Baptiste Lake colour cruisies helping towards $60,000 goal

On Wednesday, Sept. 7, Nazrin, a refugee from Iran, was a guest of Shining Waters Presbytery hosted at St. Paul's United Church in Bancroft. She was beautiful, sitting shyly beside one of her sponsors.

In broken English, Nazrin shared her impressions of the last 11 months as a new Canadian living in Peterborough. When the slide showed a picture of winter's first snow she shook her head and said she didn't like it. The next slide was of her daughter, Nadia, making snow angels in a neon pink snow suit, and a hand-made tuque and mittens. She didn't really like Canadian food, but enjoyed her meal that day at The Hastings Station Restaurant. She sobbed when she talked about the help and care she had received from her sponsors, knowing that there were so many that were not as lucky as she.

North Hastings' Social Justice without Borders is committed to the Ahmad family, a family of five from Syria, living now in Turkey. I invited her and her family to come again, especially in about three weeks when the fall colours would be at their peak.

As Canadians we have been blessed with an incredibly beautiful landscape, but we can take it for granted until someone with fresh eyes reminds us of all that we have.

Social Justice without Borders is committed to the Ahmad family but equally as committed to this community and the huge job of raising more than $60,000. So you have an opportunity to do it all – help the Ahmads, and help your neighbour who is struggling to put food on the table, and pay their hydro bill, and also stop for a few hours to appreciate the gift of beauty we are so blessed with here.

Pat and Wally McColl are making their pontoon boat available for Colour Cruises of Baptiste Lake – bring your camera or sketchbook, and a friend or two, and enjoy the company of these oh so, gracious hosts.

Cost is by donation which will be shared between St. Matthew's United Church in the Baptiste village, and Social Justice without Borders. There are two scheduled dates: Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, but private bookings are also available. Call the McColls at 613-332-5364 to book your colour cruise of beautiful Baptiste Lake.

Submitted by Rev. Lynn Watson