Home to Our Winter Wonderland

Well at 12:35 we touched down at our final destination...HOME!

The take off from Toronto was delayed and then the time it took to de-ice the plane was pretty long too. The de-icer was this neon green goo! I thought that part was on of my highlights of the trip home. Well, perhaps it was second to the pat down at security!

I had the window seat again, only this time i was stuck with two large people blocking me from the bathroom. I realized that there is no real prime seat on a plane. If you are in the aisle seat you have quick access to the bathroom... but you get bumped as people pass you and can't stick your one leg farther then your seat or it gets hit by the snack cart. Then, if you are smack in the middle seat you loose all personal space and have to fight both people for the arm rests! That seat is a lose-lose situation. Yet if you sit in the window seat you have a view and a head rest but you lose at the exit plan when you need the washroom... soooo really, your screwed .
But, at least its faster then a bus!

I caught a glimpse of a few empty seats that were together near the back of the plane on my trip to the washroom and decided to move to one. This gave me more space and felt soooooo much more comfortable.

This flight had the most turbulence of all our flights. I thought for sure we had been just really lucky.... and then we shook.. I truly get a bit more nervous then I even expect when this happens. Luckly, about half way through the trip Louise lent me her ipod and I listened to some great worship music and calmed down enough to rest my eyes.

So we got to the airport after the longest 4 hour ride of my life. We made it but a lot of our luggage did not. That's right! About 5 of our bins were left at Toronto and were expected in at about 7pm. Well, Melanie was kind enough to offer to come back and retreave the bags at the later time.

I got a ride from the airport with Pastor Coreen (who was also my awesome roomie), her husband Dave and Louise. We drove to Spruce Grove Alliance Church where my car had been left parked. I was ready to go home!

This trip has been amazing.... minus the cough I have, minus the bug bites I am still scratching and minus the sleep i have been missing. However, the seeds sown in those children, teachers and in us, the friendships and the beach were all worth it!

Thank you for your prayers and support!
If you would like information about Seeds International please go to : www.seeds.org

Pastor Coreen will be taking a SEEDS team down in 2012, if you are interested in going with the SGAC team please email her at : coreen.frey@sgac.net

love Grace!

On The Road Again...

Well, here we are at the Pearson Airport in Toronto. We came in from Antigua last night at 10:20pm and waited for our shuttle to the Best Western Hotel. While waiting for the shuttle we were blessed to spend a little more time just being with eachother.

We finally got to the hotel at 11pm. The beds and pillows there were fantastic, we'd all agree!
Louise and I had asked the front desk for a 630am wake up call but never recieved it. Thanks to my bladder though we woke up 30 minutes before we had to leave. We may not smell fantastic but we are rested!

We are off to Edmonton this morning at 10am. The group has made it most successfully through security and we are just enjoying the traditional Canadian coffee and breakfast from Tim Horton's.

As we are all awaiting the end of the trip I know that a part of us doesn't want this experience to end. God changes us if we allow it and let him take on the hardships; times when we run out of patience and forgiveness. I know that the revelation I wanted is just starting to appear as we are coming home. Some want a big BANG change, others needed of assurance that they can still make a difference. I know that whatever changes were made in us were not of our own doing and that God is continuing to shape us throughout life wherever we are. Life IS a missions trip. Our MISSION is to LOVE. Sounds easy hey! Well, i guess it depends on your definition of love. The Bible says that this is love:

"Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but delights in the truth. It always protects, always trusts always hopes always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

So can we be more patient and kind... will we endure when we are pressured by ignorance or hardships. Could we be more humble?...forgiving? generous? We can if we know who are source of strength is. I will take how the fact that i could improve on all of those characteristics

... oh we are leaving the airport, finish later!