Brief update

 

I had a really great weekend.  Saturday was grocery shopping with my roommate and a couple of the guys.  Carpooling to the store and shopping together can be rather entertaining.  We are continuing to get to know each other and the things we all dislike or like.   Saturday evening we had a BBQ at Yvonne's one of CCBR's full time staff. Which was great as we got to do something together outside of work.  Nothing like good food, stories, and  laughter to bring people together. We play some soccer, and frisbee, and just enjoyed ourselves. 

Both Saturday and Sunday I did meal prep, for this week, as we have been getting home at 6 or7 pm from work so having meals planned ahead is important.  We also make our own lunches. 

I also did some baking. I made home made tortillas, through had to substitute a bottle as a rolling pin. A rolling pin is on my wish list.  I bought a cake pan so I am able to make cake now.

Sunday a few of us attended a Latin high Mass, which is absolutely beautiful.

I am ready to start my next work week and feel refreshed after a rest and some fun. We have a rather busy week ahead. I'm looking forward to whatever this week shall hold.  

Thoughts on choice chain

This is the reality of what abortion really is and by using these horrendous pictures we have the chance to open people's eyes to the truth as well as their hearts and minds. My job is a tough one, I wish I didn't haven't to show these signs to others, because they are so horrible and often I find myself at a loss for words when it comes to the AVP, which stands for (Abortion victim photography). It saddens me greatly as well as hurts my heart, however I'm raising awareness and trying to make abortion unthinkable. At times when people walk right by or people don't engage when asked what they think of abortion, it makes me wonder if its all worth it.  But than I look at this pre-born child who was snatched away from this world and I think of those other children yet to be born who could potentially be aborted and I have the hope that by doing this it will save the life of even just one child because their parents saw the truth. Abortion won't cease to exist over night and it will continue to be a battle that we must fight. This job isn't easy and there will be times when it takes its toll on not just myself but on those who I'm working with.  It effects us all differently, the work we do can be draining physical or mentally as well as emotionally. People yell at us, and say all kinds of rude or nasty things, swearing us.  Despite all of that we keep going, we continue to reach people and try to get them to talk to us. This work is worth every moment of sore feet, and arms from standing in place and keeping pressure on our signs so they don't blow away when a gust of wing occurs.  Worth the hours put in and the backlash we get.  In the end how can we stand by and do nothing? In Canada 300 Pre-born children are killed every single day.  How can we not be horrified? How can we not choose to act? 

                                                                    

10,000 reasons

  

As I thunk about why I am doing the internship and why the work I am doing is important I can think of numerous reasons. The other day while being in the passenger seat I chose to play this song  for the next part of the drive and it always speaks to me.  It always feels me with hope and I can always find something new to relate to.  I hope you too can find something relatable or meaning full to you within this song. 

Have a really awesome day! 

R

Update as promised

Where do I start! I have been processing and overwhelmed at times with all the new information I am learning as well as the experiences I am acquiring. I have been kept rather busy the past two weeks. My internship is well under way and I am enjoying it greatly.  I'm sorry it's taken so long to get an update from me. My hope is to remedy this in the coming weeks, now that I've adjusted to our schedule. 

A little about the work I have been doing so far. We only started getting out on the streets this passed week. Our first week was spent in the class room. 

Choice chains, I've mentioned them in earlier posts however I haven't gone into detail. 

For choice chains we take our anti abortion posters an we go to corners or intersections on the streets of downtown Calgary. We than hand out pamphlets to people walking or passing by. We try to start conversations and ask what there thoughts on abortion are.  We also do choice chains on sidewalks by schools and universities.

Highway projects, With highway projects we set up on pedestrian over pass crossings on the highway, than we put our posters or signs over the rails and attach it to ourselves than sit in chairs while the big rush hour traffic goes by this way we maximize the amount of views and exposure. 

We also have a big truck with images on both sides and I believe the back door as well, the truck gets driven around the city during different times of day to reach even more people. 

Though that's not an interns job, one of the full time staff does that. However I did go out in the truck on Thursday as I sprained my ankle postcarding on Wednesday. Thankfully it's feeling much better today. We have the weekend off so I have loads of time to rest and recuperate.

We have class time where we learn all kinds of information and things related to our work. We also get homework and assignments. The assignments are to help in making sure we know our material. In class time is where we dialogue and have in class discussions and training. We get talks on all kinds of topics. We learn more about doing presentations and how to talk to people.  

  My fellow interns and I are all becoming a rather close knit group, we car pool, eat our lunches together as well as learning in the classroom together and drawing from others experiences. Together we are learning how to function as a unit, team work can go along ways when we have a fair amount of tasks to accomplish. 

Learning to how to be an actual adult

           This post is less about work as its more of my experiences and personal side. My first week I went to have soup only to realize I didn't have a can opener.... the rental comes equipped with certain things but lacks others.  Of course I was able to aquire a can opener from the office, the same can be said for plastic containers to store my cooked food in.  Learning to be independent and an adult is rather tricky there is much more to consider and plan. 

              Firstly learning how to effectively manage my time and energy,  we actually had a whole talk about this begging of this passed week.  I have never been a big fan of cooking or baking however it is growing on me as I have to cook and prep as well and plan ahead for my meals.  Learning more about budgeting and personal finance has been rather interesting.

             Another example i was going to make a boxed cake, only I didn't really think ahead to what equipment I had at home.. this living in a place that's not home only it's temporarily home.  I don't have a cake pan so making a cake is kinda not possible at the moment.  However I do have a muffin tin so I can make cupcakes with said cake mix.  Yesterday I baked two batches of muffins from scratch. Banana chip and a yougert jam muffin.   

           I have had to text or call my parents for advice on rather simple things and not so simple ones. 

Knowing when to ask for help is a great help and the fact I know I have the support of my family and friends. Thankfully with technology it's easier to keep in contact with friends and family and all who have been supporting me in my internship. I am extremely grateful for all the love and support and am so blessed by the people I have in my life.

           Earlier this week the oven first time using it decided it didn't want to turn off... had a rather interesting bonding moment with my housemate Emily, as we tried to get to the bottom of the situation.  The land owner after I contacted him took a look at and it was decided that a new one was in order. Thus we have a new over to work with.  Thankfully we were able to use the gals renting upstairs to cook our next meal till the new over could arrive. 

           Over the past two weeks I have had a fair amount of small and big learning lessons. I'm constantly learning something new each day and growing in new ways.  I really enjoy working with my fellow interns and all the things we can find in common. We all share moments of laughter and tease each other. Getting to know one another has been bring us all closer. Knowing one another's quirks or pet peeves or what can get someone off on a tangent. 

               Lunch time can be one of my favourite times as our lunch room is basically a loft filled with mismatched couches and chairs, tables. Our conversations are always different and can go from one topic to another in split seconds. There are times when we have to be serious and others where we can laugh and joke around.  

Update coming soon!

Hey Everyone, just wrapping up the last classes and lessons of the week than I have the weekend off. Will be posting an update soon. For now I've added Pictures from the March for life for you guys to see.  I've been really crazy busy this first week of my internship. Looking forward to giving a bit of a look into what's going on. 

The March for life

The first picture is of several of CCBR's staff and most of the 4 month  Calgary interns 

Today's the day

I found this quote from Mother Teresa, the other day and it spoke to me. Abortion not only effects the lives of the women  who have one, it takes the life of a child and  it  deeply effects those around the person as well.

 Today's the day!  I know not what the summer shall hold or where my feet shall take me,I know there will be challenges and changes ahead which I am ready to embrace whole heartily.  I don't know what Gods plan is for me or how I'll make a difference in the lives of the people I meet and interact with. But I am willing to take this step in faith and trust that whatever happens I shall grow and learn form it.  I am looking forward to the training that's lies ahead and spending my summer with some really awesome people.

I have this line from Finding Nemo stuck in my head. "Good morning everyone todays the day the sun is shining the tank is clean and we are getting out of- The tank is clean. THE TANK IS CLEAN!"

Where'd the time go?

  

I really love how it describes when a baby starts to really function and grow. It's truly amazing. 

Officially 4 sleeps until the internship starts.  I don't know where all the time has gone! It feels like only yesterday it all began.  I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to work with CCBR and be an example for others as well as living out my faith and standing up for what's I believe in. 

I can't believe I'll be starting my internship in just a few days. I am currently preoccupied with preparations and packing the last round of things.  Saturday I have highway clean up. It will probably go all day long.  Planning  to head to Calgary Sunday morning to settle in at the rental and be ready to start on Monday. I'm really looking forward to meeting my fellow interns and starting our journey together,  For the work and people we will reach this summer and the hearts that will be impacted.

Let's make abortion unthinkable!