Reneyah

I feel that, out of any of my team members, my blog has portrayed Reneyah the least accurately. Not that she doesn't say or do all these hilarious things I've told you about, but they are the surface aspect of her personality.
Reneyah is a very passionate person; passionate about God, about teaching, about missions, about horses, about building, and anything else that she chooses to focus her life on. She's an incredibly deep person; even after living with her for four months, I was still finding out new things about her. She's the type of person who, when she has a goal, will not stop until she's acheived it or discovered that it's not as important as she originally thought. When anything goes wrong, she's eternally optimistic and finds the remotest positive aspect to dwell on. She treats everything as a learning experience.
At most of the places we stay, I am billeted with Reneyah. She's gregarious and outgoing, so if I'm ever tired or don't feel like talking, I just close my mouth and let her talk to our billets. If we're walking in a crowd or at a church or something, somehow Reneyah makes a friend; either in line, in the foyer, or just walking down the street. It amazes me, how she can just...talk to people. Like she's known them for ten years. She's so incredibly genuine in everything; one thing she always insists on is honesty. She can also read people very well, which I suppose is the reason why she can talk to everyone so easily.
As for her dominance in the quotebook; Reneyah sometimes says the very first thing that pops into her head, making for very good quotes. She's fun-loving and is easily excited, making every moment with her quite interesting. She's the kind of person I'd love to go on a vacation with, because she wants to do EVERYTHING. If something fun is happening, she'll jump at the chance. If Reneyah and I were ever in a survival situation, like a bear attack or something, I'm convniced that she would be 10 kilometres away before the bear finished eating me. Not that she wouldn't try to help me, she's just very jumpy; if you sneak up behind her and scare her, she'll jump away five feet.
Like Jonathan, she loves being outside and going hiking, though her idea of camping is probably a little closer to mine than to his. I love finding trails with the two of them; we've had quite a few opportunities to do so. And, since they're both basically fearless and will go anywhere, I try not to miss out.
God has blessed me so much by bringing Reneyah into my life. We've had so many great late-night talks about everything, and over the last six months have become very close. I never cease to marvel at the joy that God has given her in the face of the trials and tragedies that have occured in her life. She has shown me so many things about myself and challenged me to change what needed to be changed. I could write a book on her, but I always tell her she should do that.
She has become my mentor and one of my best friends.
I love you, Reneyah.

Jonathan

Able to sand any wood silky-smooth in a matter of seconds...able to solve any wood-related problem...swims like a fish, crochets like a grandmother, eats like a health nut, remains positive in all situations...he is AMAZING MAN!
There's a reason Jonathan got that knickname. If you see him staring at something, he's either zoned out of the conversation or trying to figure out how that something works. One of my first impressions at how handy he really is (aside from building all our boxes) was in Winnepeg in February. He fixed his billets' stove. And not like just plugged it in; he pulled it out, looked behind and found out that some of the wires had fused together or something. Then he repaired it. And it worked. And I had been proud of myself that day for cleaning my room.
Jonathan is the type of person who leaves everything and everyone better than when he first came on the scene. He's extremely positive, and sees very few things as an obstacle, be they mountains, rivers, lakes, broken flour containers or broken stoves. He's not outdoorsy; he's a bushwhacker. His idea of camping is a sleeping bag, matches, and a machete. By contrast, my idea of camping is an RV. I have to say, his love of hiking has actually rubbed off on me. Maybe it's because of the way he hikes; he's not one for sticking to trails or taking the easy routes. However, by his definition, we haven't been on a real hike on this entire trip. He could hike eight hours a day and be deliriously happy.
I can't describe Jonathan without telling you about his passion for God. Whenever you ask him about the future, he never fails to talk about God's will. He's a very dedicated, hardworking guy, and it doesn't fail to transfer into his spiritual life. It's not uncommon to find him reading his Bible in the mornings, and he'll often tell us about what God has been teaching him of late. In his bio on our program, he wrote that "nothing thrills him more than stepping out in faith and trusting God," and he lives it.
Jonathan's a pretty quiet guy. He seems to prefer situations with smaller groups of people. Once you get to know him, he starts to pull out these joking little comments that you'll miss if you blink at the wrong time. He'll just kinda smirk to himself until you turn around and ask; "Are you making fun of me?" Then he grins mischeiviously.
In Ontario, we had the opportunity to stay at a camp. We had the whole place to ourselves and bought groceries for the days we were there. Jonathan couldn't sleep one morning, so he decided to get up and bake bread. From scratch. By memory. No big deal for him; apparently he makes seven loaves a week for his family. No wonder they miss him so much. Last I heard, they had two hair dryers and a rocking chair for him to fix. I'm pretty sure there's nothing that he can't fix, given enough time. Most of his billets have wanted to keep him, marry him to their granddaughters, or both. Most of you back home thought I'd come back engaged to him, but sorry guys, that's not gonna happen. I'm crazy enough NOT to like him.
Though if he's ever in town I might get him to fix my hair dryer.
I love you, Jonathan.

A $14 can of water.

In Trail, Jonathan, Reneyah and I were all staying at the same house. In the morning, we decided to go for a walk by the Columbia river, which, at the mouth, is one of the widest rivers in the world. We ended up going down the banks and onto some rocks in the middle of the river. We were actually standing in the middle of the Columbia river! A couple days later we all hiked around another river right near the US border. We went through old abandoned railways, climbed up rocks past the rapids, and sunk our toes in some of the softest natural sand I've ever felt. I actually drank some of the water, too...it tasted pretty good and I didn't get sick.
I've discovered that some of southern BC and the Okanagan is desert. That's weird, because as a kid we used to always visit my grandparents in Kelowna, and I had this picture of the Okanagan as a paradise, an oasis from the normally cold Alberta weather. It's all irrigated, and that's the only reason there's so much fruit grown here. We seem to have brought the rain with us from Alberta, though; everywhere we go it rains.
First was Osoyoos, where Reneyah and I hung out with cherrypickers in the park. Cherries aren't in season yet, plus it was raining, so they seem to hang out there a lot. Before we found out what they were really there for, we called them "hippies," because they look like hippies. They're very transient people; some were from Ontario, some from Quebec, just looking to experience western Canada or make some money. They were sitting in a bandshell, jamming on a guitar and an accordion. It was an interesting aspect of BC that you'd usually miss as a tourist.
Today we're in Vernon. It's the first day of summer, we had the day off, and it was 32 degrees out. So, of course, we went to the beach! Jeremy and Rhonda were visiting friends, so the rest of us lazed around in the sun all day, swam, and ate ice cream. We are all now a toasty shade of red. Ah, I love BC. The fruit, the sun, the water, the mountains...so great.
And yes, we have had shows the past week. Nothing too different about the show, except the one volunteer who "threw up" on the airplane during the kazoo sketch. I was the stewardess, and supplied the towel to clean things up.
I could not believe what I saw today. I was in London drugs and I saw a display for a new product; a spray can of Evian water. Oh, but it's "mineral" water, and is apparently very soothing.
Please, for the love of all that is sane, DO NOT buy Evian spray water. It's water. Go jump in a lake, or take a bath, or make your own. Distill your own, if you need to, and spray it on yourself, but whatever you do, don't waste fourteen dollars on three conveniently sized bottles of conveniently bottled mineral spring water to soothe your poor skin. And don't be deceived by the elegant French name! It's water!
Yeesh.

Jeremy

Our fearless leader. Jeremy was the first one of the team that I met, and he struck me as...well, a strange guy holding a sign with my name on it. Then I went into a strange van with him, recognizing only his name and that he knew mine, and praying that this wasn't a scam or a cult. Looking back, I laugh, because I was so nervous to meet everyone and they were such odd circumstances under which to meet someone.
As soon as I found out that he wasn't going to brainwash me or steal my money, Jeremy turned out to be a awesome guy. He's really funny; both goofy and witty, with his fair share of lame jokes. Along with his humour is a stunning memory and intelligence. Jeremy reads a lot, he reads fast, and he absorbs everything. He knows random facts about pretty much the entire universe, particularly music, history and theology. He lent me a book called Salt:A World History. That's the type of book you'd typically find him reading. For fun. It turned out to be really interesting.
Of the 12000+ kilometres we've travelled, Jeremy has probably driven about 90% of them. You'd think it would get tiring, but whenever someone mentions it he just kinda shrugs and says "Meh." And he's consistently a good driver, too, even after five hours of incredibly stimulating prairie roads. The secret, I think, lies in stimulating himself otherwise, particulary by teasing Reneyah. On any rare occasion that they sit beside each other in the van, there is not a moment of silence the entire trip. But even from the driver's seat, Jeremy has an uncanny ability to push Reneyah's buttons. I have to admit, however, that he can get me just as bad, though maybe not as often.
In most of my major roles in the show, I was cast opposite Jeremy. He's a very talented actor and it has been great to work with him. And not just on stage; he's been a good tour manager as well. In countless situations where a more volatile leader would have worried, panicked, or flipped out, he's been totally cool and relaxed. I think back to the time that Ajeeb had bad gas; our first day on the road, and we were stuck in Revelstoke. My first reaction was to panic, but Jeremy calmly dealt with it appropriately and the next day we were on our way. He tempers everything, even the inevitable frustrations of leadership, by trying to see outside his own perception. Over these six months, this has definitely helped him develop as a leader.
Of anyone I know, Jeremy reads the most, plays the most Playstation, has the most powerful voice, and is one of the least materialistic. He's good with kids, and they love him because he's really just a big goof. He always says that his and Rhonda's kids will be awesome. He's a man of strong convictions, is a very interesting dancer, and has given me some of the most profound advice of my life; "Get married."
I think you're right. Your kids will be awesome.
I love you, Jeremy.

BC: for your viewing convenience

At my junior high school, every year the seventh graders take an overnight trip to Frank Slide. For those of you who don't know, Frank was an Albertan town that was completely buried by a landslide in 1903. Unfortunately, to my great disappointment, I was not able to go on the trip with my classmates. So on Saturday, eight years late and without adult supervision, I finally got to see it. It is a stunning sight; a sea of rocks on either side of the highway. Even a hundred years later, the rubble remains, sitting under a smooth mountain face where it used to be securely attached.
This was on our way from Pincher Creek to Cranbrook. We also stopped in Sparwood to see the world's largest truck. Let me tell you, it is a large truck. It was a mining truck designed to carry350 tons of coal (or whatever), holds something like 3600 litres of gas, and, when the load is being dumped, is 56 feet tall. I could stand inside the tire. We climbed up the treads and had our picture taken on top of one of them. It's a large truck.
When we made it to Cranbrook, we rolled into the church parking lot where a treacherous puddle resulted in a flat tire. Poor Ajeeb. We put him through a lot. I don't think they've used the spare before; it was rusting and caked with dirt. We managed to get him fixed today at no major expense.
And I am pleased to announce that yet another team member is learning to knit! Jonathan has already started a project, and Reneyah continually said that it wouldn't happen; she would not learn to knit. Then she made the mistake of walking down the yarn aisle with Rhonda and I, where a ball of yarn leaped out and grabbed her heart. "Maura," she asked me, "how long would it take for me to make mittens?" Four down, one to go. Pretty sure he'll never go, though. Jeremy's not exactly the knitting type.
Today, I was sitting in a park in Creston looking at the amazing scenery of British Columbia. Oddly enough, I found myself not looking at the mountains but at the sky. And I thought to myself; really, the mountains just make for easy viewing of the scenery because they're elevated. In Alberta, you have to work for it; you either have to go up high or travel far to see much of it. But in BC, you look around and there it is, all in one place for your viewing convenience; rocks, trees, rivers, sky, lakes, everything! So I really must be a prairie girl, because even with all that convenient scenery, first and foremost I notice the sky.

Loggy Cabin Mountain

We just came back to Barons from our second show in Rocky Mountain House. For the life of him, Jonathan could not get the name straight. Mountain Log Cabin...Rocky cabin house...loggy cabin mountain...When you get there, there's no mountain, nothing that should necessarily be described as rocky, and there are houses. There must be a logical explanation behind their name. A house that looks like a Rocky Mountain, maybe?
We performed at a Christian Reformed Church there last night. One thing we've found with the CRC is that all their churches look very similar. High, pointed ceilings, wooden pews with a centre aisle, and a big cross right in the middle of the front wall. This one was a little different, but churches in other denominations don't necessarily follow that pattern. Check it out next time you go to a CRC church.
We're back in Barons the next few days then head to BC at the end of the week, with some Alberta shows in between. The end of tour is coming soon, and I feel mixed emotions. I'm excited to be home, but I'm really gonna miss the team. Well, we have three weeks left! In BC! In June!

Rhonda

I've been telling you a lot about the things we do, and most of you who read this know me on some level. However, I haven't really told you much about the people I'm with. So, here they are, in no particular order, an entry for each of the four people I've lived, slept, played, driven, laughed, cried, prayed, danced, sung, driven, argued and eaten with the last five months. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but these entries are meant to be an encouragement, so I will not post their faults on the Internet for all to see.

The first thing I can say about Rhonda is that she's thoughtful. She's the type who notices how people in the group are feeling, and pays attention to what they say. She always does thoughtful little things; like buying tzaziki (sp?) for me, standing in line twice so she could make some maple taffy at the sugar bush when I couldn't make it, going to "Tim Hortons" and surprising Reneyah by getting her a beloved caramel macchiato from Starbucks, letting me cry and cry the day I found out that Sarah had died, and many other little things. She taught Jonathan to crochet and me how to knit. She's knitting these little dolls of us in costume; they're so cute. When we were in Ontario with Jonathan's family, she decided to make his little brother an "ultra-mini-Jonathan;" basically a finger puppet. Just whipped it up while we were all sitting there talking! No problem!
Before most shows, Rhonda and I sit backstage for about half an hour. We often dance at some point in that half hour; not really for any particular reason. She recently came up with a move she calls the “washing machine;” I’ll let your imagination run wild on that one.
I’ve mentioned before that Rhonda is very patriotic. She really loves Canada as a whole, especially her hometown of Ottawa. Whenever someone visits Ottawa, her goal is to show them enough to let them fall in love with it. It definitely worked for me; Ottawa is a beautiful city. I think it was even better having a tour guide like Rhonda, because she’s passionate about it. She’s really affected my view of Ottawa and Eastern Canada. Albertans generally have a feeling of animosity towards the Canadian government, and we usually make Ottawa the direction in which we point our frustrations. “Ottawa” is the enemy. But it’s really not. It’s just the city housing our elected MPs. A gorgeous city, I might add.
The second week of rehearsal, I asked Rhonda how she and Jeremy had ended up together. She talked for about an hour and a half, telling the story in exquisite detail. I asked Jeremy the same question a few days later and he told his side in about two minutes. Time permitting, Rhonda leaves nothing out of important stories. And I do mean nothing.
Interactions in our team sometimes reach a certain heat level at which things start to get uncomfortable. These are the moments, particularly those involving Jeremy and Reneyah, when Rhonda steps in as the diplomat. Her attention to detail allows her to adequately explain the viewpoints of either side, usually resulting in dissolving the disagreement and everyone going on their merry way. Then she shakes her head and sighs at our silly miscommunications.
Then there was the time she wore a shirt on her head, there's her passion for theatre, particularly directing, her passion for children and definite anticipation of having her own, her desire to get closer to God, how she sings to her kazoo backstage, how collapsible she is, her mad sale-finding skills, her discovery of Ajeeb, our East Indian van, and a zillion other funny little things she does that make her Rhonda. Before she and Jeremy were even dating, she had said "It will take one special woman to be married to Jeremy."
Well, it did.
I love you, Rhonda.

Hit ring tone

Our week in Edmonton has opened the team's eyes to how great it is, myself included. I realized how much I love Edmonton, and how beautiful it is. They went to a cafe called "Vi's for pies," and Jeremy said that it caused Edmonton to go up eight notches in his opinion. Reneyah even admitted that there are some parts of Edmonton that are better than Calgary, and Rhonda says she wants to move there. I didn't even push it on them; it sold itself.
You know what we heard on the radio the other day? The top song on UK pop charts is a ring tone. It's called Frog something or other. A ring tone! They played it on the radio, and if anyone I knew had that ring tone I'd probably destroy their phone after the first few rings.
Yeesh.
These Brits are crazy.

Blaireigh O'Faerie

I forgot to tell you about the odd ferry we used to cross the Red Deer river. Just before we got into Drumheller, we went on a ferry that was about half the width of the actual river and took about three minutes to cross it. It was the Bleriot Ferry, but before we got there Rhonda had mentioned to Jeremy "Oh! We need to show them the Bleriot Ferry!" except to me, it sounded like "Oh! We need to show them Blaireigh O'Faerie!" I was wondering - who the heck is Blaireigh O'Faerie? I was picturing some kind of statue of an Irishman. Nope. Big wide flat slow metal boat. Named after a Frenchman.