We hurried our breakfast and beauty regimen. Janet brought a book and Bible so we could share devotions somewhere along our road trip. Again, the weather was cloudy and could either pour or clear up so we prepared for it all!
Janet steered the mini-van out of their subdivision, winding through another neighbourhood to point out where her oldest son, Chris, lived and worked. Then we were on the open road, heading some direction that I could not discern. What did God have in store for us today?
Trees, hills, some larger mountains in the distance...wildflowers in bloom on the roadside. I was anxious to see some wildlife, too, especially from the safety of a vehicle! We talked and the miles flew by.
Soon Janet turned off the main highway towards a lake and campground. Their family had often canoed from this point along the river and she wanted to show me some of these special sights.
As we pulled in to an empty campsite, we could see evidence of recent rain. I pulled on a windbreaker jacket and was ready to follow Janet on a tour of this lovely spot.
Mmmm... the fresh scent of evergreen, heightened by the wetness of the rain, filled my nostrils. A waft of campfire drew out the outdoors-woman in me. Our shoes crunched on the gravel road. And the blue-green of the river flowing along a valley of picturesque mountains completed this Yukon postcard moment!
To see the joy in Janet's eyes as we shared this experience made me even happier to be here. Our lives had taken us thousands of miles apart, our families had only spent rare times together and our journeys in ministry had been similar yet quite unique paths. The Selkes were urban church planters; the Ens' were camping, hiking, discipling and teaching focused. But to share these few days in Janet's "happy places" was a gift from God.
It was cool and drizzly as we walked a ways down the narrowing road, so we didn't venture too far. I soaked in the sights, listening to the various stories of Janet and her adventuresome husband and sons on this river. She explained the history and meaning of the various names of places in the area-I should have taken notes so I could pass the fascinating information on in this blog! (We were so busy that I didn't actually get to journal too much.)
Then we headed back to the van to carry on to our desired destination: Haines Junction. It is a crossroads along the Alaska Highway and the road leading to Skagway, Alaska, I believe. A significant centre in First Nations trading, gathering and also a beautiful tourist attraction. So away we went.
The only wildlife we saw were ravens and little bush bunnies (so tiny compared to our beefy jackrabbits in southern Saskatchewan!). We met a couple cars with kayaks or canoes strapped on their roofs. It was a pleasant Saturday in June-perfect for such an outing. Soon, we turned back on the highway and carried on towards Haines Junction.
Soon, a huge patch of purple-magenta wildflowers appeared and Janet was curious to identify them. We both realized we were getting older as both of us loved birds and flowers these days. Much different than our college-years conversations about homework, assignments, boys and our futures!
Then as we drove up a slight rise, a view of the mountains up ahead nearly took my breath away! White, snow-capped peaks emerged, with a slight purple hue because of distance and hazy clouds. All these new and spectacular sights were assaulting my senses! I sat in silence to marvel at the work of God.
And then we arrived in Haines Junction. It was a small community surrounded by huge mountains, with lots of evergreen trees. Many of the buildings were log-constructed and looked very "northern" to me. Janet pointed out various places: cabins they had stayed in, restaurants they had enjoyed and a new cultural centre that was just opening. We saw various people on foot around the town, carrying musical instrument cases and Janet remembered there was a folk festival on this weekend. So we decided to find a place to have lunch before exploring more.
Choosing a cabin-like fast food place called "Frosty's", it at first appeared to only have outdoor tables. We stepped up to the window and ordered our lunch and they promised to bring our food to our table. Then we saw the sign for an indoor dining area and thankfully seated ourselves by a window. It was quaint and warm. We sipped our hot drinks. A few others came in, a mixture of First Nations folks and tourist-types. We continued to chat and enjoyed our tasty lunch.
Anxious to check out the place, we hopped back in the van and turned towards the cultural centre. A big white tent was set up and I assumed it was the folk festival venue. No, it was a gathering of various dance groups from Alaska, Yukon and even the Northwest Territories to celebrate the opening of this cultural centre.
It felt like a God-moment. Our passion and heart for First Nations people became more alive as we shared our experiences and compared the customs of our respective regions of Canada. Single drum and hand drums. Beadwork designs. Characteristic red and black of the coastal people. The ribbon shirts of the prairies.
Everyone gathered in one of the outdoor tents, sheltered from the wind and threatening rain, to watch the Grand Entry of the dancers. The local chief in the Haines Junction area welcomed each guest and then introduced a song written specifically for this event and to welcome or awaken summer. In repeated phrases and hand drum beats and the pounding of decorated wooden boxes, the dancers moved in synchronized rhythm in front of the audience. A row of dignitaries stood on the platform as button blanket capes, woven headdresses, "Eskimo" printed summer parkas, and varied regalia on adult and child danced before us. At least seven rows of fifteen or twenty participants stood in the end. What a beautiful sight as these ones celebrated and enjoyed the event and the gathering!
The speeches of the dignitaries were short and sweet as everyone was becoming chilled outdoors. Then Janet ran into someone she knew and we talked while. They invited us to stay for the supper meal. But we were thinking of heading back to Whitehorse, so I bought an Indian Taco at the canteen, while Janet had bannock and jam. We both had tea, dipped from a big pot on an open fire. On our drive back, we made one stop at a Native cemetery, a short hike up a steep hill. The fenced in area held several graves, each topped with a small house, complete with roof and window. One grave was fenced with a wire enclosure. Unique.
We hiked down towards the creek, discovering a tumbledown cabin in the process. There were so many "Kodak moments". The sun began to shine through a clearing sky. It must have been between 8 and 9 pm and felt like 6 pm in Saskatchewan! We pressed on back to Whitehorse, feeling the fatigue after a stimulating and full day.
Realizing our day had been so full of surprises and blessings we had forgotten to take time for devotions, we quickly changed into our pajamas, made a hot drink and settled into the comfortable furniture for reading and sharing.
That night, we both took a while to fall asleep; the beating drum and swirling fabrics and feathers, the beauty of the scenic drive and images of creeks and cabins filled our minds. Eventually I succumbed to God's rest.
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