Hannah enjoying her cup of Tim Horton's coffee! :)
After arriving, we had dinner with the Burgess family that evening and spent some time fellowshipping and getting to know each other. Tuesday, which was our first full day in Canada, we had the opportunity to participate in a memorial service. The service was for a resident of an assisted living facility where the Burgess family ministers. We were able to read some poems during the service and were very thankful for the opportunity to meet some very sweet people. The Burnside Community Baptist Church has its midweek prayer meeting on Tuesday evenings, and we greatly enjoyed getting to meet the members of this church. Pastor Burgess gave a powerful message concerning the works of the Holy Spirit and what our proper response should be to trials that we face in life. It was a great encouragement.
The memorial service
Wednesday was July 1st, which is Canada Day. We were able to attend a picnic where members of the Burgess’ church came together with 2 or 3 other churches that are also located on the island. We were able to meet some more very kind people and really enjoyed the time of fellowship and learning about the different ministries. We learned to play a great game called “Splat,” were able to participate in a wheelbarrow (Rebecca and I ALMOST won) and sack race, and played many other great games. There was lots of food and the weather was absolutely beautiful – it was a great day! We also had the chance to clean the church van for the Pastor, washing the outside and vacuuming out the inside.
Rebecca and Jen participating in the wheelbarrow race
Thursday, we had another opportunity to participate in a service at another assisted living facility. We were able to give a little bit of our testimonies and sang a few songs. It was a wonderful privilege to get to meet some of these elderly people and have a chance to try to encourage and minister to them. Later that day, the three of us and Chasity went to an outdoor market that they hold every Thursday in the town of Sydney. We walked around, looking at the different vendors and getting a greater idea of the culture here in Canada. We also had some amazing ice cream! That evening, Pastor Burgess took the four of us to a nearby public tennis court and we spent a few hours playing. We soon realized that we need a LOT of practice, but it was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed the outing.
Trying on some hats at the outdoor market in Sydney
Friday, we spent the day preparing for a sleepover being held for the teenage girls in the church. A woman in the church named Ms. Jean agreed to let us all crash at her house, and we had a wonderful evening together. We taught everyone to play Mafia and Psychiatrist, and they were both huge hits (though Hannah fooled everyone when she was the Mafia and killed of our entire town!) We also watched a movie and ate lots of popcorn. Everyone knows that no sleepover is complete without popcorn! The three of us also had opportunities to share our testimonies and what the Lord has been doing in our lives and what He is teaching us. It is our prayer that He can use some things we were able to talk about to encourage and be a help to these girls.
The three of us and the pastor's daughter, Chasity, on the way to the sleepover.
Saturday morning we slept in rather late, after being awake until close to 5 am the night before. We then all got ready and were able to spend some time going out in the community visiting. Many people were not home due to the Holiday weekend, but we were able to speak to some and had a few good prospects who said they may come out for a service at the church. We’re praying that the Lord will work in these people’s hearts and draw them unto Himself, multiplying far beyond our feeble efforts.
Sunday was a truly great day as we were able to participate in the service at the Burnside Community Baptist Church. We had the opportunity to meet several more of the church members who could not make it out to the prayer meeting on Tuesday evening. We were also able to sing a few songs during the service. Pastor Burgess brought another powerful and convicting message out of the book of I Peter 2, about walking in the Steps of Christ. He spoke about how we not only need to walk in Christ’s steps, but also need to leave Godly footprints through our lives, so that those who come behind us may have an example to follow. After the service, we went with the Burgess family and had a picnic near the ocean. It was a very pretty day, and after lunch we all went for a pleasant walk along the coast.
Our picnic!
Monday morning we will again board a ferry and return to America. Please pray that we would have safe traveling mercies and no issues aboard the ferry or coming back through American customs. We will be making a rather lengthy drive down to Anderson, CA – back to the Heritage Baptist Church, after a very early morning. We trust the Lord to continue to guide, lead, and protect us, as He has mercifully done all summer long. Also, please be in prayer for the Burnside Community Baptist Church and the Burgess family - that God would continue to bless their work, that they would see souls saved and the church strengthened. We’re so very thankful for the time that we have been able to spend in Canada and the things that the Lord has taught us during our stay here.
