The Candidates Come North!

Official welcome and pretzel-bun lunch... cue excitement from Germans missing home. Photo credit to Carmen.

The Liebenzell missionary candidates are in their last few weeks of being in Canada, and we finally were able to arrange a weekend visit up north.  The whole group drove up to my parents' place near Parry Sound and had a lovely few days together in nature.

It was neat to be able to arrange this, as my parents' goal is to start a retreat centre, called Kingfisher Crossing, at their place for people working in ministry - a place of rest and refreshment.  So, this was in essence, their first run at hosting a group of ministry people.

We got to spend time helping out with setting up the summer-time furniture and toys, and also assisted with doing some wiring in the addition being built so that more people can visit.  We also enjoyed hikes, canoeing, paddle-boating, playing Indiaca on the volleyball court (sort of a cross between volleyball and badminton), sunning ourselves in the warm spring weather, making s'mores over a campfire, and playing with the dogs.  My mum led some special devotions and spiritual direction exercises, and she also spoiled us silly with tons of scrumptious food.  

Playing Indiaca on the volleyball court... fun and laughter-filled!

It really is a treasure of a place - 55 acres with a practically private lake.  The group has an amateur bird-watcher who identified over twenty different kinds of bird, and others saw beavers, muskrats, otters, snapping turtles, painted turtles, evidence of deer, and of course, the ubiquitous Canada geese.  On our way back to Toronto, we even saw a young moose just off the highway!  

Our only regret as a group is that it took this long to arrange a trip - we all wish we could go again!  So, if you are looking for a place to relax and immerse yourself in nature, let me recommend Kingfisher Crossing as the place to be!