The Return of the Canada Geese

Spring Melt

Phil and I were taking a walk yesterday…the first in a while. The temperature was a balmy +2 Celsius and we were enjoying the exercise, fresh air and the many signs of the onset of spring here in Manitoba (big puddles, water running in the side ditches, a few birds singing and lots of shining sun).

Family visit in France!

I actually haven’t blogged in the past few weeks, the main reason being that Phil and I have been traveling a lot (Phil returned from Zimbabwe, we then met up in Europe and ended up in Turkey attending a global TeachBeyond conference). It is not that I wouldn’t have had a lot to write about, but my mind was struggling to process all the impressions and the experiences we were having.

The Bulawayo Dump (Zimbabwe) with OSWW 

Phil went from an intense 2 weeks in Zimbabwe with his team from “Open Schools Worldwide”, connecting with the immense and overwhelming needs of the marginalized children of Africa, to us meeting up in Europe and being refreshed and spoiled in the beautiful Swiss alps with great friends, spending some time with my family in France, sharing a Sunday service at our church G5, then going to a TeachBeyond conference in Turkey…..so many places, friends, needs, hurts, joys, disparity, challenges, …

You can imagine when Phil, Alex and I boarded 2 different planes out of Turkey to make the long trip home to Manitoba our minds and hearts felt like they were running to catch up with us.  Is this good?  In many ways probably not, but I do believe that God has given Phil and I a role to be bridges, connecting people from one culture to another and one kind of world to another. Phil has felt strongly lately that he is to be “a voice for the voiceless”. 

These verses in Proverbs 31: 8,9 have particularly challenged him.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice”

This has got to involve some culture shock, and at times extreme almost paradoxical situations.

The Canada geese have been returning here to Manitoba. Watching them fly up above to settle for the summer brings a smile to my face. These strong, majestic birds are meant for a life of migration.  They adapt easily to new environments by settling somewhere for a couple of months, then picking up, flying up to 2000 km a day and returning to their “other home”.  I can somehow relate, and what brings me peace is knowing that for some of us this is what is meant to be, what God created us for.  No matter what we have experienced along the way there is always a coming back home…..wherever that home might be for the moment.