Vancouver Urban Plunge

Oct. 26 - Oct. 30

This plunge scared me, just a small town girl heading to the big city. For some reason I was under the impression that Winnipeg would be sunshine and rainbows compared to the big bad Vancouver, home of the poorest postal code in Canada. Home of the 2010 Olypmics. Home of rampant drugs, poverty and abuse. Home of the Ivanhoe, our ‘homely’ hostel for the week. But despite my fear God used this week to teach me copious amounts about myself, my strengths and where He is in the world.

Monday. Consisted of being on the streets for almost 10 hours. Our instructions: pack 4 bagged lunches (one for each member and then an extra for someone you meet along the way), get to know the neighbourhood (which consisted of the infamous East Hastings). In the evening somehow find a free meal in the city (yup, I said it.) There were plenty of different options for my group. Dumpster diving (this was my vote but the rest of the group was not as gung-ho as I), panhandling (now illegal in Vancouver), begging (I did not know if I could be humble enough for that). But alas, by the end of the night my group was well fed from the generosity of pizza places; a little bit of money scrounging; and strangers who were curious of the three Northface clad, nicely dressed teenagers hungry and cold on the side of the street.

Tuesday. Consisted of 50 loaves of banada bread, gallons of chili, two BIG containers of hot chocolate, profound conversations, sincere thankfulness and stereotypes being broken down. I was assigned to work at the chili wagon for the day. The chili wagon was started years back by an incredible guy named Gordie who saw a need and fed it, literally. We made all the food and trekked out into the neighbourhood of Commerical Drive where we spent the next few hours handing it out and meeting rad people. It was this night that I met three young guys who were on a journey of deliberate homelessness and fighting against the woes of pop culture and a man who used to own a construction company not 2 hours from my house. And I learned: anyone can become homenless. It isn’t confined to abusive parents, drug addictions or mental diseases as I previously thought.

Wednesday. Temple Tour. Islam Mosque, Sikh temple and a Buddhist temple had me floored at the diversity of religion in the world. Sidenote: did you know that Sikhs take a vow of hospitality so whenever you show up at their temple in need of a meal and a place to stay they will do so? We ate very, very well that day. That evening we did the Rose Prayer Walk. We were divided into separate groups and dispersed in groups of three around the city with a single rose in hand. Our goal was to pray for the duration of the walk for the sex trade that is just blooming in Vancouver and to hand our rose out to a prostitute. My rose went to a man named Redman. Not necessarily a prostitute but still a human in need of a little kindness and love. He had never received a rose before (just gave them he joked.)

Thursday. Incredible. Enough said, but I will elaborate. It was termed ‘Impact Vancouver” and our instructions were to do just that. Take what we have learned and saw and experienced from the previous few days and try and make a difference. Our group decided that if anything was going to change we needed to influence those who weren’t on the streets. We needed to get through to the numb suburbanites who are so used to begging that they do not even blink. We needed to get through to doctors and city council members and those who have the voice and influence. So we implemented the “Dare Signs”. We hocked some free cardboard from the dumpsters (so I got my fill of dumpster diving) and wrote dares on them. “We dare are you to try sleeping on this piece of cardboard tonight“, conveniently placed outside of a mattress store. “We dare you to buy an extra coffee for someone who can’t afford one”, placed outside multiple Starbucks. “We dare you to give today”. “A new shirt = 10 warm meals”. “We dare you; stop pretending they’re invisible. Poverty is here” also conveniently placed on the huge Olympic countdown clock. And so on… It was certainly interesting sitting back and watching people’s reactions. Disgust, humour, thought.

Overall, Vancouver taught me much. And despite Vancouver’s exterior impression on people, once you get into the streets and meet the people it ain’t that bad after all.

Patty

There was one unique experience during the week that stuck with me. A big part of both of our plunges has been talking to people, communicating in ways that we wouldn't usually communicate in.

Patty was an artist I met at Waves Coffee shop on the corner of Main St. and Pender. She came over fondly holding a few pieces of paper that she later revealed as her works of art, as her passions. They were photocopies of her pencil sketches that she was selling. Some may have seen them as childish pictures without much talent or skill whatsoever, and maybe that is what they were. But Patty was so incredibly proud of these creative masterpieces that I had to gain a new respect for them. She was selling them for change. Change to buy drugs. Drugs to numb the pain. No cover story from Patty, straight up honesty.. which was refreshing after a few days of being lied to for money. Her pain was broad. I have heard people talk about being able to see pain in someone's eyes and until Patty I had never understood that. Like I said, her pain was broad. And deep.

Patty awed me. She had so many struggles and so much abuse that the fact she had the courage to go around and sell her 'art' was mind blowing. She blessed me with her honesty, in her stories, her struggles, her victories, her current life, her sincere interest in our program. She taught me to break down my stereotypes of street people even further (which did not really seem possible, as I was under the impression I knew everything about street life). And she showed me that I am no better than her. I may not be addicted to heroin but I am addicted to materials. I may not numb my pain with alcohol but I do ignore it. I may not define myself by my addictions but I do define myself through facebook and my cell phone. Who am I to try to understand how one deals with pain that I can barely even comprehend let alone judge them for that? Who am I to advert my eyes to her poverty or ignore her because she smells? No one. God really put me in my place through Patty. She showed me there is a human behind behind the walls and grub and addictions. A human he cares for as equally as he cares for the human behind my brand name clothing and perfectly powered nose. God's love is vast. His love is great and unyielding. It is beyond measure and it was shown to me through someone like Patty

-Laura H

Girls Week / Guys Week

Oct. 13 - Oct. 18
Girls Week

Girls week was based on “where women dwell” either with other women, within themselves or with God. I learned that it’s important to only ever see yourself as “very good” because God wouldn’t create anything differently. A quote that stuck with me was “as you grow up you become more of what you already are.” We did an exercise where we cut things from magazines which we use to describe ourselves and then added how other people would describe us now. That was interesting, thinking of things people like about you and your personality.

We also put a paper up and filled it with things which get in the way of us being able to be comfortable in our own skin. It almost felt like once you realized everything that stops you from fully being yourself you can work on not making as big a deal out of them. You have to love yourself before you can love others.

We went through different views on sex, in the church, media, in our culture and in scripture. We talked about chastity and the three building blocks in female and male relationships: physical, emotional and spiritual. We finished our week talking about who we want to be, what we want to do and where we want to dwell within ourselves and with others. Overall it was a really good week. It was very fun to get to know Sharon (our speaker) and just spend time with other girls getting to know them even better.

-Caroline F


Guys Week

Guys week began as we pulled up to the Rundle Mountain Lodge in Canmore late Tuesday night after an exhausting 16 hour van ride across the prairies. After being put into rooms of 4 with 2 virtual strangers from the Guatemala site we finally got our first piece of good news to kick off guys week: no organized activity until 12:00, giving us a wonderful opportunity to sleep in after waking up at 4:00 a.m. the previous morning.

The next day we spent the afternoon doing a scavenger hunt around Canmore in our room groups. This included taking crazy pictures at a Halloween store, ordering coffee and getting pictures with the barista, and even one group dropping their pants for a photo shoot at the shooting range. This gave us a chance to get to know and make friends with our Guatemala site roomates as well as a chance to get to know the city we would be spending the next 5 days in. That night we were introduced to our speakers for the next few days. Blaine Rainer has been speaking at guys week for the entirety of its existence and brought a brash yet knowledgeable approach to our discussions. His assistant instructor Johnny Fukomoto is a past Outtatown leader who brought a relatable youthful approach to the discussions as well as a fun presence to our numerous activities.

Our second day we rented out a gymnasium in Banff and spent the day indulging in some competition. It started off with a fantastic floor hockey tournament won by team Fukomoto in a thrilling victory over the undefeated team Joost Asselberg in overtime. After this we headed back to the Rundle for supper and a poker tournament. This day provided exceptional bonding for the group and felt like it allowed us all to gain much more familiarity with each other which allowed for us to open up in later discussions. It also allowed for a much needed release of testosterone and a good bout of competition which was lacking in the 2:1 boys to girls ratio we had been in for the past month.

The third day we went running around in the forest and if that did not bring out the wild men in us then getting Jordan from the Guatemala site to eat 23 hot dogs for 25 bucks did. Our 4th day we drove into Calgary and first went swimming at a local rec centre, before we went to a Calgary Hitmen hockey game. I think all of us appreciated those two days because not only did it provide a great bonding experience it gave us a chance to relax and have some fun after the past few weeks of sessions we had had.

The final day of guys week we went into Banff national park and spent a good part of the day hiking. This gave us a chance to really see the beauty we had been surrounded with. That night we went to the hot springs in Banff but were never warned to bring our bathing suits. Apparently this was done on purpose so that we had to take advantage of the historic rental suits. These were tight suits that were very short shorts attached to a spandex undershirt of sorts all topped off by a skirt to add modesty to a certain area of the male physique. Interspersed throughout this week of fun were a few sessions that taught us about women and about our own sexuality. This included a session where we made a list of questions to ask the girls and then another where we answered the questions they hand made for us. It was amazing to see how much everyone opened up despite the fact that we had just met the Guatemala guys a few days before and even the rest of us had just known each other for a few weeks. It was a week filled with fun testosterone and deep conversation. All and all a great week.

-Lucas B.

Winnipeg to Banff - Ride Journal

Tuesday October 13. The day of a 16-hour odyssey stretching from Winnipeg to Banff. This is the record, compiled from the three site 2 vans, of our epic journey.

5:00 am - Roll into CMU… it’s -5 Celsius. Brrrr.
5:42 am - Lucas: “I don’t wanna be in here for 16 hours!”
5:45 am - Fill up on fuel and crank the heat.
6:30 am - Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
7:52 am - Timmies stop! Brandon, MB.
8:00 am - Sunrise!
8:52 am - Drive away without Kayla or Kevin. Oops.
9:35 am - Hello Saskatchewan!
9:39 am - Pee break.
9:52 am - Almost lost Kayla again. Oops.
10:26 am - Andrea becomes epileptic from claustrophobia.
11:02 am - Terrible customer service in attempt to acquire some socks will taint the girls’
view of Regina forever.
11:46 am - Aaron takes over van with his vampire music.
11:52 am - Aaron takes a little off-roading trip onto the rumble strips, but the van continues
to feel safe…
11:53 am - Eric calls his grandma, she is well
11:59 am - Andrea solves friend’s crisis via texting
12:00 pm - Saskatchewan. Is. So. Flat.
12:02 pm - A HILL!
12:13 pm - Sing along to “Waving Flag” by K’naan
12:38 pm - Met some of Laura, Jeremy and Kaitlin’s friends in Caronport at the Subway
Starbucks all in one gas-station. Pick up Kendra here as well!
1:20 pm - Man just passed us using the slow lane. This is how bored we are.
1:55 pm - City motto “Life makes sense in Swift Current“. Finally!
2:01 pm - Raf gives a lecture about the church.
3:28 pm - 34 of us are forced out of vans into the cold to pee.
3:43 pm - Hello Alberta!!!
4:12 pm - World’s largest teepee. Very large indeed.
4:50 pm - Seriously. Let’s just get there already.
7:32 pm - All the macaroons are gone.
7:36 pm - Emergency pee break.

*** Soon after, all semblance of sanity and attention span is lost.

9:31 pm - Drop off boys in Canmore. Au revoir les garcons!
11:30 pm - Girls arrive in Banff. Hello hotel beds!

Winnipeg Urban Plunge

Sitting right near the border where Winnipeg’s North End begins is an old industrial building, converted into a church called The Vineyard. And for four days, from Sept. 27 to Sept. 30, The Vineyard opened its doors to Site 2 for our Winnipeg Urban Plunge. We were there for a church service on the 27th, where a huge variety of people from all walks of life came together in the same space. I was particularly touched that while the worship band played, children were allowed to dance beside the stage with streamers. It was a moving expression of joyful worship in a place that desperately needs joy.
On our first day of the actual plunge we spent hours walking around the North End and downtown Winnipeg in small groups on a scavenger hunt. Armed with a map and a bag full of chronological instructions we met with and heard from a variety of inner-city workers on topics ranging from gangs to the history of the North End. Along the way we got to get first-hand a feel for the area. For my group, our day was heavily impacted when we met a homeless woman named Arlene. Over a sandwich and a coffee she regaled us with ridiculous jokes and, when those ran out, told us the moving and fragmented story of her life. We didn’t really know how to respond to a woman telling us about the death of her father and the incredible physical, mental and sexual abuse she suffered as a child. We were left wondering just how to process what we heard.

Another moving (and difficult, for some) experience was our visit to Siloam mission. We were given an overview of the incredible work that Siloam does in the North End, taken downstairs for a tour of the storage rooms… and told to give up our shirts. From the selection of shirts that the people who come to Siloam get to choose from, we traded whatever we were wearing for anything that looked even moderately appealing. The feeling of giving up something that we liked and that was ours for something less appealing was frustrating, but exciting at the same time. It helped me to identify with people for whom personal property is negligible, and having a shirt, any shirt on their back is important.

The next two days we were split into larger groups and loosed on different outreach and community service opportunities. Some of us worked in soup kitchens, some with children. Some of us worked at food banks and some were left to their own devices (they ended up handing out gift cards for food and coffee). Our experiences weren’t limited to service; a pair of groups had an artistic experience at the Graffiti gallery while learning about the programs there. Another couple of groups (mine included) spent a day at the law courts with an incredible man named Harvey. He showed us just how ridiculous our legal system is, particularly for people who don’t necessarily have the means to sit in a room for hours just to find out that their court date has been remanded, or to drive to the courthouse every couple of weeks to hear the same thing.

Having lived in Winnipeg almost my whole life and participating in urban plunges there, I was pretty prepared for what to expect this week. But seeing again firsthand things that happen in my own city, a fifteen minute drive from my house was very powerful. And it begged the question, what am I doing to make a difference? There are some amazing people working for change in the North End. And I think the rest of the city needs to know about it.

-Brock P.

For more pictures, Click here

Canoe Trip

We left CMU after registration and traveled to Manitoba Pioneer Camp on Shoal Lake. Monday morning we had a trip briefing and practiced our canoeing skills. This was going to be a challenge for me without a toilet, a watch or deodorant for days. Our leaders were Steve (former Outtatown leader), Becca (Outtatowner 08/09) and Caitlin. We set out for our trip right after lunch. Our group paddled 9 km on the first day and set up camp on a big rock overlooking the lake. We had the most incredible stars! So bright and so many. The next morning we set out for our longest day, paddling 16 km. We stopped for lunch and got to go cliff jumping! I loved the feeling of free falling from 15 feet into the water! We continued and stopped again at some old mines. The air was so nice and cold but we trekked through mud and even colder water before reaching the end. All of us froze in the muddy water. It was pretty gross but getting to the end was so worth it. That night our campsite was nice. It had a sandy beach where we went swimming.

Day 3 we canoed 12 km. My canoe was with Gus and Andrea. As we passed an island we saw a snake on a rock. I went to grab my camera and tipped the canoe one way. The other two tried leaning the other way and we flipped the canoe over with all our stuff. My stuff and Gus’s stuff was mostly dry but all of Andrea’s stuff was soaked! We used the canoe and our extra paddle to dry her clothes out for the rest of the day. At the time, being wet wasn’t that fun but as we all look back on it, the whole experience was hilarious and definitely a highlight. We stopped for our final night on an island and watched the most incredible sunset. The sky was splashed with orange and pink as the sun dipped below the horizon. Our last day we paddled back to the camp. We were all excited to get back and shower after four days without soap, shampoo or deodorant. The trip took us a total of about 45 km and we all felt incredibly accomplished after getting back. I really enjoyed being “unplugged” and experiencing the beauty God created for us right here in Canada. The canoe trip was a blast!

-Kaitlin N

For a picture gallery from the canoe trip, click the link below:

http://gallery.me.com/ajvw/100072

First Impressions

“My 1st day was way easier than I expected because people were very open and friendly.”

“I thought it was a little overwhelming because there were so many people, but it was good.”

“I thought… what in the world am I getting into?”

“After meeting everyone, my first thought was ‘this is going to be a crazy year!’”

“39 new faces, tons of new places, ups and downs and exciting adventures to come, all in 8 months :)”

“I hate mosquitoes.”

Outtatown South Africa 2009!!!

Welcome to the 2009 Outtatown South Africa blog! Here you will be able to follow our journeys through articles, quotes and of course PICTURES AND MOVIES. We hope to have some actual content here by Monday September 28th. This will be a recap of what travels and adventures we have had in the past two weeks!

Please come back and check in!

Outtatown Students