How it all began

In grade school we learned about the Native Americans. We learned about a tradition called Thanksgiving where the Native Americans and the English settlers shared a delicious meal of turkey and corn together. It was not until we are in high school that we learn the real story of these people and how they were violated, murdered, and cast out of their own homelands. So much history has been lost, and worse than that, it has been covered up.

Canada shares in our guilt. They too have their native people, known as First Nations. But these people are making a strong comeback in Vancouver and beyond. They are going to univerisity, getting educated and making a stand for their people. We were fortunate enough to discover a little of their story at the Anthropology Museum in the Universoty of British Columbia.

Lunch at the Heritage Club

THe YPNers got invited to attend a speacial welcome lunch with the CEO of the YMCA of Greater Vanouver and the Heritgage Club Donors! It was a beautiful afternoon!

The power of an apology

2 days ago Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup final. The next morning at breakfast we were shocked to find newspaper articles and TV coverage plastering images of a huge riot that broke out after the loss. I have never seen anything so destructive in the states...

I was a bit discouraged to walk around the city after that to be quite honest. But yesterday afternoon I saw something that absolutley confirms my belief that peace is possible.




The rioters may never be brought to justice for the damage they did to their city. But Vancouver did not let this beat them. In the midst of literal devastation the city found the strength to unite and rebuild. Apparently someone put the call out to clean up the damage on Facebook. Within hours thousands of people responded "attending" to clean up the broken glass, graffiti and fire damage. There are chalk messages of hope and apology everywhere we walk. Broken windows have been boarded up and the burnt cars are covered in letters of apology from people who had absolutely nothing to do with this incident. In the heart of a crisis a hero will emerge.

Thank you Vancouver for reminding the world of the power of humility and forgiveness.

Acceptance versus Tolerance...

As people, and especially as people who work for the YMCA, do we accept everyone we meet? As a child I was taught that tolerance was a positive thing. But today I got a new perspective. It is one thing to tolerate someone and their culture and way of thinking. It is very different to accept them as equal. During our own time of segregation in the states, blacks were simply tolerated by society. Nobody really wanted to sit with them or eat with them or even drink from the same fountains as them, but they tolerated their presence in society by segregating them from the majority. Tolerance is putting up with people, but this does not bring about meaningful long lasting change. Think about your daily life... Do you truly think you openly accept everyone you meet? Or are there some people who frustrate you that you simply find it easier to put up with? Have you made a genuine effort to try and understand and accept these people and their opinions, even if they are different than yours? Or is it easier to just label them as "different" and leave them be along with the status quo?

What comes easy goes easy...

As I am sure many of you have been anxiously awaiting these updates from me I must first say thank you to those of you who have been patient with me thus far. Yes, I have arrived in Vancouver safe and sound and have been here for over a week and with very little access to Internet and even less time to use it! We have been SO busy, this first week has just flown by. but I do apologize to anyone who was worried about my mortal state.

As I continue to try and fill you in on the details of this amazing international journey, I want to take a moment to reflect on what it took for me to get here...Now that I am out of the US I can safely and comfortably admit the doubts I had before my arrival. Between the responsibilities of my job, the cost of travel, my brother's wedding in Belize this month, and a near appendicitis scare I had plenty of reasons to not come here. Karena even assured me that if it was too much of a hassle I was more than welcome to back out.

But when you want something bad enough, you don't let anything get in your way. For every obstacle that got in my way I had a hundred doubts fill my mind. "Was now the right time to do this?" "What will I be getting out of this?" "Am I letting people down by leaving for three months?" It would have been so easy to let those doubts influence my actions. But what I gave up this summer is nothing in comparison to what I now understand I will be gaining and already have gained.

I have met 18 fabulous participants from all over the world who have now become my family and I am looking forward to introducing you to all of them over the course of the summer. We have already learned a great deal from each other and from our first week of training. And I know we will continue to learn with our host families this weekend and our experience with the children at Camp Elphinstone.

So for those of you grappling with a decision like mine, "Go or don't go" please remember, "You will always regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did" Go. Pursue your dreams. Let yourself grow. You will not regret it. I sure don't!

Playtime (for the first time)

Can you imagine seeing snow for the frist time?!?! This weekend some of the YPNers did just that and so much more!

Welcome to Vancouver!

The guys

The girls

The Vancouver YMCA

Where we come from

A warm welcome!!!!!!

Music is the same in any language

Though we may not understand eachother's language, we undertstand eachother's hearts. Here are just a few ways the YPN participants have been able to express themselves!

Juliana teaching Lindo the Macarena

Lindo dancing Zulu

The group learning our theme song..."Wamba fia"

Juliene singing her national anthem

One week to go...

I have one week until I begin my on my journey towards the "way to peace"

Follow the link below for more information on what my experience entails, and to hear from the experience of past participants!

Youth Peace Network PSA