The first 4 days!

Wow, it’s only day 4 and, while I can’t speak for everyone on Outtatown, I know that for me it already feels like I’ve been here for so much longer. I feel that I’m well on my way to forming some amazing friendships. After leaving CMU, our parents and the comforts of home behind, we arrived at Bird River Bible Camp just in time for a delicious supper. (the meals that have followed have been just as wonderful) Later that evening we had A.N.C.H.E.R (Announcements. News. Concerns. Humour. Encouragement. Reflection.) which will happen every Sunday. The next day we had a few icebreaker-type-games and a mini-session with the leaders. In the evening we were blessed to hear Natalie’s life story.

Class with Wendy Peterson

On Tuesday we had a speaker come out, Wendy Peterson, who described herself as a pigmentaly challenged Metis. She took us through 4 amazing sessions about Indigenous people in all corners of the world. We were challenged to rethink the ideas and stereotypes we have about Aboriginal people. Personally, I found her lessons extremely refreshing; she spoke from a Western worldview and then from an Aboriginal worldview. The only knowledge of Aboriginal people that I have has come from what I learned in school. Most of the teachers I had stressed the negative things that Aboriginals experienced. While I can understand that it’s important to know the struggles these people have gone through, I felt that teachers often over-stress the negative and had nothing positive, no glimmer of hope, to offer concerning Indigenous people. While Wendy gave us the true, sometimes difficult, facts she also had so many positive stories to tell us. Over the years she has met many different aboriginal people and seen the positives that are so often overlooked. Because of that, she was able to show us the hope that there is within the Aboriginal communities and in the communities that Aboriginals, in turn, impact. She also gave us a look at the difference between a Western worldview, which is often seeing the material value of things, and an Aboriginal worldview, which is much more community and relationship based. I think that being able to get a glimpse into how Aboriginal people view the world helped us understand more about a people group that we don’t know as much about and shed a light on aspects of Indigenous culture that we can definitely learn from. At our last session with her we had a talking circle, where we all shared what we appreciated about her presentation. Many of us commented on how we were really impacted hearing positive stories that gave us hope that things are changing for aboriginal people. It may be a slow process but there is hope. One point she made that I found amazing was that there are a number of aboriginal people who are missionaries. Hearing her speak was such a blessing to our group.

On Tuesday night we had a night of worship and got to hear James’ life story. Afterwards we continued singing and I felt so blessed to hear all of our beautiful voices raised in song. I often connect with God through song so that was definitely a highlight.

These first four days have been incredible and I know I’m excited to see what God has in store for us this year, and I’m sure that many others feel the same way.

By: Kelsey Friesen (Edited by Elysha Roeper)