Teaching Team
A Trip to the Frozen Tundra
About three weeks ago my family and I embarked on two-week trip to the Canadian providence of Saskatchewan. Many FFOZ constituents are now familiar with the budding Torah Community located in their small town called Sedley, due to a recent article about them in messiah magazine. The congregation is called Beit Ohr ("Lighthouse to the Communities"), and it has a steady attendance of about 80 people every Shabbat.
The elders and leaders approached me a few months ago about coming up for a visit. During this visit they wanted me to do some teaching and mentoring. Their desire was to begin a long-term relationship with an organization, and they felt that FFOZ's direction was where they wanted to go. I was honored and humbled by their request, especially since I had been to Sedley before, and I was impressed with their community.
It took my family and I two days to drive from Colorado to the large city close to Sedley, Regina. Approaching the Canadian border, less and less of the ground became visible, as most of it was covered by a thick blanket of snow. Once we were in Canada, it was a sea of white, with the temperature well below freezing. Nevertheless, my entire family was excited about the upcoming ten days and the relationships we would form.
When we arrived in Regina, we drove straight to our accommodations. The community had rented an apartment suite for us that overlooked the city. They had also stocked the refrigerator and cabinets with food. With all the candy they left, Isaac, our three year old who loves food, immediately took a liking to the community. One thing was for sure, we would be well taken care of.
What transpired over the next ten days was divinely orchestrated. It was a busy time: meeting with the community on Shabbat, teaching, sharing, answering questions. Most weekday mornings began with a casual trip to the coffee house and ended in the evening with a Bible study. The last Sunday was Purim (clearly the highlight for my kids), where the community put on a game show play and a carnival. I don't think I have ever felt so full of joy on Purim as I did in Sedley.
At times, it was humbling to think that I was actually mentoring these people. Their community was one of the most organized I have ever seen. In a movement that is known for broken relationships and fractured communities, the unity at Sedley was breath of fresh air. The community does a fantastic job at communicating the love of Messiah. The hospitality alone that was shown to us was overwhelming. It was also apparent that they have some of the most humble elders in our movement. While coming to bless others, my family and I received so much more. It was almost like a give and take: they were looking to see how our family applies Torah, and my family and I saw a rare example of how a large Torah community can work with Yeshua as the head.
It was hard saying goodbye. We had made so many beautiful friendships, and the time seemed to fly by. By the time we left, it was as if we had known everyone for a long time. I believe my family and I formed a relationship with the community that will stand the test of time. To all involved, this trip was a success.
Just today I received an e-mail from Camille Cavers (without whose incredible organizational skills and work our trip would not have been possible). In it she thanked us again for coming. She let us know that we had a very positive impact on the community and that they are already seeing results. She also let us know the snow is melting.
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Visitor Feedback:
Shalom Toby!
Great to see you were in Canada, and we certainly hope to have you visit the province of Alberta next time you're around.
Thanks for all of your great work - really appreciated the article!
SDG
S. Daniel Gerlitz | March 15, 2007 5:57 AM
We enjoyed having your family very much, the children are precious.
Thank you for your teaching and encouragement, we loved the time at the coffe house, it felt like community.
Come again....Love to you, Shannon, Aaron, Hannah, Isaac and Abbigail
Silvana and Ken Wood
silvana and ken wood | March 18, 2007 11:21 PM
Janney was given a picture of the kids - and she showed me Hannah and Abigail.. She misses you all. She wanted to know where you all were.
We all miss you. Thank you so much for coming.
Sombra Wilson (and crowd)
Sombra Wilson | March 21, 2007 1:51 AM