Substitute Teaching

I have been much busier substitute teaching this month than from January to April combined. I went back to my old elementary school the other day and recognized some of the students from when I subbed here a few years ago. Some remembered me, some didn't and others had their memory stirred. . .

It was nearing the end of the day and the grade 5's were supposed to be silent reading. One fellow decided to lie on the floor, with his feet up on a chair. I approached him and said that his teacher would probably not allow that, to which I added, "Am I right, or am I right?" He did agree with the latter! I talked to his teacher a few days later, relaying the story. She mentioned speaking to another student in the class who had not remembered me , that is, until my line, "Am I right, or am I right?" Here's to leaving a good impression?!?

High School

My friend Kim was playing piano for a high school choir last week and she invited me to come and hear them perform. The band also played and the concert took me back in time (well over a decade ago!). I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both the band and choir, and I missed being able to sing and play the flute myself. You know, back in high school, before reality and responsibility hit us; before there were bills to pay and life was easy. But I didn't just miss making music - I also realized how much I missed being a part of a high school. Other than my travels last year, I've basically been in a high school (as either a student or a teacher) since 1992 - no wonder I feel a little lost right now. A high school is this living organism - it has its own beat and yet it's what holds a community together. I think my favorite part about a high school, or rather, the students in it, is that it is a place filled with potential. It oozes with potential and some students soar while others fall flat on their face. But whether they utilize it or not, each teenager possesses this bundle of potential and it's so exciting to work alongside them and to see them grow.

How Merciful? Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

The second booklet in THE [ACTIVATE] SERIES came out this year and is entitled "How Merciful? Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide". There's no tip-toeing around the issues with EFC! The booklet looks at what's happening in other countries in the hope that Canada will not make the same mistakes. In Belgium, "the practice was legalized primarily in an effort to try to stop or decrease the number of acts of euthanasia because several thousand people were being illegally euthanized each year. Abuses continue to occur with atrocities such as one labelled the 'weekend cleanup' at one Belgian hospital where elderly and seriously ill patients are routinely administered legal drugs at the request of family members burdened with their care." www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=734&nccsm=21&__nccssubcid=26&__nccsct=Euthanasia+and+Assisted+Suicide&__nccspID=962

Not so Ancient: Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery

I blogged about THE [ACTIVATE] SERIES a while ago, but didn't have time to go into specifics. It is a resource booklet put together by The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The first one came out last year and is entitled "Not so Ancient: Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery". I just wanted to highlight one page from the booklet for you. When I speak about human trafficking, I talk about the basic economics of it: Supply & Demand - as the demand for child labor, prostitution and pornography increases, the supply increases, putting more pressure to traffick humans. The booklet talks about Push & Pull Factors. "There are many causes which lead to the vulnerability of people towards human trafficking." Some examples of push factors: "extreme poverty, unemployment, lack of education and opportunity". Some examples of pull factors: "a globalized, free market economy that has increased the demand for cheap labour. . .technologies like the Internet allow for trafficking to operate beyond national boundaries in an instantaneous and worldwide reaching fashion." www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=734&nccsm=21&__nccspID=938

So Much More Than a Little Bracelet

It's been a busy few days, so I'm a little delayed in letting you know about my latest mention in our local newspaper (this is the 3rd time - need I say more?). The high school Amnesty group invited me to sell Threads of Hope bracelets and they invited a reporter to get the scoop: www.altonaecho.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2567470

The Hardest Job in the World

This story is used with permission (Diane's at least!) and it goes out to all of you Mom's out there. I figured you could probably relate with your own story and maybe get a chuckle out of it. You truly have the hardest job in the world. . .this one's for you!

My friend Diane woke up with the flu one morning and her husband Danny decided he needed to head out and so he left her with their 2 girls, Jessica (6) and Leigha (2). Diane fell asleep on the couch and woke up a little later to find Leigha standing in front of her - covered in blue paint! The girls had decided that painting would be fun and the kitchen was covered in blue paint. Diane put Leigha in the tub and had Jessica watch her while she attempted to clean up the blue mess in the kitchen. As Diane was finishing in the kitchen, Jessica yelled from the bathroom, "Mom, Leigha just pooped in the tub!" And if that were not enough, Jessica added, "Never mind - she threw it on the floor!" Before Diane could get to the tub, Jessica called out, "Mom, she pooped again!" By the time Diane got to the bathroom - well, you can just imagine - there was poop everywhere! Trying to keep her own stomach together, Diane got Leigha out of the bath, cleaned her up and sent the girls to the living room while she cleaned the bathroom, asking Jessica to put the TV on for Leigha. When Diane finished with the bathroom, she came to check on the girls. Yep, the TV was on as instructed and Leigha was standing in front of it - juicebox in hand, spraying the TV! When Danny got home, he asked Diane how the girls were. She recounted the events of the day, to which he replied, "Well, you probably shouldn't have fallen asleep."

Stop Human Trafficking Walk

Today was the day where the rubber met the road - time to put my words into action - a chance to stand up and give a voice to those who are victims of human trafficking. It started at the Manitoba Legislature with a few short speeches and then we walked for about 1/2 an hour. But the most important part for me was after the walk was complete. Four women briefly shared about being a victim of human trafficking. They were overwhelmed to see hundreds of people show up in support of them. For me, an issue really hits home when I have a face to go with it and so I now carry these women in my heart.

World Fair Trade Day

Tomorrow is World Fair Trade Day and for more information please go to the Ten Thousand Villages website (www.tenthousandvillages.ca/cgi-bin/category.cgi?type=store&item=pageZAAAC69&template=fullpage-en). Here is their list of 10 Reasons to Support Fair Trade.

Fair Trade. . .

• is trade that people can count on.
• empowers women.
• protects the environment.
• means fair pay & safe working conditions.
• connects with other cultures.
• builds sustainable local economies.
• supports capacity building.
• supports community development.
• means high quality goods.
• gives you a choice & a voice.

My Jolica Kit

I received my Jolica kit today and I thought I was excited about selling their fair trade products before, but I'm even more excited now, having seen the products! Even the packaging for the jewelry, handbags and scarves provide work opportunities for those that otherwise might not have a steady income (it's hand made paper from Nepal). Thanks goes out to those of you who have expressed an interest through ordering this weekend (it's still open, plus a bonus 10% off) or booking a party. This is especially great timing because Saturday is World Fair Trade Day, so check out my website if you're interested at www.jolica.com/ladawn.siemens.

Waiting for Us

I went to the Michael W. Smith concert tonight and really enjoyed the evening. Well, I enjoyed most of the evening - after a year like last year, it's hard to sit through a concert, knowing that my $35 ticket could go so much farther in another country. But God still had a message for me - Michael talked about the story of the Prodigal's Son (Luke 15). Actually, he changed the name of the story to "The Extravagant Father", who knew that his son was lost and so his only choice was to let his son go.

Just before I left South Africa, I spoke at a pastor's meeting and they had this version on the wall: "This is the story of the prodigal son - it should be called the running Father - who waited every day for his son to return. The son who had rejected him so badly, and finally when he saw him from a long way off - his Father ran to him and hugged him."

At the beginning of my time in South Africa, I read an article by Bishop T. D. Jakes which said, "The greatest reason for searching for God is that when we find Him we find ourselves. We find the answer to the question: Who am I really (because how will I know if I am successful if I don't know what I was created to be)?
"The Bible doesn't talk about the prodigal son finding God; it says he came to himself. Isn't that the real journey, to come to yourself? To wake up and discover why you had to go through what you had to go through to get where you are today?"

It doesn't make sense, does it? God who created us, loves us so much that He gave us total free will. That's a huge risk because it means that we could reject Him, as so many do. Knowing that we are lost, He lets us go, all the while waiting for us to return to Him. Waiting for Us. . .though we've turned our own way. And it doesn't matter how long He has to wait, His arms are always open and ready when we finally realize that we are nothing without Him. That we finally figure out who we are when we look to the One who stitched us together and breathed dreams into us. The God of the universe longs for an intimate relationship with each one of us. . .and I am overwhelmed by His love for me.

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

For about a year now, my family has been holding our collective breath. When we thought things could not get any worse, they did. All the things we never expected to happen, happened. Hearts were broken, dreams crushed. And today, a glimmer of hope! We breath a collective sigh of relief today as my brother was sentenced to "absolute discharge with no conditions".

Levi - May 3

Levi has been up a bit - sitting in a chair. Sleep still seems hard to come by and so there is talk of moving him to a different room at the end of the hall so that it's a bit quieter for him. Gradually, there has been less reliance on the ventilator, which is positive. There is still some concern with one of his ulcers and how its healing. Thank you again for your continued thoughts and prayers!

The Long Road Back to Fisher Branch

I spent this weekend in Fisher Branch - the community where I was living and teaching before I left for YWAM. My 6 hours of driving this weekend were kind of boring - how in the world did I drive back and forth almost every weekend when I was teaching there (and in the winter with bad roads, no less)?!? My friends and former colleagues had many plans for me - canoeing, horseback riding, plus, the whole point of the weekend, sharing at the church this morning. Alas, the rainy, windy weather stroked canoeing and horseback riding off the list. Joanne (my guitar teacher, who wanted to take me canoeing) instead took me for a walk and we went bird watching. Actually, we started by listening - the American bittern makes this crazy gulping sound and we followed it to the marsh. She was able to see it first and then, when he finally made sang his song by putting his entire body into it, I was able to spot him through his movements yet too. I also ate pickerel fish wings today (no typo- these fish have wings!). Despite the weather, I would say that I still had quite the adventure in Fisher Branch!

Mall Display

Altona is a really great town! I came back home at Christmas with the idea that I'm going to ask, ask, ask and the worst that can happen is that I get a 'no' - but hey, at least I tried! I have received a 'yes' to basically everything I've asked of different organizations, businesses and people throughout the community. And if people are tired of me asking, they have not mentioned it! People have been so supportive of both my speaking engagements and the photography/injustice class I taught. The FRAMED Photography Exhibit is now on display for the entire month of May in the mall (oh, and did I mention that most things I ask for are for free - even bigger bonus!). Check it out, and, as with our official exhibit, please bring a food donation for the food bank.