ALSO Alabama - On the road to New Orleans and the French Quarter! April 25th

We spent last evening enjoying being out of the bus for awhile.  We arrived in time at our hotel in Southaven to enjoy a much need shower.  Then off we were to enjoy some good southern home cooking.  Many regretted not ordering the sweet potato pie casserole!  We passed the rest of the evening relaxing and playing games.

Enjoying a game of 'Spoons'

We also took the opportunity to journal today.  We had visited the National Civil Rights Museum and wanted to reflect on what we had learned today.

Bright and early this morning we once again boarded our bus to New Orleans.  We were hoping to go explore the French Quarter but when we arrived it was pouring rain.  At times sheets of water were pouring down the side of our bus.  We had to while away some time before it cleared up enough for us to wander the streets.  It happened to be Fleet Week in New Orleans so we took a tour of a Navel Vessel as we waited for the rain to let up.

Standing on the deck

Some students sat in the pilots seat of the helicopter

By this time the weather cleared up and we spent several hours enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the French Quarter.  It really is something you must experience for yourselves.

Live music filled the streets

Buskers at every corner

Crowds of people would collect on the street corners to listen and dance along with the entertainment.

Some of our girls enjoying some of the southern tastes down here in Louisiana

Art displays in the street.

A party atmosphere was in the air

After an enjoyable afternoon in the French Quarter and a Louisiana  supper we travelled 1 1/2 hours into Mississippi.  We arrived in time at the motel at Bay St. Louis to practice 'Hold me Rock me', the piece we will be performing at the Goodwill Baptist Church tomorrow morning in Pass Christian.  It will be good to see our friends and enjoy their hospitality once again.  In the afternoon we are going on a swamp tour then travelling the rest of the way to Mobile, Alabama to Camp Christian where we will be staying for our week of service.  We are getting excited about beginning our work there.   When we arrive at Camp Christian we will not had access to internet so blogging many be intermittent but we will do our best to keep you informed on this blog site.

ALSO Guatemala day 1 - and we're off!

The morning began with Kylee making sure everyone in the girls dorm was aware that TODAY IS THE DAY! Schedule master Jim led us through baggage check and security in Saskatoon and now we are relaxin' an' chill in' at the gate waiting to board our flight to Calgary/Houston.

We are excited for the learning we expect. Thank you for the prayers we know are following us to Guatemala.

#crowcalls #askjanelle

ALSO Alabama - On the Road to Memphis April 24th

Well Hello from Memphis!  We made it everyone!  After 37 hours straight including two nights on the bus together we arrived in Memphis just in time for our reservation for lunch at  Trolley Stop Market

We filled our hours with lots of games, visiting, sleeping reading.  There were lots of conversation and laughter along the way.

Catch Phrase

Joe does some light reading!

Heads Up!

Cards!

After lunch we headed over to the National Civil Rights Museum.  We prepared for the our time at the Museum by watching the movie ' A Time to Kill' .  It was a movie set in the south, depicting life and circumstances of life as a Black citizen in the 60's.  We also watched the documentary 'The Witness'.  Reverend Samuel Kyles describes the events leading up to the assassination of MLK.  He was one of the privileged ones to be with Martin Luther King Jr. in the last hour of his life.  He was on the balcony with MLK.   He talked about how you can kill the dreamer but you cannot kill the dream!

The tour turned out to be more than a history lesson for our group.  It moved many in many different ways.

Our group in front of the Freedom Wall

The students take advantage of the many interactive displays in the museum.

Manny watches a short video... with an eerie onlooker.

Our students sat at the counter where several young black students sat at a white only lunch counter years ago in protest.  

The museum site has preserved the Motel Lorraine as it existed at the time.

Tomorrow we travel to New Orleans to experience more southern culture and flavour.  We hope to spend the afternoon in the French Quarter.  It has been cool and rainy thus far so we are hoping as we travel 6 hours further south the weather will turn a bit warmer!

 

ALSO Week Rosthern: Stoney Knoll/Opawashimoe Chakatinaw, Food Bank, and Clothes Basket

Stoney Knoll/Opawashimoe Chakatinaw Workshop and Sign-Signing

Hereditary Chief of the Young Chipeywan, George Kingfisher, speaks to the crowd at Stoney Knoll/Opawashimoe Chakatinaw

Today (Friday, April 24, 2015) we had some guest speakers in the school who told us about the Stoney Knoll. Stoney Knoll was the property of Stoney first nations people, but the government took away their land and when they came back Mennonites and Lutherans were on it. The people who came to talk have all been working together to try and get back the land to the rightful owners and/or to have a peaceful settlement. The Lutheran church, Mennonite church and the Young Chipewyan first nations are all involved trying to get everything put right. After we heard them speak we ate a bannock and bison lunch; it was really good. After lunch we all hopped in the vehicles and headed off to Stoney Knoll. When we got there a first nations man named Harry Laffond talked to us about the importance of names, the reason he talked to us about names was because they are sending a letter RM of Laird to have the Cree name of Stoney Knoll be put on any sign Stoney Knoll is on. It was a really nice day and there were a lot of inspiring speakers and great learning experiences.

On the morning of April 23 we had the opportunity to visit the Rosthern Food Bank with all of the students from RJC not going to Alabama. When we arrived at the Food Bank we listened to Edward Spence a first nations elder living in Rosthern talk about is life. It was really interesting to hear is stories as he has had a rough past. After listening to Edward we got to see how the Food Bank works from one of the co founders, Wilmer Froese.  He showed us how much food each family gets per month, what a food hamper looks like, and what kind of people work and use the food bank. There are seventy families in Rosthern and area that use the food bank each month. It was really surprising to us to learn about how many families use the food bank in a small town like Rosthern. The Rosthern Food Bank is the seventh largest food bank in Saskatchewan. Its amazing how a small town can make such a big difference in helping to feed families.

In the afternoon we got the chance to go and visit the MCC clothes basket here in Rosthern. At the clothes basket the managers Diane and Mary showed us how all of the items donated got processed, what volunteers and workers do, and were the money goes form the clothes basket. They also showed us around the clothes basket; showing us were things got placed, and the specific order were things got placed. Last year the clothes basket made a total profit of $200,000 dollars, half of which was donated to MCC in order to help charities, and those in poverty. It was really surprising to us to learn about how much money the clothes basket makes in year, and how many donations they get in a week. Almost all of the workers at MCC are volunteers, which was very surprising to find out. Its awesome to see how much the MCC clothes basket helps out those in need.


Abby and Jared (Grade 10)

Chapel Review Week Ending April 2

Chapel Review

It was exciting to welcome Eric Paetkau to chapel last week.  Eric spoke about his time at RJC as a grade 11 and 12 student and how it shaped who he is today.  He also shared his professional journey as a musician and how it lead to his new position as Music director of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.  Concert Choir then performed 'Pompeii', one of their prepared pieces for Eric.

Eric Paetkau -Music Director,  Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra

Grade 12 chapel's continued over the last two weeks.  The students and staff continued to be blessed by the sharing of personal stories by our grade 12 class.

Dayna

Janelle

Hayley

Kelsey

Students and coaches celebrated the winter sports season in chapel on April 1.  A high percentage of students at RJC are involved in the athletics program.  Thank you to all the athletes and coaches from the basketball, hockey, and curling teams, and to those students who joined either Gun Club or Run Club (the RJC fitness programs). 

Boys'  Basketball team

Curling Team

Hockey Team

Girls'  Basketball Team

First to the donuts!

Winter Sports Participants.

The RJC Boys’ Residence Dean, Joel Siemens, is feeling a little lighter these days.  Students shaved Siemens’ signature beard after surpassing their goal of $5,000 for The Faith and Life Committee’s annual Have a Heart fundraiser.  The fundraiser ended on March 31 raising a grand total of $6,282.45.  “It was great to see students really getting involved this year,” said Faith and Life leader Rachel F.  All the money goes to organizations outside of RJC, and includes funding for local groups such as the Rosthern Ministerial’s Refugee Committee

Nicolas gives Joel a trim.

The Faith and Life Committee led an Easter service in the dining hall on the last day of classes before Easter break.  Students gathered for breakfast, listened to the Easter story, sang hymns, and ate Pasqua bread! 

All School breakfast

Faith and Life Reader's Theatre

The kitchen staff treated everyone to Paska!

Chapel Review Week Ending March 20th

Faith and Life

On St. Patrick’s Day the staff donated items to auction in chapel, with all funds going to the Have a Heart fundraiser.  Students bid generously, and had fun with the event. 

Adam donated one of his game worn jerseys from his time as a professional volleyball player in France. 

Saskatoon Symphony tickets courtesy of Ted and Barb Paetkau

Hand knit mittens

Wooden boxes made by Lloyd from recycled trophies.

A good time was had by all!

Principal Jim Epp experienced a St. Patrick’s Day surprise that he won’t soon forget.  As part of the Faith and Life Committee’s annual Have a Heart fundraiser, Epp agreed to get pied in the face if the students raised over $2000.  And, on March 17, they did!  A name was drawn from a list of students who had donated money, and grade 12 student Cheyenne E. was given the honor.  To date, Have a Heart has raised over $3000, and the total continues to grow.  All funds will be donated to charitable organizations that the students will visit during their Alternative Service and Learning Opportunities Week at the end of April.  Students plan to have a bake sale at Bigway in the coming weeks, if renovations are completed by then. 

Cheyenne prepares to pie her principal and uncle in the face!

So much fun!!

Total raised for Also projects to date

 On March 18, Henry and Erna Funk shared in chapel.  The Funks addressed the students about the concept of service, and shared about their own recent service assignment with MC Canada Witness in Nazareth. 

On March 19, German student Miriam D. presented a slide show about her native Germany, and led the student body in some popular German party games.  This is part of a chapel series that features RJC’s international students.     

Miriam 

Jared and Danielle race to match the English word with the corresponding German word.

Cheyenne is directed by the audience to locate the pot filled with candy.

Chapel Review for Week Ending March 13th

Faith and Life

Students and staff are preparing for RJC’s annual Alternative Learning and Service Opportunities Week (ALSO Week), which will happen at the end of April.  Students will engage in service and learning opportunities in Saskatoon, Calgary, High River, Alabama, and Guatemala.   To help students prepare, guests are invited to speak about the theme of service.  Megan Enns, Youth Coordinator for MCC Alberta, who will lead the Calgary ALSO group, addressed the student body in chapel on February 27.  Enns, an RJC grad herself, encouraged the students to embrace this learning opportunity and shared how participating in the ALSO program as a student shaped her life path.

Continuing with the ALSO theme, RJC teacher Emily Dueck delivered a personal message in chapel on March 4.  Dueck recounted her experiences serving with a MCC program where she was a street pastor working with homeless and disadvantaged people in downtown Toronto.  She talked about the highlights and challenges she faced over her two years in that position.   

The newly appointed Executive Director for the Shekinah Retreat Center, Nick Parkes, shared in chapel on March 11.  He brought greetings from Shekinah, and expressed his thankful support for the students who will be volunteering at Shekinah during ALSO week.  Parkes talked about the importance of volunteers for organizations like his camp.   

MC Canada Witness Workers George and Tobia Veith visited Chapel on March 12.  They shared about their experiences in Macau, China where they have been serving over the past 18 years.  Their faithful examples, and touching stories, were an encouragement to the student body. 

The Faith and Life Committee continues to promote its “Have a Heart” annual fundraiser.  All money raised goes to organizations outside of RJC.  This year students are focusing their support for organizations in the communities that students will visit during their ALSO week.  At the local level money raised will be given the Rosthern Ministerial for the Refugee Committee.  Students need to do something to raise the money, not just ask for it, and are encouraged to be creative (bottle drives, bake sales, snow shoveling, etc.).  To date, over $2000.00 has been collected, and we thank everyone for his or her continued support.   

Submitted by Ryan Wood