gifts

04.05.07

friends

It has been 4 days since I “landed” in Langley. Before embarking on this journey, I subscribed to Henri Nouwen’s Daily Meditation eLetter. Each is about a paragraph or two, and just the thing to stimulate my heart and mind in the morning. Coincidentally, the last few have been talking about friendships.

What it says, is that the people in our lives are like signposts to God. We see the love, generosity and kindness of God working through our friends. Each friend is different: “One friend may offer us affection, another may stimulate our minds, another may strengthen our souls.” We can’t expect everything from one friend. Each reveals a little of who God is, but only in God Himself are love, goodness and beauty complete.

Those are good things to reflect on. It has a very good and humbling experience to raise support for Campus Crusade for Christ. It’s wonderful to have so many people backing me and encouraging me. I wish everyone could have that.

the math

It had been taking an inordinate amount of time to process online gifts from people sponsoring me. At least quite a while in Internet-time. Once I found out those amounts, a little math reveals that financial support has surpassed the necessary amount. Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support!

Just so you know, whatever extra there is will end up in the Human Resources pot. It could be used to extend my contract if necessary, but generally the funds go to Campus Crusade for Christ to use however they see fit.

relocation

After flying into Abbotsford, I met with Matthew Campbell who will be my manager when work begins. He told me I will be working with two Andrew’s, one who has worked with the code-base I will be utilizing for the application I’m building.

He dropped me off at the house I’m staying, where I met Jessie and a few of her friends. She is renting the place out to us guys over the summer. There was a certain amount of chaos, with girls just having moved out (well, mostly) and all the guys moving in.

My room was ready and waiting, so that was very nice. I’m staying on the lower floor with Conrad and Dave. In the house are John, Jonah, Wes and Mike. Over the next four months I will have the privilege of getting to know most of them (Dave is heading home soon, and a fellow named Graham will be taking his room). As per Henri Nouwen, I didn’t “make” these friends, the friends in our lives are gifts from the Giver of all that is good.

Our place is looking pretty organized now, and we finally have Internet. (hooray!) It’s a short walk to work, Ralph’s Market, Save-On and a bunch of stores, and even the Willowbrook Mall. I saw a few houses for sale amongst the green trees and cherry blossoms, and thought to myself… I wouldn’t mind staying here longer.

But for now, I am a sojourner in this land. In 10 days work begins, I am looking forward to it!