Team Two Sees Santa, Does Their First Family Encounter Day and Tim Tam Slams all in One Weekend!

Light the second Advent candle! The Christ is his way! This is Lauren Krol reporting from Team Two in Edmonton, Alberta!

This past week brought us back into the city of Edmonton from Tuesday to Friday, with a couple of Encounter Days for grades five and six students. This is a bit of a younger crowd for our Team to be working with, but overall we had pretty great reception. There was one group that was very touched by the prayer ministry portion of the Encounter Day, which gave our team a real boost for continuing to spread the Gospel for one last week before we head back to Ottawa for our December retreat with the other teams.

Friday morning we found ourselves driving through much snow, which continued to fall all day long. That evening we drove out to Mayerthorpe, AB, where we would be holding our first Family Encounter Day. The drive took a little longer than planned, but we got there safely, and just in time for the Santa Claus Parade! We spent a portion of the evening watching the parade, and checking out all the other little festivities going on down the main street. They actually close it off and build a big fire in the middle of the street! They also have wagon rides! We of course warmed up by the fire, then took a little ride with the horses!

Our two nights in Mayerthorpe taught us that it was a small town with a big heart! All the families we were billeted to came to the Encounter Day on Saturday, which gave us a great opportunity to get to know who we would be working with. The Family Encounter Day went really well; it was such a great witness to see a group of devout families coming together, building a stronger unity with God, with each other, and as a community.

Sunday evening brought us back into Edmonton, to the home of our lovely Diocesan Contact Person and NET alumnus, Lydia, for dinner. It was an evening filled with great conversation among the team, as well as an opportunity to talk to a possible new NET recruit! Finally, we completed the evening with Tim Tams (a popular Australian cookie), and a few of us doing Tim Tam Slams. (The "Tim Tam Slam" is the practice of biting off the opposing corners of a Tim Tam, and using the modified biscuit as a 'straw' to suck up a hot or cold beverage [Thanks, Wikipedia!].) In my opinion, it's the only way to eat a Tim Tam.

Well, I hope the Advent Season is treating you well, and that you're all keeping warm - it's getting cold out here!

God Bless,

Lauren M. Krol

Team 2