Rachel on Great Slave Lake
I don’t know very many people who have been to Yellowknife, let alone live there. Last weekend, all that changed!
Women in Focus offers three workshops that we bring right into your own community. They are: Gifted and Called, Empowered Through Spiritual Formation, and Can We Talk?; a mentoring program. Last weekend three of us from the WIF board traveled to Yellowknife to facilitate the Empowered Workshop and network with women’s ministry leaders.
40 women from 5 different churches gathered at Calvary Community Church to gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual disciplines and especially prayer. It was a powerful time of waiting on the Spirit who faithfully led us into intimate communion with Him. Frozen (then burst) sewer pipes didn’t dampen (no pun intended) our time together but rather provided opportunity to see a small city at its best. The United Church opened its doors to us mid-Saturday afternoon and the 7th-Day Adventist Church invited us to worship in their sanctuary on Sunday. We have much to learn from this example of porous denominational lines.
Our hostess turned tour guide, Rachel, ensured we had a true arctic experience. She initiated us into northern ways by driving us on the 4 foot thick ice road (closed the next day due to warming conditions) and took photos of the ice castle, frozen float houses sitting along the shoreline of Great Slave Lake and Pilot Hill where 360 views take in kilometres of flat, rocky terrain and frozen waterways.
The museum fascinated us with its taxidermy specimens and a moose hide, wooden-framed canoe of sorts. We ate Arctic Char, Bison Jerky, and held beaver, wolverine and rabbit pelts in our hands just like the trappers of old.
Yes, temperatures were colder than we are accustomed to with -3C as the high and chilly -19C for the low. Yes, I brought my woolies!
Yellowknife is one of those fascinating places, laced with uniquely Canadian history and it’s a city I hope to return to. And the people? Oh, the people were fantastic!
As I sit here this evening, drinking tea and reminiscing about my trek north, I am overwhelmed by the mystery of what Jesus calls us to. And so very grateful!
Thank you, Rachel, for your delightful and colourful hospitality. You, my new friend, live in God’s country!
