After a stopover in Pittsburgh that included a wonderful Pittsburgh tradition – Pimanti Brothers, the Sr. High Youth arrived in Niagara Falls in time to enjoy a night trip to the Falls. It was awesome to stand within feet of the mighty roaring water- to be awed by such a site of nature. Sunday morning, we worshiped at First United Methodist of Niagara with our hosts Lloyd and Rose Marie.
After worship, we travelled over the Rainbow Bridge into Canada- getting a wonderful view again of the Falls. Changing money and answering questions at the borders was a new experience for many of our team. As we travelled into Toronto, the police and closed roads reminded us that ours is a turbulent world. However, we peacefully entered the city and found our way without incident to the mission site.
We live in the Salvation Army church along with youth from Oregon and Minnesota. One of our groups is working with mentally challenged people in a notepaper factory, another with mentally challenged people in an adult school setting. Tomorrow, we will break into three groups with the third working in a cafe setting that caters to the homeless. Meals are $1 and we are very excited about this new opportunity.
Tonight before our worship time, we relaxed on a Lake Ontario Beach. The water was clear and cold. Skipping rocks and looking for “sea glass” quickly became favorite pass times.
Our youth have been challenged to reach out beyond their comfort zones and are rising to the challenge with courage and compassion. We all have stories at the end of the day!
