Hello Everyone! Dominique from team 1 here, reporting from Estevan, SK.So much has happened since we last checked in. It's crazy how much stuff can happen on the road in what seems like a short amount of time! We have been cruising the beautiful prairies of Saskatchewan for the past month starting in the Prince Albert Diocese. Our visit there was great, and it was an honour to end off our visit by hanging out with Bishop Albert of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).
Our next destination was the Archdiocese of Regina, and we started out our time here with a visit from our amazing supervisors and a visit to Archbishop Bohan. For the past week we set up home base in Regina, and travelled throughout the Archdiocese. We visited so many communities; one I would like to mention especially is Wilcox. We went to Notre Dame, which is a Catholic hockey boarding school with students attending from all over the world! I personally missed this amazing experience due to swine flu and spent my time there locked in a dorm room in complete darkness, but the stories I heard were pretty awesome! We all stayed in dorm rooms, ate in the cafeteria, played in the gym, watched the many hockey games, and truly felt like part of the community for the 4 days spent there. The retreats were in the church which was on site, and were a neat experience. It's not often that you can ask a crowd of youth in Canada where they are from and have a kid raise his hand and say "I am Nikita from Russia!", or others from Australia and the USA. It was very exciting! Some of us visited the set of Corner Gas, and then we returned to Regina in time to pick up Pat and Caitlyn . The time spent with them was short and fast, but awesome! It felt like we were just picking them up from the airport when we were dropping them off for their journey back to Ottawa!
Since the beginning our team has been filled with Olympic spirit - following as much of the games as we could, but most importantly our Canadian hockey teams! If we weren't near a TV you would find some of us huddled around a radio, or in the van during travel days, catching what we could of the game. We listened to and cheered during the gold medal game on the journey here from Regina and went crazy when Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime! I myself am a hardcore Canada fan and am so stoked that Canada has done so well! I couldn't think of a better way to put out the flame then to a performance by Neil Young, but could think of many other people to introduce Canada than William Shatner. It would have been nice to see Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts, or City and Colour there, but all in all it was a good presentation! The closing ceremonies were a lot of fun and definately summed up many Canadian stereotypes! It was new to experience the Olympics with other countries on the team. Alexes cheered for USA, Richard had 1 patriotic speed skater representing his nation, and Rachel was an honorary Canadian for the games!
We will miss this province as our time here is coming to a close. In a province where the sky meets the horizon, where you can fall asleep for an entire van ride and wake up, look outside and feel like you haven't moved an inch, where you can look to the sky and see true blue, then look again and see a grain combine soaring in the sea of blue!! Only in Saskatchewan! Now we are Alberta bound! Destination: Brooks!
We miss you all back home and wherever you are! Keep us in your prayers and may God bless you and may you find hope in this beautiful season of Lent!
In Christ,
Dominique Lanthier
"Because of the Transfiguration, we are filled with hope that will not leave us disappointed. The roughest Lent will result in the most glorious Easter. The transfigured Christ is the hope and promise of the risen Christ. Praise Jesus!"
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