Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC202021S
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00:23 ♪♪ 00:30 >> Hello and welcome and 00:31 thank you for joining us on 00:32 It Is Written Canada. 00:34 Today we will be visiting the 00:36 Wiikwemkoong First Nation on 00:38 Manitoulin Island here in 00:40 beautiful Northern Ontario. 00:43 And it's such a beautiful 00:44 country, you really have to 00:45 visit this gorgeous community. 00:48 >> The leaders of this scenic 00:50 island community decided to 00:52 put their time, their energy, 00:54 and their money into building 00:56 the characters of the youth. 00:59 And after research, they 01:00 discovered there was one 01:02 character trait that would 01:04 make the difference between 01:05 success and failure 01:07 and that character trait 01:10 was resiliency; the ability of 01:13 a person to weather the storms 01:15 of adversity and change. 01:17 >> And so their solution: 01:20 to take the youth on a canoe 01:22 trip out into the wilderness 01:24 to let nature and the Great 01:26 Creator of nature to teach 01:28 their children this valuable 01:30 lesson of resiliency. 01:32 The Bible talks about it 01:33 in the book of Job. 01:34 It talks about these lessons 01:36 that we can learn from nature. 01:37 "But just ask the animals," 01:39 Job says, "and have them" 01:41 "teach you..." 02:07 >> Because the Wiikwemkoong 02:09 First Nations community knew 02:11 this awe-inspiring, scenic 02:13 location could speak to their 02:15 youth about their Great 02:16 Creator and teach them the 02:19 lessons of resiliency and help 02:21 their youth to learn how to 02:22 meet the challenges and 02:24 adversities of life, one of 02:26 the programs they devised is 02:28 the Outdoor Adventure 02:30 Leadership Experience. 02:32 It's a wilderness canoe trip. 02:35 In a moment we will introduce 02:37 you to these amazing young 02:39 people, their leaders and 02:41 guides, and explore how a 02:43 wilderness canoe trip has 02:45 benefited the youth of this 02:47 proud, progressive, 02:49 and prosperous people. 02:53 ♪♪ 03:06 [nature sounds] 03:17 [Nimkii] The canoe trip is a 03:19 metaphor for life. 03:21 If we can work through the 03:23 challenges of a canoe trip and 03:25 make it to our destination, 03:27 then much like life, we can 03:29 work through the challenges 03:30 and make it to 03:31 our destination. 03:33 [nature sounds] 03:41 [Nimkii] The OALE experience 03:44 out of Wikwemikong is a 03:47 canoe-based, wilderness-based 03:51 expedition experience where we 03:54 are retracing the traditional 03:57 route of travel of our people 04:00 along the French River and 04:02 following the Georgian Bay 04:04 coastline up into the North 04:06 Channel, then we do a crossing 04:09 to Wikwemikong and paddling to 04:12 the Wiki Bay where we're 04:15 greeted by, you know, 04:17 a gathering of our family and 04:18 community in a celebration of 04:21 the completion of our trip. 04:23 [chanting and drumming] 04:27 [chattering and laughter] 04:31 [Nimkii] So the OALE program, 04:32 we're in our ninth year, 04:35 next year it'll be ten years 04:37 including the very first 04:38 pilot year. 04:40 The OALE program was sort of 04:42 envisioned in partnership with 04:44 Laurentian University and what 04:46 they were looking at was a 04:48 project that would examine 04:50 whether or not these kind of 04:51 wilderness experiences and 04:53 canoe-based expeditions would 04:56 create resiliency in the youth 04:59 and would we be able to, 05:02 by facilitating the challenge 05:05 of an extended wilderness 05:06 canoe trip, would we be able 05:09 to facilitate growth in the 05:10 youth so that they would be 05:12 able to learn to meet 05:14 challenges in their life. 05:15 Would it be a benefit to their 05:16 mental health? 05:18 You know, would it help them 05:19 to overcome adversity? 05:22 You know, would it help them 05:22 to, when they experience 05:25 set-backs, realize that they 05:28 can continue to work towards 05:30 things and eventually reach 05:31 their goal? 05:32 [Nimkii] As soon as it starts 05:33 to turn, what do you 05:34 need to do? 05:35 What do you need to do to 05:36 that back end? 05:37 Pull it, pull the back end. 05:39 That's it, pull it again! 05:41 [rower groans] 05:45 [Nimkii] This experience is 05:46 not just about learning how to 05:50 paddle, of course that 05:51 happens, it's more about how 05:54 do we as a group come together 05:57 to meet adversity and to 05:59 face challenges? 06:01 How do we, as a group that has 06:03 never interacted before, never 06:05 worked together in this way, 06:07 how do we create a community, 06:08 how do we engage with each 06:11 other in a way that enables us 06:12 to reach our goal? 06:14 Which is, of course, 06:15 140 kilometres of wilderness 06:19 canoe-tripping in not only 06:21 some of the most beautiful 06:22 territory that the Great Lakes 06:24 ecosystem has to offer, 06:26 but perhaps some of the most 06:27 difficult experiences that the 06:32 Great Lakes has to offer. 06:36 >> Welcome and thank you 06:38 for joining us again on 06:39 It Is Written Canada. 06:40 I am talking to 06:42 Lawrence Enosse, he is the 06:44 Brighter Future's manager here 06:46 at the Wikwemikong Youth 06:49 Centre, so welcome and thank 06:51 you for being here, Lawrence. 06:54 And with the Outdoor Adventure 06:57 Leadership Experience, I'm so 06:59 excited about that program. 07:01 What's the advantages 07:03 of that program? 07:04 >> First of all, just thank 07:05 you for having me on the show 07:06 and excited to be here, talk 07:08 about our Outdoor Adventure 07:09 Leadership Experience program 07:10 that we offer in our community 07:12 and yes, we take our kids on a 07:15 trip, it's 140 kilometres and 07:18 when you look at the map of 07:19 Ontario and our region, you'd 07:21 be like, "That's no way" 07:22 "that's 140 kilometres," but 07:24 sometimes the kids do 07:26 zig-zagging and they haven't 07:27 been in a canoe ever and the 07:29 trip could be longer for some, 07:31 but when we measure it out, 07:32 it is 140 kilometres from 07:34 point A to point B. 07:35 >> So they're learning how to 07:37 paddle along in their canoe, 07:40 that's a skill that you're 07:42 teaching them. 07:43 [Lawrence] It is a skill and I 07:44 think that when we look at our 07:46 programs that we offer 07:47 throughout the year, we've 07:49 provided a lot of our 07:50 community members the 07:51 opportunity to learn skills, 07:53 enhance their skills and our 07:55 OALE program is definitely a 07:56 skill-enhancer. 07:57 >> Mm-hmm. 07:59 What have you seen come 08:00 out of this? 08:01 You've been a part of it 08:02 yourself and it's affected not 08:03 just you, but your family. 08:05 >> I've been the 08:06 Brighter Future's manager 08:07 for ten years. 08:08 The program's entering-- we 08:09 just completed its twelfth 08:10 year and it's really helped my 08:12 family and it's helped me 08:13 as a manager. 08:14 My daughter, Aurora, who is a 08:16 post-secondary student at 08:17 Carleton University, she's 08:18 completed three trips as well 08:20 and when we look at the 08:23 learning aspects of the trip, 08:24 we provide resiliency, 08:26 problem-solving, you know, 08:28 learning to deal with certain 08:29 situations, we build and we 08:33 enhance our children with 08:34 those skills to better prepare 08:36 them for situations and also 08:38 it's a post-secondary and you 08:41 have to leave the community if 08:42 you want to continue with your 08:43 education so that's what our 08:44 program does as well. 08:49 >> The community of 08:50 Wikwemikong is, I wanna say, 08:52 unlike any other. 08:54 We're like, we're a huge 08:55 community. 08:56 Our population, I wanna say, 08:58 is around 3500 right now. 09:00 But if you go anywhere outside 09:02 of Wikwemikong, you're most 09:04 likely to meet someone that's 09:06 lived or has been living in 09:08 Wikwemikong. 09:09 Wikwemikong itself is a 09:11 beautiful place. 09:12 I'm really glad and happy that 09:15 I was born and raised here. 09:17 Well, I wasn't born here, but 09:18 I was raised here. 09:19 I was born in Sudbury. 09:20 [chuckles] 09:21 But being raised here, being 09:23 able to walk the streets as a 09:25 kid and just not have any 09:27 worries about anything crazy 09:29 like that, it's truly 09:32 something magical, 09:33 I would say. 09:36 The amount of OALE trips I've 09:38 been on is five. 09:40 I've been on one 5-day canoe 09:41 trip which, I wanna say, was 09:43 like 65 kilometres and then 09:47 four 10-day canoe trips. 09:49 On the big trips, the first 09:50 three days is 09:51 adjustment period. 09:52 Once you get past that, 09:54 day four, five, and six is 09:56 all everyone getting together 09:59 and enjoying the trip. 10:01 And then the last three days 10:03 you're exhausted, you're kinda 10:05 miserable and you're just 10:08 waiting to get home. 10:10 Sometimes you'll have people 10:12 that wanna give up and you've 10:13 gotta tell them, "No, we're" 10:15 "almost done, you're almost" 10:16 "there, just push yourself" 10:17 "a little harder," you know? 10:20 Then once you get home, 10:21 you see your family, you 10:23 embrace with them, maybe shed 10:25 a few tears, I've shed a few 10:26 tears a couple times, 10:29 especially seeing my nephew. 10:30 He's probably the most 10:31 important person in my life. 10:33 Every time I get back home 10:35 from a trip, he's the number 10:37 one person I go to. 10:38 When I get back from a trip 10:40 I feel like I'm at peace 10:43 with myself more than ever. 10:47 Like when I go through 10:48 everything that I go through 10:50 on these trips and then I get 10:51 home, I get to relax, I get to 10:53 be calm and just enjoy life as 10:55 much as possible. 10:57 Sponsors are a big thing 10:58 for these trips. 11:01 You've lowered the cost for 11:03 us, if you can manage to keep 11:05 that up and OALE can get 11:07 sponsors every year, it makes 11:09 it easier for kids to go out 11:11 and try a canoe trip of five 11:14 or ten days. 11:15 Either one and you're gonna 11:17 get an experience. 11:22 >> So the OALE program is 11:25 really good for the youth's 11:26 mental health because once 11:28 you're out there with nature, 11:31 it's very calming, 11:32 very relaxing. 11:34 And then not only that, you're 11:38 taking the kids back out away 11:40 from social media. 11:42 So once you're out there, 11:45 you know, you have to use your 11:48 communication skills. 11:49 They are, you know, working 11:51 together as a team. 11:54 It's been really good for all 11:57 the youth in Wikwemikong 11:59 because they actually learned 12:03 life skills out there. 12:04 They learned leadership, 12:06 they learned a lot about 12:08 themselves and not only that, 12:10 they learned about their 12:11 culture, they learned about 12:13 our land. 12:15 You know, I just, 12:16 I love it out there. 12:19 >> So you're thinking, 12:21 "This is just a canoe trip," 12:22 but it's more than a canoe 12:24 trip, they're connecting with 12:25 nature, it's a spiritual 12:27 experience as well. 12:28 [Lawrence] Yeah, it's definitely 12:29 a spiritual experience. 12:30 There's lots of reflection on 12:33 the trip as well and we-- 12:36 what we've done over time is 12:38 we've built that into, 12:41 you know, connecting with 12:42 themselves, connecting with 12:44 family, and connecting with 12:45 community and we're preparing 12:47 our kids for future whether 12:49 they're gonna be leaders or 12:51 they're going to be employed 12:53 in our community and we also 12:54 connected with the culture. 12:56 >> Mmm. Is the culture-- is it 12:59 very connected with nature? 13:02 >> Yeah, I would say it is 13:04 because what we noticed, we 13:07 call it, when we were doing 13:09 our research and even the 13:10 staff, we find that in the 13:12 beginning sometimes we would 13:14 get children and they weren't 13:15 really keen on going on the 13:16 trip, they kinda fought the 13:18 first couple days about it and 13:20 then after day three when 13:21 you're kinda in the middle of 13:23 nowhere, you're out there 13:24 paddling, that you kinda just 13:26 forget everything and you're 13:28 just looking around at nature, 13:30 could be stormy and you're 13:32 working with everybody else 13:34 that's on the trip so they're 13:35 able to come together... 13:36 [Mike] That's awesome. 13:37 [Lawrence] It's incredible. 13:38 [Mike] Yeah, that's 13:39 really good. 13:41 So, Lawrence, this program is 13:43 quite an expensive program as 13:44 well and so there's a lot of 13:45 investment that goes 13:46 into this. 13:47 >> Yeah, the program is quite 13:49 expensive and what we do every 13:53 year is we look for funding 13:55 for our program and we've been 13:57 very lucky to have partners 13:59 such as ADRA. 14:01 ADRA has helped us two years 14:03 now with a financial donation 14:05 and with that donation we've 14:06 been able to supply proper 14:10 equipment for our youth of our 14:12 community, we've also been 14:14 able to make sure that we put 14:16 the money towards food for our 14:17 trips 'cause our trips are 14:18 ten days. 14:19 It's not a simple camping trip 14:21 where you go camping for a 14:22 weekend, you're staying in one 14:23 spot, your equipment's all put 14:24 away, our kids are out 14:27 tripping and voyaging so it's 14:30 not like it's a stay in one 14:32 spot, so they're travelling and 14:34 a lot of wear and tear on the 14:35 equipment and everything like 14:36 that so we just wanna thank 14:37 ADRA for their contribution 14:38 and making our program 14:39 a success. 14:42 >> I'm Ian, Ian Dokum. 14:45 I am 14, from Wikwemikong. 14:56 It's just amazing seeing wild 14:59 animals with the beautiful 15:01 trees, green trees, blue water 15:03 instead of seeing, like, 15:05 I don't know, just on your 15:06 phone the whole time, 15:08 laying in bed. 15:10 It's better being out in 15:11 nature, enjoying it, going 15:13 swimming while canoeing. 15:15 [shouts and laughter] 15:27 [Nimkii] So how do we 15:28 incorporate culture into 15:30 this experience? 15:32 One of the ways is, of course, 15:33 is through daily prayer. 15:35 We don't have any sort of 15:37 formal way of engaging in that 15:38 prayer but we encourage each 15:40 participant to engage in it 15:42 personally, but also to do 15:44 those prayers on behalf of the 15:46 other group. 15:47 [Nimkii] To honour everything 15:48 in creation, that's what we 15:49 mean by respect. 15:52 Bravery doesn't mean, 15:55 you know, that you're the 15:56 first one... 15:57 [Nimkii] We also encourage and 15:59 work on developing a greater 16:00 understanding of our culture 16:02 through things like engaging 16:05 with the Seven Grandfather 16:06 Teachings. 16:08 So we will talk about bravery, 16:10 we will talk about humility, 16:12 we will talk about love and 16:15 truth and how we can 16:16 incorporate them and keep 16:18 those Seven Grandfathers 16:20 as a perspective on how to 16:22 live life well. 16:26 >> I'm Chief Duke Peltier, 16:28 or Ogimaa in our language and 16:31 I'm the elected representative 16:32 here in Wiikwemkoong Unceded 16:34 Territory and the role I 16:36 perform is leading the 16:40 community and providing some 16:42 direction and being the 16:44 official spokesperson of the 16:46 decisions of our 16:48 elected council. 16:50 When we first started the 16:52 Outdoor Adventure Leadership 16:53 Experience program in a little 16:56 over ten years ago, we wanted 17:00 to ensure that we provided a 17:02 space and an opportunity for 17:05 the youth in our community to 17:08 realize their full potential. 17:11 We began to identify specific 17:17 areas that we felt were 17:20 important to pass on to young 17:23 leaders through a mentorship 17:25 type program. 17:27 It's satisfying when you see 17:29 somebody go into a program, 17:31 on the first day where they're 17:33 very timid, they're not-- 17:36 they're unsure of their 17:37 abilities, they don't have 17:38 confidence, their self-esteem 17:40 is low, but then when they 17:41 come out of the program after 17:43 the seven to ten days that 17:45 they're out on the land, 17:48 they are a changed person. 17:53 And when we see these young 17:55 people come out of the 17:57 program, they're full of life, 18:00 they're full of happiness, 18:02 they're very-- their home 18:06 environment, it changes 18:09 because some of the positive 18:11 stories that come out of that 18:12 is that they now know what 18:15 some chores are and they begin 18:17 to help out at home, 18:18 they begin to show their 18:20 parents that they can 18:21 communicate with them now so 18:23 all these things are built 18:25 into the OALE program. 18:30 >> I would say that the 18:31 program is definitely 18:32 something that I encourage 18:34 other people to try because, 18:37 like, it's really, like, it's 18:39 something that you never 18:39 forget, you make a lot of 18:41 memories there, you can make a 18:42 lot of friends, like, I have-- 18:45 like one of my closest friends 18:46 that I'm friends with now, 18:48 we got really close on that 18:49 trip and still to this day we 18:50 talk about, like, stuff that we 18:51 remember and we, like, laugh 18:53 about stuff that happened. 18:54 So it's definitely something 18:55 really memorable. 18:57 My favourite part about, like, 18:59 every single day, like, that 19:00 you spend is, like, the end of 19:02 the day, like, after everyone 19:03 eats and everyone's sitting by 19:05 the fire and you're just kind 19:06 of talking with everybody and, 19:07 like-- it just, like, the 19:10 scenery is beautiful. 19:12 You can see, like, the stars 19:13 super clear and it's just a 19:15 really-- like, I remember my 19:17 past canoe trip I was on, 19:19 we were sitting by the fire 19:20 and we had, like, a view of 19:21 the water and, like, the sky 19:23 was really bright and I just 19:24 thought it was-- I was really 19:26 grateful that I went on there. 19:31 >> Lawrence, the homecoming 19:32 celebration, that's a big 19:33 thing, isn't it? 19:34 Tell us about that. 19:35 >> Yeah, our homecoming 19:36 celebration for OALE has grown 19:39 over the years and it's a big 19:41 celebration where our children 19:42 and our youth who were on the 19:43 trip, they're separated from 19:45 their families for ten days 19:47 and when they're coming home, 19:49 they're paddling in from the 19:51 route that our ancestors have 19:52 taken and their families are 19:54 waiting for them, we have our 19:56 traditional welcoming, 19:57 our drummers there, our elders 19:59 are there, our chief is there, 20:01 and we're celebrating the 20:02 success of their kids, 20:03 for accomplishments and it's 20:05 almost like when you go 20:06 away to a school, 20:07 you get a certificate or 20:09 diploma, but we do something a 20:10 little bit more unique. 20:11 When our participants talk 20:14 about our trip, they're gonna 20:15 remember it and they're gonna 20:16 be able to pass on the story 20:17 and one of the things that we 20:18 do differently is most places 20:21 give out a certificate or 20:23 diploma or degree and what we 20:25 do is we give out a paddle. 20:27 So we have a paddle for all of 20:28 our participants who've 20:30 completed the trip and on the 20:33 paddle it'll show the distance 20:34 that they've completed, 20:36 the year, and their name so if 20:37 something ever goes missing 20:39 like this, they'll be able to 20:40 find out whose paddle it is 20:42 and again, it creates a story 20:44 and a legacy so, for those who 20:46 participated this year in 2020 20:48 with the Corona virus and the 20:50 pandemics going on, we had 20:52 special paddles made up, 20:53 "# we're all in this together" 20:56 and we have the year. 20:57 So this is a year that was 20:59 gonna be a definite 21:00 story-telling for future years 21:03 so more important than a 21:05 trophy or a certificate so 21:06 this is something that they'll 21:07 definitely be able to tell 21:09 their family or their children 21:10 or their grandchildren years 21:11 to come. 21:12 >> Awesome, awesome. 21:14 I think the success of the 21:16 program speaks for itself and 21:18 that success has bred more and 21:19 more success and it's just a 21:20 domino effect that's affected 21:21 your community and is 21:23 affecting other communities 21:24 and through the participants 21:26 there is this, you know, other 21:30 programs have been enhanced by 21:31 it so thank you very much, 21:33 Lawrence, for sharing with us 21:35 and miigwech. 21:36 >> Miigwech, thank you for 21:37 having me. 21:38 Have a great day. 21:41 >> My name's Mick Staruck. 21:43 My role with the Wikwemikong 21:44 Board of Education, 21:46 Elder Rita Corbiere calls it 21:48 the "Yaasgaabwitaaget." 21:49 It's a "system principal," 21:51 when you say that in English, 21:53 kind of like a superintendent 21:54 and so I support the 21:55 principal's curriculum 21:57 development, information 21:58 technology, programs like 21:59 that, special education. 22:01 So the OALE program is 22:03 probably the most phenomenal 22:04 youth-based program that I've 22:05 ever heard of and got to 22:07 witness an encounter of. 22:10 I think resiliency is there 22:13 and so when you're looking for 22:15 ways to unlock it and so when 22:18 we talk about OALE program or 22:20 some of these projects, really 22:22 what it is is it's bringing 22:23 them back to their roots and 22:26 sometimes the resiliency can 22:29 look a little dim because I 22:30 don't think the children are-- 22:33 have been ingrained or 22:35 introduced to their roots, 22:37 but these are the "igniters." 22:40 And yes, it's not just about 22:43 the canoeing, the resiliency, 22:44 it unlocks that for them to 22:46 want to farther and learn more 22:48 and then the more they learn 22:49 about their past and then the 22:52 more they see the skills they 22:53 have they probably didn't even 22:54 know, that resiliency I see 22:57 transforms into anything else 22:59 they do. 23:01 >> Our youth are very 23:03 important to our community. 23:05 I, myself, am an avid 23:07 outdoors woman, outdoors person 23:10 and have been involved with 23:11 the community hunt as one of 23:13 the coordinators and having 23:15 the knowledge that our elders 23:18 and our experienced harvesters 23:21 transfer that knowledge to our 23:22 youth is important to 23:24 continuing on our traditions. 23:26 You know, they are the ones 23:27 that are gonna be doing that 23:28 and having the OALE for an 23:31 example, that builds that 23:34 resilience within our youth 23:36 and I've actually had two of 23:37 my daughters participate on 23:39 the trips and, you know, and 23:41 I'd see when they come home, 23:42 coming onto the shore, they 23:45 were just so full of pride. 23:47 So, you know, I would ask 23:49 them, 'cause I seen sometimes, 23:50 the waves were big, and I 23:52 would ask them, too, like, 23:54 "How did you push through" 23:55 "that," like, "was that" 23:56 "challenging?" 23:56 And they said it was, but 23:58 everyone was supportive and, 23:59 you know, they would say, 24:01 "Keep going!" and they would 24:02 sometimes link canoes if the-- 24:04 if it became challenging and 24:06 they would support each other 24:07 and encourage each other and I 24:09 found that they-- my daughters 24:12 actually participated in more 24:14 than one trip because they 24:15 really enjoyed the first one. 24:17 So, and I think it really 24:18 built character within 24:20 the youth. 24:23 >> We at ADRA Canada were very 24:25 honoured and privileged to 24:26 participate and partner with 24:29 the Wiikwemkoong First Nations 24:31 community here on Manitoulin 24:34 Island, the world's largest 24:35 fresh-water island. 24:37 There was a program that ADRA 24:38 Canada participated and 24:41 partnered with several years 24:42 ago and they wanted to cancel 24:44 it this year due to COVID-19. 24:47 And so this year, because of 24:49 the funding that ADRA Canada 24:50 was able to provide, 24:52 the program was able to 24:53 continue and over 30 students 24:56 participated and successfully 24:58 completed the program. 25:00 We are so honoured at ADRA 25:02 Canada to work and partner 25:03 with our First Nations 25:04 community here on Manitoulin 25:05 Island, Wiikwemkoong. 25:11 >> Through the Outdoor 25:12 Adventure Leadership 25:13 Experience, the youth of 25:15 Wiikwemkoong First Nations on 25:17 Manitoulin Island in Northern 25:19 Ontario discovered how 25:21 exposure to the natural 25:23 environment provides 25:25 education, mental health, 25:28 stability, and the nurturing 25:30 we all need to achieve 25:32 our goals. 25:33 >> This amazing world that we 25:35 live in also provides us with 25:38 everything we need to stay 25:39 alive physically; the water, 25:41 the sunshine, the food, and 25:42 the air, but when we look 25:44 beyond our world to this 25:46 amazing universe of ours, 25:47 we see sights beyond 25:48 our imagination. 25:50 >> So today we would like 25:51 to offer you a free 25:52 special edition of 25:54 Signs of the Times entitled, 25:56 Our Amazing Universe. 26:11 >> As we have seen, the 26:13 Outdoor Adventure Leadership 26:15 Experience, a 140 kilometre 26:18 canoe trip into the 26:19 wilderness, it is not just 26:21 about learning how to 26:22 paddle a canoe. 26:24 >> No, it's about helping 26:26 youth learn how to create 26:28 community, how to work 26:30 together, and how to engage 26:32 with each other in a way that 26:34 enables them to reach 26:36 their goals. 26:38 And through the sponsorship of 26:39 ADRA Canada and other 26:41 organizations, these young 26:44 people were able to experience 26:46 this life-changing program. 26:49 [Mike] One core aspect of this 26:50 program is prayer. 26:52 So let's take a moment to pray 26:55 to our Great Creator, God, 26:58 right now and thank Him for 27:00 the way that He speaks to us 27:01 and teaches our youth through 27:03 the works of His hands. 27:04 Let's pray. 27:07 Oh, Lord, creator of heaven 27:10 and earth, You are the Lord, 27:12 You alone and You have made 27:15 heaven and earth and the 27:17 waters and all that is in them 27:21 and You give them all life. 27:24 You have truly made everything 27:26 beautiful in its time. 27:28 And because You put eternity 27:30 in all of our hearts, we want 27:32 to thank You and we want to 27:33 pray to You in Jesus' name, 27:35 our Creator and Redeemer, 27:37 amen. 27:42 [Mike] We want you to 27:43 experience the 27:44 life-transforming truth found 27:46 in the words of Jesus our 27:48 saviour when He said, 27:59 ♪♪ 28:01 [Felicity] I've heard some 28:03 people say that life is like a 28:04 canoe trip because it's hard. 28:05 You just wanna go home. 28:07 It's only hard if you look at 28:08 the bad part of it and you 28:09 don't, you know, think about 28:10 the positives. 28:12 Yeah, it's gonna be hard 28:13 sometimes, but you gotta look 28:15 past that, you gotta think 28:16 about where you're getting and 28:17 how far you've already 28:18 travelled and how, you know, 28:20 you've already pushed through 28:21 so much and how you can 28:23 keep going. 28:27 This trip wouldn't have been 28:28 possible without sponsors and 28:30 people helping us to provide 28:32 for this trip. 28:34 It's taught me a lot about who 28:36 I am and who I can become and 28:38 I'd like to say "thank you" to 28:40 all the sponsors for helping, 28:42 you know, bring us together 28:44 and to help us learn together, 28:45 to help us learn about who we 28:47 are as Anishinaabe people. 28:50 That's a big thank you. 28:51 We couldn't have done it 28:52 without you. |
Revised 2021-02-23