A quick preview for now...

Yesterday's activities, and more photos, will be posted when I've had a decent night's rest. So be sure to scroll down on your next visit, as they'll be posted in chronological order!

In the meantime, here are five good photos (out of 200 shots!) from this afternoon's 90-minute catamaran ride! We saw puffins, 2 species of gulls, common murres (according to our guide, a.k.a. "ticklearse birds, because they fly so close to one another that they tickle each others' arses"), humpback whales (a cow and her calf put on a great show for us) and minke whales.

Warning - Drama Spoilers!

This year's drama was based on the account in 1 Kings 13:1-32. Rather than describe the account here, I've just posted a few photos. If you want to know what's going on, you'll have to read the passage yourself!
"King Jeroboam is just being reasonable. Having the festival here in Bethel is a lot easier for the people. The golden calf is just to represent Jehovah. It's not the same thing at all as false worship."
"You surely are a prophet of the true God! The King's hand was withered until your prayers softened the face of Jehovah. And, no one has ever made such pronouncements before the King!"
"You must not make a carved image for yourselves." "You rebelled and turned back, although Jehovah had commanded that you not eat bread or drink water, nor return by the way that you went!"

St John's Signal Hill

We spent another lovely day with our 1360 some Newfoundland brothers and sisters - managed to meet up with a lovely couple (Edna and Max) from Fortune who will let us crash in their spare room for a night on our way to SPM. Standing with them was a young sister named Megan who asked "Surrey? You wouldn't happen to know the Jacksons, would you? Nancy Jackson is my sister's mother-in-law: Stephanie married Russel." Of course, against all odds, we do know the Jackson family, having actually grown up in the same neighborhood.

We heard 8 get baptized in what can only be called a largish tub - definitely not a pool - we saw nothing because it was hidden behind the dozen or so spectators standing in front! Everyone was also very excited about the new release, which was presented to us by a familiar face and voice: Clyve Thomas from the Canadian Branch.

After the session we ended up eating at a Ponderosa Steak House (ground steak, mind you, but not bad) where we met with a bunch of Witnesses from various parts of Newfoundland, each one eager to tell us that her corner of the Island is the prettiest to see, and best to live in. One couple asked if we know anyone who'd worked in International Construction work - it turns out they are friends with Fred Sherman, and Trent Wiltze. I have ceased being surprised at such coincidences.

Tomorrow Carol, who hails from Comox, BC, will introduce us to the LeDrew family, who frequently go to SPM to preach. All in all, it was a productive dinner!

After a copious meal, we meandered down to St. John's to have a look at Cabot Tower, up on Signal Hill. While not breathtaking in any way, it's still a lovely view and an interesting historical point of interest.

Noo-fin-lun: day one

First day in the land o' the Newfies was a nice one. Yesterday doesn't count, you see: I was barely awake after so many hours travelling! We left Vancouver at 11 pm and, though a direct flight should only take about 5 hours, but with the change of planes in Toronto and the stop over in Halifax, we didn't actually arrive in St. John's until 1 pm local time, or 9 1/2 hours after we'd left Vancouver.

Nine and a half?? Yes - Newfoundland has its own time zone: GMT -3.5 ! Just don't ask.

Today was the first day of the Nfld Godly Deliverance District Convention. They only have the one for Newfoundland and Labrador, and attendance averages at about 1400. Basically, everybody knew before we'd even opened our mouths and proven it with our funny accent, that we are from "somewhere else".

After the session was over, I decided to try and find a lapel badge card holder, having forgotten mine back home. I must have gone into half a dozen stores at least, with no success. The sales staff were always friendly and helpful, even if one or two of them seem to confirm the worst of the Newfie jokes... To whit:

G - I'm looking for a badge card holder, the plastic kind with a clip on the back, that are open along the top.

SP- Yes, here they are.

G - Oh these are open along the sides. If I use one of those, I'll loose my card.

SP- Yes, but they're in packages of 10, so if you loose it you can just take another one out.

G - ...

That was at Staples. At Walmart, the woman I talked to sent me to the shoes and handbags aisle. Perhaps she thought a luggage tag might do?

We decided to spend the evening driving along the coast, to look for food, and for photo ops.

Going to the East Coast, then to France... but not to Europe!

Whaaaa?? - you ask, puzzled. Fear not, it does make sense!

First, please check out the image below. It's from our Nov 2004 KM (because I've misplaced my BE book with all the recent ones). You'll notice the service report has Canada and St Pierre & Miquelon. Take a few moments to study those statistics.

Now that you are properly curious ("Dang nabbit, where is SPM? Why is it included in the Canada KM but not bundled with the Canadian service report?"), check out the links below!

Where is SPM?

- Recognize the Great White North?

- See! The East Coast!

- The Island of Newfoundland (together with Labrador, they make Canada's easternmost province) Not the little bent up island, that's PEI ... they're a province unto themselves. Don't ask.)

- The worm-shaped peninsula on the south end of NFLD has a small town (Fortune, to cheer up those who, through total lack of any, have ended up there) and a ferry terminal from which one travels to SPM

- There it is!!

A wee bit of History

- Wikipedia's version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Pierre_and_Miquelon

- NY Times article (very good intro that sums it all up!): http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9A0DE1DD1F3AF934A15754C0A960948260

- Claim to fame: being "awash with booze" !! http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012408

- Oh all right... their official site: http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/ and http://www.spminfo.com/ (cool local music, photos, and I think, a webcam!... can't you just smell the salt air and the culture? LOL)

Our Itinerary

We're leaving Vancouver on the red-eye flight for St. John's, capital of Newfoundland (google it... they're the weirdest canadians we've got!). Arriving Thursday morning-ish, we'll rent a car, find our B&B and prepare for the convention in the "suburb" called Mt Pearl this coming weekend.

After the convention, we'll likely keep the car to finish off the week (I rather like that idea) and explore the local area (and the locals!), and then head down to Fortune to take the ferry to St Pierre, arriving there sometime on the following Friday (July 14th, Bastille Day!). Staying again in a B&B (the 11 Witnesses left here are only four families, and we don't want to impose on their hospitality) we're hoping to tour the islands and help with the preaching work. Of course, our "assistance" won't show up on the KM, since we'll still be reporting to our home congregations in BC, but hereafter we'll be able to point to that little box each month and say "I was there! I know that pioneer sister! Wow, she's had a good month this month!"

On July 27th, we leave from St John's and fly to Toronto airport. From there, my mom and I part ways: I'll return to Vancouver, and she'll continue on towards the rest of France (boy wouldn't they just love to be referred to as a mere afterthought to SPM?) for a couple of months.

So, where am I going? To the East Coast, then to France... but not to Europe! Why, it makes perfect sense!