Writing at 20,000 feet


I am starting this post in a Bombardier Q400 Turboprop airplane about 20,000 feet somewhere over Lake Superior. Soon we will be decending to Thunder Bay -- about halfway to our goal in Winnipeg. Of course, I cannot post this now, but I will as soon as I get a chance to connect to WIFI.

There is something about actually being on your way to where you are going that makes you think more concretely about what you are going to do when you get there. I must admit that, though I have been looking forward to this trip, I haven't necessarily given much thought to what we are really going there to do. I have heard a great deal about the Winnipeg Inner City Mission over the years, seen a number of pictures and a few videos. I have also heard Margaret Mullin speak passionately on a number of occasions about her ministery and what it means to her. But I expect that it will be really different to see the ministry in action. At St. Andrew's I am involved on a near weekly basis in interacting with people who are looking for assistance in terms of food, clothing or a shared meal, but I don't really expect that WICM will be like anything I am familiar with.

We have now stopped over in Thunder Bay and are continuing on to Winnipeg with a near empty plane. We are all spread out in the cabin with everyone claiming a window seat of their own. While we waited to take off again we got to visit the cockpit and talk with the pilots. Where does that happen anymore? The clouds outside the window are looking particularly beautiful.

We have a real good team. They are light hearted and fun loving. I know they are going to make the time very pleasurable. But they are also engaged and committed. Joanne is sitting accross the aisle from me reading Thomas King's book, The Inconvenient Indian. She is obviously very interested in understanding the challenges faced by the people we will be working among. Alexis and Gabrielle will be great together. The stewardess just assumed that they were sisters. We are going to be very tired when we land and have a big day tomorrow. I'll probably talk to you all then.

s

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