Hello Vancouver!

We made it to Vancouver Thursday night to an airport of Canadian pageantry and loads of hospitality. There must be a greeter in Vancouver turquoise every 12-feet! Our group of 18 hit the SkyTrain and traveled to Surrey, our home for the next 9 days. Friend and Pastor Rick Chase has opened up his church allowing us and two other groups to camp it out.



Today the group took a tour of downtown. Randy and I got to spend time with Rick, Gerda, and their kiddos. So nice to get to spend time with friends in their home country. Almost makes you want to move here... Although I think the unusual sunshine we're getting has convinced us it's not that cold here! The snow we see on the mountaintops was flown in. Yes, if you want to chase away the snow, just host the Olympics.




It's bliss walking amongst a host of nations. Especially downtown Vancouver on our way to the Germany-Finland Hockey game! Hockey in Canada, the way God made it to be, eh? I could be a real Hockey fan up here. Cries of DEUTCHLAND and FINLANDIA filled the stadium...easy to spot the fans in their flags and reverie. Finland went on to stomp Germany. And we went on to beat the 100's of 1000s to the SkyTrain home at midnight. Makes the New York subways look like ghost towns!


And the people have glee written on their faces, no stoicism here. Everyone is an open book at the games. Wanting to share their pride, their stories. Open to listening to our pride and our stories. Well, that's a perfect segue into the service we were sent here for.