Hi All!
From the moment we ventured off into the great unknown
(well the Canadian East is pretty unknown, personally speaking), we have not stopped moving, thinking, enduring and adapting.
Until now.
It's Sunday afternoon. The incredibly large morning service has ended, lunch at the cafeteria eaten, the 90 second walk back to our room accomplished and now, nothing but a quiet and restful Sunday afternoon awaits.
Yes. The Friesen's have moved to Toronto from Vancouver and have successfully endured the first week of school. Emotionally we have both cried and longed for what is familiar and 'normal'. But as the week has progressed and faces become more familiar and jokes are shared, encounters less awkward and places not so new, we begin to feel that little bubble of hope and excitement well up and dare to think that maybe this wasn't such a crazy and formidable idea after all.
To think, God has not stopped blessing us, showing us acts of kindness and favour along the way since leaving Vancouver until now, is so extremely encouraging and affirming. Confirmation that we are in the right place and we are going to be ok.
Here's just some of the awesome things that have happened on our transitioning jour
ney:
- Getting our two over-sized bags on the flight for free! Saving us $60 +
- Having our two sets of wonderful spiritual parents buy us lunch and dinner at two of the yummiest restaurants ever - 'The Farmhouse' and 'Claim Jumpers'.
- Having no problems at all at both border crossings, and making all our flights and connecting buses.
- Getting into Toronto downtown bus terminal with too much luggage and having our dear friend Paige turn up to give us a ride to our homestay, who also did not charge us to stay the night!!! And we were saved from having to take public transit an hour out of Toronto with ALL our stuff. Paige also had our bedding, and basic homewares all sorted for us! Wow.
- Getting to the school Monday, being dropped off by our wonderful homestay family and finding out Mark and Hanna had also provided us with bedding - wow and that we had an awesomely sweet little room, with a window!
Words of encouragement spoken and left at our door as little notes with chocolate (from Amy's small group leader) have followed since arriving here Monday. And being the only married couple it seems this has been much needed, as we have felt at times 'out of place' and lost in in all. Yet God keeps bringing people around us at unexpected moments who offer an act of kindness, word of affirmation or warm smile, that lifts our spirits and shows us we are in God's perfect will.
As you will see in the pictures we arrived in Ontario with minus temps and snow blizzarding, however only a week in, it seems the weather is transitioning, much like ourselves into Spring.
And just to feel at home and feel somewhat domesticated, we even bought a plant, called Verdi, and he sits regally at our little window embracing whatever sun finds him.
I can probably speak for both of us when I say that it has gotten better day by day. What began as a hard adjustment and 'culture-shock', being immersed into college age community and living on a schedule of cafeteria food and classes, has been difficult. But not impossible. Slowly I can see my old groove fade and a new one emerge, and with that is coming some amazing experiences and moments.
It's been bitter sweet.
And I wouldn't change it for anything.
We miss you all so much - as now ALL of you are afar, but we will look forward to seeing you again in the future and rejoicing in our fellowship!
All our blessings,
Kevin and Amy
