12 hour lay over! I am still trying to debate if I will feel up to actually going out.  It would be great to go and try and see things but I am also a little scared to do it by myself. I have heard mixed things about Paris, well mostly the people. So not sure what I am going to do. But I will let you know how it goes and what I decide to do! :) After that I fly to Johannesburg for a few hours where I will have coffee with Pros! And shortly after will head to Pietermaritzburg (PMB) where I will try to get a good-nights rest.

Got my VISA excited face!

I am not sure what my time looks like after that. Like if I am going out to Lily of the Valley right away or if I will be in PMB for a few days. Again I will let you know how things go!

Until next time... check out Lily of the Valley's new and improved website! http://lov.org.za

Until Next Time Canada

Selfie time with Jake

Selfie time with Tay

The last few months were so great and I will cherish them dearly as I continue to reflect and remember the moments I got to share with my dear family and friends. 

I hope you know how much it meant to me to be able to spend that quality time with you whether it was sitting in the couch watching 'Dancing with the Stars', jumping on a bunch of trampolines crashing into each other, seeing you get ready for your big day, sharing a cup of coffee or a meal, going for a walk in the valley, sitting around a camp fire, going to some kind of sporting event or sharing stories of our past year.

I am truly going to miss each one of you! Remember that I am so looking forward to hearing from you! I would love it even if it's just a 'Hello!' Or 'Guess what! I am pregnant!' ;) haha, just kidding!

Selfie time with Hay

Selfie time with Katie

Since I have left home I have been a tourist of Toronto and now I am resident at the MCC Welcoming Place. Where MCCers from all over the world come to gather and learn more about MCC and all the good things that will and has happened in the organization.

My time in Toronto was a combination of good and frustrating! I got to the South Africa Consulate on Wednesday morning praying things would work out and I would get my VISA. But someone had different plans and choose to make me squirm and be frustrated! I have been trying to be understanding but there really was a few hours after I left the consulate where I was ready to just throw in the towel and go back to Saskatoon. I had posted on Facebook how things were going and asked people to pray as I struggled with what to do next. And I could feel your prayers working, so thank you! I was given peace and got things figured out over time.

Gotta love laughing with these two!

For those of you who don't know I didn't get my VISA, as the consulate asked me to get a vulnerable sector check done by finger prints. I had one done but the search was done by name and birth date. Which was not good enough for them. So after a few hours of calling around (done by Susan Reynar in the MCC Winnipeg office) and running around the city (done by me in Toronto), Susan found one place that has seemed to meet the requirements that would allow me (a Saskatchewanite) to get my prints and search them in Ontario. God has been good, even if things have been frustrating, I know it is him working through all these situations because he was the one who asked me to go and serve him and the people and kids of South Africa.

Jumping at the Apex

While I was in Toronto I also got to see Lydia (a SALTer in South Africa with me) which was so good to see her and have a familiar face in all the confusion and wondering. The evening I got together with her was the night the Toronto Blue Jays were in game five in Toronto! We decided to go and sit at a pub down town to watch the game and be part of the crowd and then joy the atmosphere of fans cheering for their team! It was so fun and nice to be a distraction. It was so good to see you Lydia! Thanks for being a listening ear!

Flames games!

Early this morning I used Uber taxi for the first time to get to the airport and headed to Philadelphia to get picked up and go to Akron. A gentleman named Don picked me up from the airport and we had a nice long talk about things and life. 

Now I am just spending time in Akron waiting for orientation to start. This evening, specifically, I am at the Ten Thousand Villages Cafe listening to Daryl Snider as sit and reflect on my time. 

Some of the words from one of his song was:

'Let the worries fear themselves,

There is nothing more real than the now'

Until next time... 'Let the worries fear themselves, there is nothing more real than right now'