Hi everyone,

For those of you who are wondering who this young man is with me in the photo, his name is Allan Okrainec. Allan was a member of our youth group back in Ottawa when I was studying at St. Paul seminary.  He was over often and visited me and we played squash and tennis.  He is an acomplished violinist and rode the bus all the way from Gatineau, PQ to Grand Falls back in May of 1994 to play for my ordination.  He was in grade 12 at the time.  I have known Allan since he was in grade 8 and part of the parish youth group.  He is now a surgeon and married to a wonderful lady named Jolene who is a pediatrics doctor. This was the first time I saw him in 12 years and the reunion was wonderful.  Let me tell you about the wild trip to get to see him and Jolene.

On Saturday I was invited for Thanksgiving supper and to stay over at their townhouse in Toronto.  Supper was at 6pm and I told them I would be there around 5:30pm. I left Richmond Hill at 4pm.  My route was to go all the way down yonge street to the Gardener Expressway, go along the expressway, exit and a couple of turns and no problem...famous last words.  Well at 5:45pm I was still on Yonge Street as it is a long busy street and packed with cars.  I then tried to turn onto the Expressway only to find there was no exit and turned down a one-way the wrong way. I got turned around pretty quick and finally just guessed and turned up a street and found the right one to get on he expressway.  Well I missed the turn off to get off the Gardener Expressway, and took the next one and finally arived at Mendota road.  Now here is where the circus began.  I thought I remembered the number on the house...38-6 Mendota.  They were rows of beautiful townhouses.  But when I got there, I went to 36-8 and it was the wrong one. Then I saw there was 36A-1, 2...then I saw 38-1, 2....then I saw 36-1, 2.... and was completely flabbergasted.  I forgot the address and didn't write it down and bring with me.  Nor did I bring his phone number.  So here I am knocking on random doors asking for these two young doctors and nobody knew or didn't want to tell me.  I must have sounded like someone trying to settle a score with a doctor or something.  Now it is 6pm when I arrive but I have walked around and it is 6:20pm and I walk around the other side facing Mendota and try ringing door bells and still no luck.  I get back in the car and go to the Shell station and ask for the phone book,  Of course the number is unlisted as he is a doctor.  I ask the lady at the Shell if there is an internet cafe as I can look up the email with the home number and the phone number.  No luck.  She suggests I go back and ask for the superintendent.  So trying anything I go back and try some more doors.  Finally I park the car and a man who is working in his garage sees me and says "Still no luck?"  I say no and ask about an internet cafe.  He offers me to come in and access it on his computer.  I am stunned again that he would offer.  I introduce myself and tell him who I am and why I am there.  I find the number and call Allan and find out I am four doors down from him.  It is a great laugh.

Ariving at his house, I gave Allan a big hug.  It was so amazing to see him and great to meet Jolene his wife.  She is so nice and they are a great couple together.  Allan has not changed and is the same great young man I knew in Ottawa.  It just seemed like we picked up from where we left off.  I am so excited to be close to them again. Supper was turkey and when it was taken out, it was still half cooked so an hour later, we finally sat down to finish.

This morning I went with them to church.  They belong to an Evangelical church called "The Meeting Place".  It is a huge church that is really relaxed, has great music ministry and an awesome hospitality.  I was greeted three times by ushers before I got to my seat.  People were dressed casually and there was a coffee bar in the gathering space.  People brought in their coffee with them to church.  It just is normal for them. When they began the preaching, it was dark and it looked like a technician was fixing the mike before the preacher arrived.  When the lights came up, two big screens introduced the guy I thought was the technician as the "Teaching Pastor".  He was a big man dressed in a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt.  His message today was entitled "Ghost Stories" and centered on the Holy Ghost (Spirit) and the role of the spirit in our lives.  It was really good and involved a movie clip, powerful quotes and some good material.  I could see why people would like this church.  it was welcoming, musical, attractive to people to be more worried about their faith than their clothes.  They had a goodbye to a couple going to AIDS work in Zimbabwe.  It was awesome and an interesting exprience.

I went back and had brunch with Alan and Jolene and we shared on the service of this morning.  They are very faith filled young people and it warmed my heart to hear them share of their love for this community.  They are round 30 years old.  Incedible!

Well I hated to leave, but I needed to head back to get ready for Thanksgiving supper tonight at Corner house.  I hated the thought of another two hour drive.  I left at 12:05pm from their house and arrived in Richmond Hill at 12:30....yes 25 minutes.  I found  route on the highways that escaped Yonge Street.  I laughed again!

Tonight we had supper with some from Church street and Corner house.  This was our thanksgiving supper and it was so neat.  A real sharing of friendship and turkey of course.  I brought my guitar and we sang.  A perfect end to a great day.  So filled with turkey and and gratitude, I sign off for tonight.  Until next time...

Jeff