Aloha Halifax, Ola Cape Breton!

Hello all you sweet chili heat blog readers! Writing you from Pictou, NS, is your friendly neighbourhood Netter Christian Bekolay! (If you are wondering who I am, it's the ruggedly good-lookin' guy third from the left in the lighthouse picture.) I'm about to take you unto the journeys of NET team 2's lives, and of our many travels, adventures, and missions since blogging last.

The past week and little bit has been a huge blessing to our team. Unfortunately, our trip to Newfoundland was cancelled which was disappointing, BUT because of this upset, we had a week of no retreats and nothing to really do. (nothing to do? HA no such thing in a netters life!) So, we were sent to Halifax Nova Scotia for some adventures! Upon arriving, I learned some very unheard of, but important, rules about Nova Scotia...1. No two houses beside each other are allowed to be the same color or shape; 2- There must always be a relaxed atmosphere around any person in order to be accepted by society; 3- At no time should you every swim in the Harbor. Period; 4- There is no such thing as "being too full to eat another bite". You can always have more.

Halifax was awesome, we didn't have too many things to do in regards of ministry work, but we were kept busy with St. Mary's University. Our first day we had lunch with the Bishop of Halifax along with some of the University students. (where we met up with some of NET's alumni, and had a big social gathering.) The following few days were filled up with advertising for the chaplaincy office on campus. As well, we held a retreat and went to a CCO coffee house within that time. Between all this, though, we did have a team day where we went for a visit to Peggy's Cove, NS! It was the perfect day for it, clear sunny skies, windy, and warm. It was truly a beautiful day. All the water, rocks, and the thunderous noise as the two clashed together couldn't help but make me think of God's power and beauty. In some places the splashes would go up to 50+ feet in the air. So beautiful. While we were there, we celebrated Claire's birthday and had cake and lunch in the Cove. What a treat! (seriously...that was some good cake. Thanks Claire for being born!)

While we were staying in Halifax, Meghan had the opportunity to stay at her own house with her own family in Halifax...or Spryfield...or Sambro...or Williamswood... (She told us at different times during this year that she was from each of these places...) So on one of the days in Halifax we went to visit the ol' Hall farm. It was awesome! We got to see a bit of the very friendly and generous town of Spryfield, as well, we got to meet the beautiful family of Ms. Meghan Hall. It was pretty tight, "yo." As well on that same day we celebrated Brenden's birthday by going down to the beach where we held the very first ever international game of Inukshuk Bowling. (Inukshuks...circle shaped rocks, NET team members. you get the idea) all in all it was a very good day. (Happy birthday Brenden!)

From there we had to say goodbye to Halifax and hello to Cape Breton Island! Now, in the Cape, our ministry has gone back into full-time ministry doing our encounter evenings as well as daytime activities. We have already been up and down the Island (almost literally all the way around). Through the mountainous terrain (where the snow on the sides of the road was piled up higher then the van) and by the coast to towns such as Reserve Mines and Cheticamp. Our ministry still continues to bring forth small miracles every day and we are constantly in thanksgiving to God for all the wonderful things He has done for us and the youth of Nova Scotia.

So that about wraps up our adventures up to now. At this point I would like to thank all of you for your support and prayers. May God bless all of your socks off, and I pray that you all have a good day and week.

In Christ, The Christian of Bekolay (Esquire)