When the Women of NET Canada Staff collide....

...who KNOWS what will happen!!

Last Thursday, the staff women of NET Ministries of Canada had a women's session. As a whole, there are rare times when the office staff and the program staff can get together and bond...so a few of the women decided that we should all get together and do just that-bond-for a few hours.

First of all, we all met at Mass (which we do as a staff every Thursday morning), then the women walked over to "Casa Kibeho" where Claire, Mairin, Jocelyne, Tara, and Sarah all live. **Sidenote: the house was named after Our Lady of Kibeho. We brought all kinds of breakfast-y foods to prepare and eat while we discussed our families' Christmas & Thanksgiving traditions (seeing as we were meeting on the day of American Thanksgiving). I toasted & buttered an entire loaf of delicious white bread...oh how I miss thee, white bread... while Joce Potvin masterfully handled the scrambled eggs and about a million pieces of bacon. ...with Melo's help. There were also croissants, Nutella, assorted fruit & yogurt, peanut butter, coffee, and orange juice. Delicious!

So, we ate brunch while we chatted, then cleaned up, and Tara and Melo brought out... get this... GINGERBREAD VILLAGES!!! Granted, the buildings themselves were pretty small, but they were so much FUN! There were 2 sets - each with a little chapel, a lodge, a chalet, a cottage, and a "snowboard suite". I decorated one of the chalets...it was quite entertaining.

After we ran out of time for the villages, we cleaned up again, took a lot of pictures, and then made a little video all about the village itself...which I've attached for your entertainment. When the laughter died down after we watched the video, it was time for some sharing. Generally, as women, we like to talk. It was really good to hear how all the women on staff are doing lately; to hear their struggles and cry with them, but to also hear about their latest joys and successes and to rejoice in those as well. For all of us to know that we have each other - that we can rely on any of the women for prayers, for a listening ear, and for constant support and love, is always a healing thought. Especially laughter...we know how to make each other laugh.

Anyway, that's pretty much it! I hope you all have an amazing Christmas holiday, full of God's blessings and joys, and a prosperous new year! I'm leaving for Australia next week, but am looking forward to seeing the netters again in January!

God bless,
+Jocelyn Arnott
NET Staff - "Office Superstar"

PS - an intro to our video: I'm recording, and Lizanne is the tour guide of our multiply-named village.