Every trip in the past four years has been blessed by God's hand of protection.
We fueled up in Swift Current and picked up some lunch, as well.  A few drops of rain began to fall and we were concerned about the temperature dropping and the highway becoming icy. Before too long, the rain ceased and we had mostly dry road conditions all the way to Nipawin.  Other folks we knew who were on the road that day were caught in a blizzard or freezing rain from Saskatoon to Weyburn.  Thank you, Lord, for traveling mercies!
We arrived at our friends' (and fellow missionaries with HHM) to spend the next few nights.  After a cup of tea and a short visit, we collapsed into the guest bed.  Monday morning would find us in a classroom at Nipawin Bible College at 8:25 am and we needed our beauty sleep!
As Walter prepared for the cross-cultural ministry class, I warmed up the car and scraped the frosty windows.  We drove in the dark to the campus just outside of town, and made it with at least fifteen minutes to spare.  The students were all punctual and quite alert.  How refreshing!
Gina Marie and a friend, Sarah, came into the class, as well.  Gina Marie is in charge of different ministry teams that come to visit our location in Regina; she brought up the church van to transport the team of 5 students and 1 staff chaperone back down to the city on Wednesday.  Again, we had the privilege of ministering alongside our faithful team members!
There was some lively interaction as the students engaged in discussing what culture is.  They were challenged to look at their own culture and identify some distinguishing features.  It is way  more difficult to identify our own cultural peculiarities than to observe those of another ethnic group.  Walter hoped to enlighten them of their own cultural bias in order NOT to make assumptions that the new culture they would experience was doing things WRONG!  They will need to be aware of the differences and how to respond to things appropriately.  Otherwise, the week of ministry in Regina and on two First Nations reserves could be disastrous!
The final session on Wednesday morning was on the spiritual preparation for a short term mission trip.  Its one thing to have the cross-cultural training and know what to pack in our suitcase.  It is another to have a prepared heart for spiritual ministry in sharing about Jesus Christ to a needy community.  Walter shared some Scriptures on spiritual warfare and the necessity of prayer and knowing how to use the sword of the Spirit (God's Word) when in a setting like they will be in.  Then they spent some time in small groups praying for each other and the people they would meet.
Walter and I left right after the last class and Gina Marie and Sarah got the team loaded in the van for the drive to Regina.  The two other teams had their own travel arrangements and would be gone before noon, as well.
It was nice to have the drive home to debrief.  After a stretch of travel and talk, we turned on the audio book we had started and listened to a western adventure called "Glorious".
I must admit, it was nice to be home!  We love our friends and are blessed by the generous hospitality when we are on the road.  Seven days without a true break can wear us old-timers out!  So we ordered pizza and watched a movie with our son for the evening.
Our next journey will be in a week's time, to our niece's wedding in Alberta.
Who knows what God has in store for our upcoming road trip?