One Last Time

Well for those of you who don't know. I arrived home on Saturday. I had to keep it top secret because I surprised everyone. (except my family of course) So I did tell you some of the details regarding last week, but not all of them. First of all I graduated Tuesday night and the rest of the week was getting packed and saying goodbye to everyone. Jill left Thursday, which was really sad, but Amanda, Jim, Barb, and myself all flew out on the same plane. I really wanted to have the opportunity to thank all of you for reading my blog, and keeping up with my life while in Ottawa. Now that I am home I will not be writing anymore, so consider this my last entry. Once again, thank you all for your prayers and interest in me!!! I hope you all have a wonderful summer. Blessings, Erica

Too Long

So I know by now, that most of you have ceased to read my blog, or lost all hope of me coming back. I am so sorry it has been a week and a half since my last entry, but things have been so crazy here. (and to be completely honest, I lost my motivation to continue writing in my blog, believe it or not, I hate writing) So lets see, where do I begin?
Monday morning (April 30) I went to Parliament Hill to say goodbye to Lynn and the rest of the office, and to thank them for allowing me to work with them. I was so shocked because when I got there, they had a gift waiting for me, as well as lunch, and a tour. So I went to the House of Commons and met up with Lynn and she took me through all the rooms and halls I am not allowed to go in. I met different MP's, but I forget all their names. She also gave me a special pass and I was able to sit in the speakers section where all the important people sit, I felt so special! After Question Period was over Lynn came and got me and took me back into the lounge, and everyone was there. I was able to meet Jim Flaherty (Finance Minister) Stockwell Day (Minister of Public Safety) not the Prime Minister, BUT... Mr. Harper was in the room and he walked right by me, if I wouldn't have moved, HE WOULD HAVE HIT ME!!! haha So that was exciting. (People told me I should have let him hit me or at least said 'hi', I will just pray for another opportunity) Needless to say I was really blessed and had an amazing experience. Tuesday was a normal day, with classes, but towards the evening we started receiving students that were going to be attending the National Prayer Breakfast. Now how this works is, 60 students from across Canada get nominated and accepted to come to Ottawa to be apart of a student forum. (we were apart of that group) So Wednesday morning we all registered for the day and grabbed seats for our first session. They brought in Serge LeClerc, from Saskatoon, to give his testimony.(he is involved with Teen Challenge) He has one of the most amazing testimonies I have ever heard. He was a major gang leader, drug addict for 20 years, and in prison, then radically changed his life around; he has a book out I recommend you all read. After he spoke we had a chance for a panel discussion, which is basically where they bring in guests to share on Christianity in the work place, and allow us to blast them with questions. We also attended Question Period, where immediately afterward we had another discussion with 4 Christian MP's- Kevin Sorenson, James Lunney, John MacKay, and Joe Comartin. This was an amazing experience and because they were all from different parties, they were asked to give their favorite psalms to avoid controversy. After they spoke they sat down with us and discussed how each Psalm ministered to us personally. It was and incredible opportunity. That evening we had dinner on Parliament Hill where we listened to Canadian artists, as well as Terry Leblanc (director of My People Canada) share his testimony. He was First Nations and I found it very interesting that once again, God opened the door for the First People to lead the way and bless the rest of us. They also sang two songs which seemed to shatter and break things, with each drum beat and cry...it was so beautiful. So that was our very busy Wednesday. Thursday morning was the prayer breakfast and there must have been 600 people! Serge shared again, his theme being- Reconciliation through the Personhood of Christ. It again proved to be an incredible testimony and message and I know many people walked away really encouraged in their walk with Christ, or the pursuit of a walk with Him. We had another session where more MP's were able to share on their relationship with Christ, but the man that really impressed me was Steven Fletcher. He is an MP from B.C. and he is a quadriplegic. He hit a moose and became completely paralysed and as he was telling his story you could have heard a pin drop. The reason I really liked him, was because he said that he wasn't as strong a Christian as some of the other members, but he knew God. He was also very transparent and simply stated that, "my accident was considered an act of God according to Parliamentary legislation and the question I keep asking is, why do bad things happen to good people? And I still haven't found a good answer." (paraphrased) Then he proceeded to read a very sad passage from the book of Job and then leave the stage. His story was heart wrenching, but everyone in the room was so impressed with his perseverance, that he left with a standing ovation. So after the session we had lunch and I decided that I was going to meet Serge. I had been looking for a good opportunity but he was always busy and had a flock of people around him, so I decided I would hope for another opportunity because the task was virtually impossible. So, as I was waiting in line for lunch I ended standing beside a man who was a good friend of Serge. We introduced ourselves and began talking about...well everything. During the conversation I mentioned how much I had wanted to meet Serge and he laughed and told me that it would be no problem and he would introduce me. So we left the line he brought me to Serge and I was able to have a good 15 minute conversation. I am just so amazed at how God positions me. I never meet the top man, but always meet there friends and am able to have incredible opportunities from that point on!! So I once again was so blessed. So that concluded the hectic two days but we came back to NHOP to prepare for a dinner with a couple of MP's wives and Christian leaders. (it went very well) Now Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were all normal boring days, but Monday we went to Montreal to tour old Montreal. We walked around all day, and though I looked, I didn't actually buy anything!!! Can you believe it! It was a very nice break however, and a wonderful day to get out of the house, so we had a blast. Wow! I think I have now caught everyone up to date, because today is Tuesday....and we didn't do too much, we did go to Question Period, and out for dinner in the Byward Market. (kind of like a flee market, except higher class) Whew...that was a tonne of typing, serves me right for getting lazy...haha. Well I will try to do my next entry a little later this week. Once again I am so sorry to all of you who thought I was dead, I am alive and kicking. I hope you have an awesome night.

Erica

The End of the Week

Hello Everyone. I had the most amazing day Thursday. We started off with class and we discussed prayer, which is a really good topic for the National House of Prayer. In the afternoon we made sandwiches for the mission and then we were able to take them over and hand them out that night. (first time we have had the opportunity to do that) Now being honest with everyone, at first I found it really difficult to be in the mission. I was nervous to touch things because of the germs, and I was scared to talk to people for fear of what they would say. So the night began with this lady who brought in her guitar and played golden oldies gospel tunes. She had such a way of working with the ground that soon we were all singing and clapping away. I was amazed at the end of the night how comfortable and how much fun I had. I even danced and sang up at the front. The real amazing part was how harshly God reprimanded me for my attitude. He brought to mind the verses that say, if you don't help the poor-whatever you do for the least of my brothers you do for me...etc. I really had to repent and was blessed by the people and the worship. On Friday we had civics class and discussed homosexuality; that was a very interesting topic. We brought up the provincial human rights groups, and how they look for people who discriminate against homosexuals and then fine them. (a lot of them being christian organizations) One thing that has changed this year, is that the government has cut funding to these groups, which helps those who take their fine to court, not having to fight government money. Another thing that will work in our favor is that our law system is based on Common Law, which is a system that follows previous examples of similar cases. So, if a christian suffers a similar scenario with a homosexual group, they can take them to court and most likely win. Friday afternoon instead of going to the East Block Chapel, we stayed here and worshiped and prayed together to end the week. We also went to a movie that night for a chance to get out of the house. (it has been a full house all week 35 ppl!) So that was this week, and I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will write an new entry towards the beginning of next week. Goodnight.

Erica

Week after Toronto

Don't worry! I am still alive! This week has been so crazy, where do I begin? Okay, well I went to Toronto and attended the Airport Church, it was really cool to be in a congregation with that many people. Unfortunately I got sick with a head cold, and found it really difficult to participate in the 2 different church services. On Monday we made beds an went to Question Period in the afternoon. The House is once again hammering Gordon O'Connor and demanding his resignation, he is really becoming worn out, so really pray for him these next few weeks. Monday evening the teams all arrived and we had 9 from Toronto and 16 from the Masters Commission in B.C. (really full house) I was quite happy to have some kids my age here, as well as to find out that they are apart the same denomination that I am. Tuesday morning we had class and discussed how we are to interpret the Song of Songs. Many preachers negate ever speaking on this book and if they do, they refer to it as an allegory representing Jesus and the Bride. (Church) Richard told us that when the book was written there was no concept of the Church or Jesus coming to earth, so to make it an allegory is taking it out of the context of its original purpose. He has a way of making things so understandable! Tuesday afternoon was my last day working for my MP but I may see her Monday and have the opportunity to meet some of the other MP's, possibly even Mr. Harper!!!YAY! (we will see) In the evening we had the Master Commission do a skit for us and then settled down to hear Rob speak on prophetic intercession, also a very interesting class. This is the definition he gave us:

prophetic intercession is an urging to pray given by the Holy Spirit for situations and circumstances about which you have very little knowledge in the natural. You receive a prayer request from God which can be received as a burden, an impression, dream or vision.

Today we had Ken Hall's class, and I don't know if it is because I am not feeling well, but I found it very hard to concentrate. Question Period this afternoon once again attacked the Defense Minister, but also took a few rounds out of Peter McKay (foreign affairs) and John Baird (Environment) regarding Afghanistan detainees and the Kyoto Accord. I went to a movie tonight with Jill and Amanda and now I am looking forward to a really good sleep so that I wake up feeling good tomorrow. I hope you all had an amazing weekend and I will let you know what happens in the next 2 days.

Erica

The Rest of the Week

So Tuesday night, I didn't end up going to class, because I still wasn't feeling to great. So Instead I put on my pj's made hot chocolate, watched t.v., and went to bed early. Wednesday was an amazing day. The morning was theology, but Ken was away so Rob taught it. We discussed the after-life, all things known about Heaven and Hell. It was a really good class, and although we were all very familiar with the topic, there were many things I saw from a different perspective. The afternoon was spent in Q.P. Except one major difference, BRIAN MULRONEY SHOWED UP!! So we were waiting to get in when he came walking through the hall, so everyone of course got out their cameras to take pictures. I didn't have one so I waited until he looked over at us and then I threw my hand up in the air and started waving frantically with the dumbest smile on my face. He frowned as if he thought maybe he knew us, and CAME OVER. So we all got to shake his hand, it was awesome. Then we all headed out to Kannada to do a concert of prayer. The night went well the only problem was that we had a synth to play, not a piano, and the sustain pedal did not really work so it sounded like....plunk, plunk, plunk. God managed to bless the people regardless of the terrible sound. Thursday morning was class and we looked at dream interpretation again, as well as church structure. All of us came with dreams and once they were interpreted we all felt very encouraged by their messages. As far as the Church structure went, we discussed the differences between big churches and smaller ones, and what produces an effective church. In the afternoon we made sandwiches for the mission, and then Amanda and I headed outside to play basketball. It was such a warm day out that we stayed outside and sun-tanned. That night one of the staff members came into do the fireside and she shared with us her heart for China and how many times she has been there etc. It was amazing to hear her. Friday morning we had civics class and we discussed Prime Minister Laurier life, as well as, how to be affective in changing the government. We looked at issues like abortion, and homosexuality, and discussed how the church seemed to give up once they were in place. We looked at William Wilberforce's life and how he had a long term plan (20yrs) and he was able to abolish slavery. If the church could think that way, in a few years, we would begin to see change. It was a very interesting topic. Friday afternoon we went to the East-block chapel and prayed with the Newfoundland team, and then us girls shopped and stayed outside all day again. (it was +22, and major tanning weather, everyone here is sunburned) Tomorrow we leave for Toronto to speak, and we get home late Sunday night, so I will talk to everyone Monday, and I hope you all have an amazing weekend.

Erica

Parliament is Back

So It has been a really long time since I made an entry. It was hard the last two weeks because Parliament Hill has been out of session. So last weekend my dad came and visited me, it was really good he came because I was beginning to get too homesick and ready to go home. So I was able to take him through Parliament Hill and tour Ottawa with him, it was such good timing that he came, I know Jesus was keeping an eye out on me. Monday we went to QP (question period) it was funny to see how many of the MP's had sunburns, including Mr. Harper. Although there is still the rumor of an election, the government has managed to keep it all under wraps. Some of the topics they brought up, was Canada's involvment in Afghanistan, and if the Defense Minister would keep the promise of pulling out in Feb. 2009. I think where O'Connor sits, is that come time they will reavalue the time-line, but he just keeps telling the House that he said 2009. The opposition is really against him right now, and continue to bring things against him, in effort to break him and convince the Prime Minister of his imcompetance. Many of us here having been keeping him in our prayers especially this term because it has been so rough. Another huge issue in the House, is the agreement the Liberals made with the leader of the Green Party. Dion promised that they wouldn't run against her in her riding, all of this being a method to boot Peter McKay out of power because her riding is his area. Monday night our team arrived from Hallifax, 5 of them, and we were able to meet them as well as practice for the prayer concert out in Kanada. (we are doing the worship) Today we had class, and we looked at how to read the Psalms and how many different types there are. After class we were suppose to go to our MP's but I wasn't feeling so great so I had prayed all morning that the office would call and say they didn't need me, and God answered my prayer. So this afternoon I slept for two hours and I am feeling much better. Tonight is Rob's class and I will add a little blurb on what he teaches tonight.

Erica

Easter Weekend

Wow! It has been a little while since I wrote in my blog. I hope everyone had an amazing Easter weekend. Now let me see, I didn't talk about Friday. Okay so Friday morning we attended a good Friday service, then went out for lunch with Terry and Richard. Saturday morning we got up early and hit the road to go shopping in Montreal!!! I love it there, all the stores, the nice clothes, the shoes, and the French accents. I bought a skirt and tank-top for summer time. (if it ever comes) Sunday we went to an Easter service called, O Happy Day, it was at this huge church and the music was phenomenal. They had a full choir and two black men who had amazing vocals. It was such a fun service. We then went over to the Long's house for Easter lunch, so that we didn't have to be alone, it was really sweet of them. Monday was a day off, so we played some basketball (us three girls) and ate, yet another, Easter dinner! We will all have to go running after that weekend. For 4 days of not blogging, that seems like a whole lot of nothing, but the weekend seemed so full....it must look shorter on paper. Today got us back into the swing of things real fast, we went to class, MP's office, and then class again. So this morning we discussed how to interpret the books of the Prophets. Richard told us that they are very difficult to read because we need to look at them as oracles, unfortunately it doesn't always show you what is the beginning and the end. Working this afternoon went really well, and I was able to discuss abortion and gay rights with the secretaries working in Lynn's office. I love when you find out people's views on certain issues. Tonight Rob spoke on fasting, here is a little excerpt from his class:
- Matt. 4- Satan tempts Jesus with bread after 40 days of fasting- It is interesting to note that after the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus, he leads him into the desert to be tested (that is how he began his ministry)
- Our 'appetites' are powerful, when we fast we allow for our spirit to control our 'appetite' (appetite being- our desire for anything)- Fasting prepared Jesus to meet with the enemy; was used as a weapon that showed His absolute commitment to the Father

So that was the last couple of days, but before I say goodnight....Remember when I blogged about our interviews on 100 Huntley Street? Well it aired last Friday and this is the website you can watch the 10 minute segment. (Just remember, they are quick little blurbs) http://www.crossroads.ca/broadcas/program.htm scroll down to April 6, and you will see in the description column, a series on prayer part 4. That is the one you click on. Goodnight everyone.
Erica

Easter Week

Hello everyone! This week has been really nice with Parliament out, I have had opportunities to nap, and go many different places. On Wednesday, we had Ken Hall's class and we discussed rebirth, the funny thing is, that is not what I remember about the class. Ken was trying to teach me what "cause and effect" is, by flicking his empty coffee cup, the problem was, it wasn't empty. I had coffee all over my notes, my Bible, and my pictures....it was very funny, and I won't forget that lesson. In the afternoon we went to see the movie Amazing Grace. It was an unbelievable film, and I would recommend that all of you see it; especially if you have political goals, or are desiring to change something that seems impossible. (a forerunner) Most of us left in tears and with a flame re-ignited in our lives to see things change. After that we had a free night so I decided not to play basketball. (I was so sore from playing football the day before) It was a good night anyways and I am sure the boys were glad not to have to worry about me messing up their game. Thursday we had our spiritual directions class, and we finished up the topic (Prophetic) with an exercise where we prayed for a person and asked for a color, why that color, a song, and a verse. It was really meant to encourage everyone and I think we all left uplifted. Thursday afternoon we made burgers for the mission, and Thursday night we went to a dramatization of the crucifixion, it was good, and it was a musical so there were some amazing voices. Tomorrow we are going to a good Friday service, but I will let you know how that goes. Have a great night. Goodnight.

Erica

Tuesday- Passover/Repentance

Last night I celebrated my very first Passover meal...I know, I am not very cultured. It was a lot of fun, we had a lady who has a heart for Israel come and lead us in the ceremony. I had always thought that the passover feast was strictly meant for those who were Jewish, but I was really impressed with the idea of partaking in the feast, although different, it has close similarities to communion. Today in class we discussed the topic of the Old Covenant versus the New Covenant. I really enjoyed Richard's thoughts on the whole subject and we were able to look at scriptures that support the idea of the New Covenant replacing the Old. We looked at Jesus' ministry, as well as Paul's teaching, and came to the conclusion that- we should not ignore the Old Testament because it is God's Word. However, Jesus' ministry confirms the 10 commandments, and the 2 great commandments (love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor) not all 613 laws of Moses. Did you know, that in our present day, it is impossible for Jewish people to follow the Law, and even in Moses' time, the Israelites could not obey all the laws. Anyways, that is just a little tid-bit from this morning. This afternoon I went to my MP's office, it was really good today, I had lots of work to do and didn't have time to sit around, I love that! Tonight Fran taught our intercession class and we looked at repentance. This is a small excerpt from her teaching that really impressed me:

Biblical Examples of people who Interceded for a Generation's Sin
- Ezra had been approached concerning the intermarriage with the people

- Nehemiah had received a report of the state of Jerusalem and of the remnant which was left behind.

- Daniel had been pondering the words of Jeremiah and was convicted to interceded for his people

- Moses was crying out that God would not destroy the Israelites for worshiping the golden calf.

- Paul cries out for his kinsmen.

- Jesus identified with the sin of all mankind.

Until we have come to the place where we cry out for our corporate sins, we cannot intercede for our nation.
Requirements of the Intercessor

- you must be willing to see the true condition without trying to justify a persons actions

- you must be willing to allow the Lord to break/burden you heart with His heart

- You need to have the grace of God working within you to begin to carry their burden.

- You must be willing to release the burden upon the Lord. Note, God may burden us about a situation so that we may cast that burden upon Him.

I hope these blurbs will help for those of you leading a life of intercession. They really impress me when I am taught them. I believe that to be an intercessor is an incredible calling, I also believe we are all called to intercession. I hope those of you who are ahead of the game, spur on that passion in people like me, who are a lot slower in this area. Anyways, I will put my soap box away now and say goodnight.
Erica

Niagara and the Weekend

So it has been a really long time since I put in an entry, sorry about that, but Friday we were in such a hurry to get on the road I didn't have time to write. So, I could tell you about classes Thursday and Friday, but I just don't think it would be as interesting as my weekend was, so instead I will tell you about Niagara. We arrived 9:00 Friday night and we all decided to go out on the town. (If any of you have been to Niagara Falls, it is really cheesy tourism, with lots of lights and expensive games and rides) Although we didn't participate in anything, we decided to come again in the morning. So Saturday morning we went to the falls, and it was so cold and windy out, that it felt like the mist was actual rain...we were drenched. We did however, decide to go under the falls, and walk around in all the tunnels, I was a little disappointed, but it was worth the sound of the fall on top of you. We then drove to Niagara on the lake, which is about and hour away, and is the nice tourism section. It is set up like a little western town with a small street and little stores on each side. So for the afternoon we shopped, and I bought a caramel apple!!(I love them) Then we were on our way to a little town where Terry and Richard lived, we spent the night there, then drove to Toronto. We woke up early Sunday morning, hit the road, and drove to Richard's old church to minister there. We answered questions regarding the internship, as well as perform the song we wrote, everyone loved it. Once lunch with the pastor was over we started home, and got home last night at10:30pm. So tomorrow Richard is letting us sleep in because we are soo tired. Parliament Hill is on Easter holidays so we will have to find alternate activities this week. I will post picture of our adventure as soon as I can. Have a great night, and sorry you had to wait so long for an update.
Erica

p.s. I am not a real detailed person so for more info, check out Amanda's blog- http://worldtravellingpants.blogspot.com/

Equalization!!

So I managed to get through Tuesday in one piece. Tuesday is our busiest day of the week, we start off with class, then go to our MP's office, and then have Rob's class in the evening. Our morning class taught on how to interpret Parables correctly, and how not to. Richard taught us that the closest thing we have to a parable is a joke, for both of them have a punch line or point. The afternoon I went to Lynn's office and was finally able to meet her. She is a very busy woman and is straight to the point, I also found out that she is Parliamentary Secretary for Human Resources. (No wonder she is so busy!!!) Rob's class on intercession touched the topic of warfare in intercession. His three main points were: Our Authority, Keeping Alert, A Protective Barrier. I took lots of notes, but to extensive to include in one blog entry. Another interesting thing I wanted to tell you all about is that the Justice committee held a meeting to look a raising the sexual consent age, back up to 16. (it is at 14 currently) The team that has been staying here, went to the meeting to pray and one of the key leaders here in Ottawa was able to share for 10 minutes. It's not to be voted on yet, but in Parliament everything is a process. So today (Wednesday) Ken came in, and if I had to pick one of my favorite points that he said it would be this..."With the fall came curses, but also blessings." For example, death was a curse, but to live in sin for eternity would be worse, childbearing was a curse- but most women will agree that it is also a blessing. That statement seemed so profound to me and will be one I remember. (We were discussing the heart of mankind) I also went to Question Period today, everyone seemed very obnoxious, and were yelling almost steady. The opposition accuses the government of breaking its promise to Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan by putting a cap on equalization payments. (I cannot explain all of this in depth in one entry but I do have information to email you if you are interested...especially those from home) Even Saskatchewan's premier Lorne Calvert bashed the government's new budget. (email me at ricky_rayth_@hotmail.com) By the way the budget was passed, the Bloc sided with the Conservative government, it is rumored however, that threats of an election will be far greater once the House comes back from Easter holidays. (of course this is murmurings between different MP's) I went and played basketball tonight, but I played terrible so there is nothing to mention, other than the fact that I feel so sore now. I hope you have an amazing night and talk to you all tomorrow.

Erica

p.s. Robin L. you are the rockin'est personI know and now I am cooler than Amanda cuz I mentioned you in my blog!!!!

Song writing

Unfortunately, today I have nothing to write about. We made beds this morning and the team from Manitoba arrived this afternoon. We went to the House of Commons, but it was soo full we weren't able to get in. (Luckily Jill and Mark were able to) So Amanda and I came home and wrote a song that we will sing at the church in Toronto. We tried to write from the perspective of Ruth, Esther, and Mary, as well as include our feeling in it. These are the words:

For months I've prayed
I'd find favor in your eyes
As I struggled to prepare
For a life time of love with you
I lay at your feet the fragrance of my purity
I lay at your feet all I am and all that I will be

I don't understand
why you brought me here
I'm scared and want to run
But wherever you go I will go
I lay at your feet the fragrance of my destiny
I lay at your feet all I am and all that I will be

I ran to the room
your forgiveness brings me to my knees
unbridled tears at you feet
I dry them with my hair
I lay at your feet the fragrance of my worship
I lay at your feet all I am and all that I will be
Chorus:
I pour out my life as a perfume to you
Cuz I'm bringing all I am
To my Jesus......the one I love
my Jesus......the one I follow
my Jesus.....my Saviour and Friend

So we spent the night practicing the song and getting ready for Toronto. That was my Monday. Nothing to spectacular today. Have a great night everyone and I will talk to you all tomorrow.


Erica

Thursday and Friday!

Hello Everyone! Once again I apologize for not leaving an entry for Thursday. With the teams coming in now, it will be very hard to write everyday, so it may become every second day. So on Thursday we had class, and we discussed the prophetic gift in the church, and the difference between being a prophet and prophesying. In the Bible God calls us all to prophesy, but that does not mean that we were all called to be prophets. We also talked about how to hear the voice of God, in order to know when he is speaking to us. Although this is a topic everyone teaches and quite often we are all suppose to "know" how to improve, I was really struck once again. I know pastors, and teachers tell us this all the time but it really hit home this time, if we want to be able to hear God's voice more in our life, it requires the sacrifice of our time. Just like we can't know each other without time, God is no different. Then in the afternoon we made hamburgers for the mission, and I was officially taught how to barbecue. (I know embarrassing) For supper we had pizza and cake to celebrate Amanda's birthday, then they took us to the art museum. That was so amazing, we didn't have time to look at all the art, but it is a real art museum. You see, those of you who read this and aren't from Saskatchewan, we only have local artists in our art museums, not famous people. As you can all imagine, I was in total shock and excitement when I saw 2 MONET PAINTINGS!!! Real ones, not prints, it was a highlight for my LIFE! ahhaha Anyways it was a blast. Friday started with our Civics class, and we looked at each other's papers (we wrote on Prime Ministers in history) it was really neat, if you like history, to learn about the different men. (for curiosity sake, McKenzie, is a really interesting man, spiritually. Take time to read about him and the seances he had) Then we went to the East Block Chapel to pray and when we got home, Mark showed up!!!(Jill's friend) So that was exciting and a new face to torment with our jokes! This weekend will be a homework weekend because next weekend we are heading off to Toronto. So I hope you all have an amazing weekend and I will talk to you all Monday. Blessings.
Erica

Tuesday/Wednesday-sorry its late

So once again, my Internet has been having problems and I wasn't able to post an entry for last night. So Tuesday we went to our MP's offices, this afternoon was better than the last one, but I still found very little work to do. I did however get to sit with a man who was watching Question period, and he was able to explain a lot of the things that were going on. The opposition has really been using Ralph Goodale, to attack the government for its budget ideas for Saskatchewan. The thing that is really disappointing is that most people from Saskatchewan don't like Ralph, yet he is doing a lot of the speaking for the Liberal side. If you are curious what is said in the House of Commons, there is a really good sight that types up all the notes, it is the http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm/cmhansrd.htm it record everything. So after the House of Commons we came home and got ready for Rob's class. He taught on Fear versus Faith based Intercession. His main point was that in order to combat fear based intercession we need to be in the Word and know the Word, because it shows us the character of God. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." So that was Tuesday. Wednesday, we had Ken's class and he really challenged me in a particular area. He stated that, we always picture God as someone who has unconditionally love for everyone. Although He loves everyone, if He were to love everyone unconditionally we would all go to Heaven. It's an confusing topic and one that will probably offend a few people, and I am probably not explaining it very well, but if it makes you think then that is good. (another thing to chew on is, in the Bible it says God loved Jacob and hated Esau.) Yes, God is love but he is first of all light. Even in 1 John where it says that God is love, it first says that He is light and in him there is no darkness. Anyways that was a neat topic to process. We went to Question period again this afternoon and they were still debating the budget, and asking the Prime Minister to fire his Defense Minister (Gordon O'Conner) for the inaccurate comments he made. (I explained this on Monday) In the end the Prime Minister stood up and sad that Gordon had apologized and had told the House that he made the statement in good faith with the previous information he had received, so he said that he was a great minister and doing an amazing job as the Defense Minister. Then Wednesday night I went and played basketball again, except this time I scored twice!!! I hope it just keeps going up. I also got fouled and all the boys started booing the guy that fouled me, it was really funny. At least they are all really nice and keep an eye out for me. All in all, it was a great game, and a great two days. Once again I am sorry this entry is so late. Goodnight.
Erica

Monday/Lundi

Well we are back in the swing of things this week! A team just arrived from Calgary and they will be with us till Thursday morning, so this week will be a full one. The weekend went really well but I did not attend the conference, which turned out to be a total intervention. Yuanita got pneumonia while she was here and wasn't able to speak on Friday or Saturday, so the organizers were rushed in trying to come up with a back-up plan; so had I attended I think I would have been disappointed in not having the opportunity to hear her speak. We went to Parliament Hill for the first time in 2 weeks, and boy was it good to be back! I made sure I greeted all the guards that I knew (Claude is always there, he's my favorite) and we settled in to hear the debates. Today questions really targeted Gordon O'Connor (the defense minister) because he had presented information in the House of Commons that was not accurate and he apologized to the House for those comments, but they did not let up on drilling him about the mistake. As most of you know, the budget was released today and we were not able to get in unless we had special invitations. By the sounds of things, it was a good budget. There was funding available for minority groups, childcare, and newly weds. (married couples have to pay the same amount of taxes as a single person, because the government would like to honor the marriage commitment Canadians take) There was only 10 minutes for debate and it sounds like the opposition is not happy with the lack of aboriginal funding, but it won't be until Wednesday that we really get to see what has the different parties upset, so I will keep you all posted. As far as tonight was concerned, we had the opportunity to meet the team, tell them a little about ourselves and then head off to bed early for our busy day tomorrow. I hope that you all had an amazing week, and I can't wait to see you all at home again.
Erica

thursday and friday a blurr

Sorry this entry is sooo late, but last night we had a youth group spending the night and then this morning the Internet was down. Yesterday was really good, we made sandwiches in the morning, toured the Governor General's house in the afternoon, and worship with the youth at night. The group was from B.C. and they are on a missions trip with their Christian school. It was really nice to have them here because a lot of them are close to my age, and because I was raised in a small christian school too, we all really clicked and had a blast. We jammed together (worship music) and then talked about life, they also had the opportunity to ask us questions about NHOP. So that was Thursday. Today we had class this morning, Christian Ethics, and we learned that working is a way of expressing creativity and how God desires us to work. We also said goodbye to the team and got ready for the lunch with Yuanita Bynum. The good news is that many ambassadors came (Jamaica, Malaysia, etc) the bad news is that Yuanita wasn't able to make it dew to a miscommunication. So it was really hard that the guest of honor wasn't there, but God still showed up in a powerful way and blessed everyone that was there. Tonight I am going to stay home and go to bed early because I feel soo tired after this week and need to get ready for next weeks team. So I hope you all have an amazing weekend, tomorrow I am going to the conference but I will write about it on Monday. Bless ya'll!
Erica

Wednesday-BBALL!!!

Ken is back so we had another wonderful class time. He really challenged me on some of my own doctrines, and although it sucks because you have to rethink them, he really causes you to develop a strong theology to why you believe what you do. (He challenged me on the subject of healing, and how we claim that healing) I am still confused partly, you see Ken uses such majestic words that I sometimes get lost, but he has made me think, and I will have it figured out soon. So this afternoon we were suppose to go for a prayer walk but it is raining. YES I SAID RAINING!!! It is soooo beautiful out today, it's really cloudy but the humidity is like....Florida, if you have been to Florida its that real think musty, warm air. I loved it! Light jackets and almost all the snow is gone and it has only been 2 days. (For those of you who don't know, Saskatchewan stays super cold for a long time, and is always really really dry, we never have humidity, thus my excitement) So instead of a walk we did databases for NHOP. Then tonight I played basketball again. This game I played so much better, and I actually scored!!! I even scored over a big tall black guy and when the ball went in all 30 guys stopped talking, cheered, clapped, and then laughed in total unbelief. They were such good sports, they all shook my hand and congratulated me. Who knows, by the end of the 3 months, I could be running, jumping, and shooting like a black guy. That would be soo amazing if I could learn that. There is this one guy there, he's got to be 6'6" and when he lifts his arms he can touch the rim, anyways I am always on his team. (I think its because I am the shortest) So I believe his name is Abu, or something like that, and he can't speak English, but he is sooo sweet. I think he communicates to me more that all the rest. He is always motioning at me, giving me a high-five, or catching my eye when he wants me to do something. The only word he seems to know is SHOOT!! he is always yelling at me to shoot. So it was a really fun night, I just love basketball, and every week will get better. You all have a good night, and for those of you back home, wear lots of blankies because I know how cold it is there. hahaha

Erica

Long weekend, sorry

Well after this weekend I totally forgot to write an entry for Monday, sorry about that. So I guess toady's will include a lot of things that happened the last couple of days. So this weekend I went to a concert, Saturday night, done by the band Leeland, who is led by an 18 year old who is still in high school. I was so impressed with him, he led worship on his knees, with tears, from the guitar, and the piano, God is so apparent in his life even at his young age. So that night was really amazing to be apart of. On Sunday we went to a French church that has a lot of youth that are involved at a city level as well as nationally. I love the french churches, they are a lot more blunt than the English about how they are feeling or what they are struggling with. It was almost awkward at some points to be sitting there, yet it was also very refreshing to see their complete honesty. So I was able to meet some of the youth and we all went out for lunch and are planning on hanging out whenever we have some free time. They will also be at the conference this weekend, (Yuanita Bynum) so we will see them a lot of different places. On Monday we did office work all day, and then had fireside in the evening, so it wasn't to crazy. Today I had class with Richard and we learned about Narratives again and how to read them properly, for example, how to use Acts and how not to use it. Then this afternoon I went to work for my M.P. it was challenging today because the secretary was so busy that she didn't have time to explain things. I know it will get better though. Rob's class on intercession taught us how to wrestle with God in prayer. Rob encouraged us, that when we are asking or believing for something, we need to bug God constantly, never leaving him alone. Like Jacob held on for his blessing, so will we fight for ours. He also taught us how to argue with God, like Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah.

We have to search our motives- God's will

We have to speak God's word back to him- as David did, reminding Him of His promises

Calling on God's compassion- like Abraham asked for God's mercy instead of judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah

We have to honor the name of the Lord

And Plead the blood of Jesus- His blood covers all

I found this lesson really enlightening, especially if you are believing God for something in your life. Well I am off to bed but I will make sure I write an article tomorrow, and I wont forget this time. Goodnight everyone.

Erica

Spiritual Giftings

Well this morning classes were cut in half because we were trying to get in yesterday mornings class in as well. So for the first part of the morning we discussed the Supreme Court and then the second part of the class was a spiritual gifting test. It was really neat to learn what strengths and weaknesses each other had. If you are interested in doing the quiz the address is www.buildingchurch.net then click on the gifted 2 serve on the left hand side and scroll to the bottom of the page, the quiz is the first link. While we were discussing gifts, the topic of churches came up. We talked about how some churches are really gifted in teaching, or evangelism and that if we weren't so insecure about loosing sheep or sheep stealing the church as a body could be really complete. For example, churches who are gifted in evangelism will be great for getting members but not necessarily keeping them, they will need to point their members to a church who is more gifted in teaching or intercession. If we could circulate members from church to church we would have an amazing 5 fold ministry. So after this discussion we ate lunch, then went to the East Block Chapel to pray. All of us felt pretty heavy today but apparently that happens when you are praying at a government level, and it doesn't help that the sun hasn't been out lately. So with heavy hearts we prayed but I know tomorrow we will feel better. Tonight we are watching my favorite movie and just laying low, so that will be nice. Saturday night we are going to the Leeland concert, so a great weekend is planned. I hope the same for all of you . Talk to you Monday.
Erica

Tours

This morning was spent making sandwiches for Capital City Mission, so that this afternoon could be spent at the supreme court. Not many people are aware of the supreme court, or have ever taken a tour. It is a very majestic looking building, and looks as if it was taken right from London. We were able to meet the only christian lawyer working in the supreme court, and she was able to tell us about her job. She works for the judges on recommendations, reasons as to why a case should be seen, or why it should be overlooked. The really neat thing about her job, is that if case contradicts her morals, all she has to do is give reasonable facts that support why the case should not enter the supreme court. (She can't say anything about it morally being wrong, she has to have real hard material) I thought that would be a much better job than being a lawyer, because you don't have to support something you don't agree with. So after our tour we went the the Museum of Civilization. While we were there we came to the coolest exhibit. It was our Canadian history from the explorers time and it was set up with little houses and cars. When we first entered the display the sky was blue and there was a breeze so that it felt and looked like you were outside on a summer evening. It was a blast. We took many pictures and I will try to post some for you over the next couple of days. We also went to the Imax to see a film about sky diving, and base jumping. It was so real, sometimes we got dizzy, and sometimes we were falling, it was a riot, except I don't think Richard liked it because when I looked at him he had his eyes closed. Well after a long day I am off to bed. Tomorrow is Friday!!!
Erica

Black Basketball

Hello everyone! So today we had Ken Hall's class but he is in Medicine Hat for a Watchmen leadership conference, so Rob taught us. We didn't get very far, but the neat thing about Rob is that he totally offends the mind, and goes straight to the heart. For those of us who know him it was good, but I think some of the other students were really caught off guard. It will be nice to have Ken come back because he is such a gracious man, he focuses a lot on knowledge, but he has this incredible heart that quietly seeps out throuhg his teaching. After class we decided we were going to have a homework day, because parliament is closed, I have almost completed my essay on Louis St. Laurent. Tonight was amazing though. I went and played basketball, and it was all of my worst fears in one building. I was the only white girl, and there was only one other white guy, in a sea of about 20 black guys. Most of them were fast, could slam dunk, and they all spoke french!!!! I almost chickened out and went home but a nice young black guy came and invited me to play, they were really good sports, but I have to step up my game. Needless to say it was a very interesting experience, especially because half the time I didn't have a clue what was going on, it did feel really good to run though. The best story of the night, by far, was one of the guys was wearing really baggy shorts and he jumped up to shoot, and his shorts fell down. I saw the first naked black bum ever...it was so embarrassing, but extremely funny. Well I am watching a movie now, so I will talk to everyone tomorrow.
Erica

MP Tuesday

Good Morning on another chilly Tuesday morning. We started the day with class where we learned about narrative books of the Bible. (Ester, Ruth, etc) We were taught that often when someone is speaking on one of these books they attempt to teach you a moral lesson, or allegory (usually myths, or stories made to symbolize things they don't) Although quite often we can learn a moral lesson for these stories, they were not written for that purpose. We have to remember that when reading a narrative the protagonist is God, the antagonist Satan. All narratives were written to glorify God and show his character, that is why they are historical accounts and need to be recognized as that. We can use this concept on other events in history, like Hitler. The story of Hitler and the Jews is told so that we can understand how WWII started and ended. Although a moral lesson can be taught, the story is not told for that primary reason. So after class we headed out to our MP's offices. I am working for Lynne Yelich and right now she is in Saskatoon, which made me a little homesick. I wasn't able to meet her but had the privilege of meeting her secretaries. We spent most of the time talking about politics, religion, and the purpose of the National House of Prayer, next week there will be more working. Then we had Rob's class at 7:00 tonight. He taught on corporate intercession and why it is a benefit to pray in groups. Rob said that often God deals with us corporately and we need to walk in authority to pray corporately. (ex: he deals with our cities, Abraham interceded for a city) We also learned what to watch out for in corporate prayer, things like:

Spectators- we need to get everyone involved
Preparing our hearts- through worship, or silence-don't be afraid of silence
Laying down our personal agendas and titles
Corporate hearing and discerning- increases our authority, mentors other intercessors etc.
Walking together- holding each other accountable, not getting of track of the topic and if we do being corrected.

It was a very interesting class and good for a lot of the church leaders that take the class with us to hear. So now I am off to bed, early, because I am getting tired lately with all the things we are learning. But tomorrow promises to be a good day, because I am going to go play basketball....YAY!!(I really like basketball for all those who don't know) So have a goodnight and I will talk to you tomorrow.
Erica

Cold Morning

Hello and good morning on this wonderfully, cold, Monday morning. I hope that you all had an amazing weekend, (and sorry about Fridays blog, it didn't publish) Today we started first with devotions and then began our usually Monday chores. I cleaned out the kitchen fridges, and then BAKED rice crispy squares. (for those of you who don't know me, I can't cook, and as easy as it is to make rice crispy, I was thoroughly pleased with myself.) After lunch we went to Parliament Hill for a tour (the House of Commons, and Senate, are on holidays for 2 weeks) it was really neat to finally see the different artwork and stories behind the building. We also took a trip up to the top of the peace tower and I met a police officer who had trained in Regina. We joked about how flat it is and thanks to Corner Gas, everyone knows about Saskatchewan. So after we left the Hill we came home to do some homework and then get ready for Fireside. Fran was up to share her story. she talked about how she became a christian and how the two of them started their path towards ministry. So all in all it was a really relaxing day and a greatappreciated to this week. Tomorrow I start working at Lynne Yelich's office so I will hopefully have some interesting stories for everyone. Take care and have a great night.
Erica

Fireside

Richard taught our Spiritual Direction class this morning and we continued our study of spiritual discipline. We focused on the Outward disciplines like simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. As well as corporate disciplines like confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. Now my favorite outward discipline was solitude because of this quote, "Though silence sometimes involves the absence of speech,it always involves the act of listening." That quote totally clicked because if you think about life, whenever we are silent we are listening, for instance right now I am quiet but I can hear the hockey players outside hitting their pucks. My favorite corporate discipline is the act of confession. I think we feel that if we confess to Christ that's all we need to do. We also have to remember to repent to those we offended and sometimes it helps to confess to those in leadership. Often times there comes a major healing when we confess to people in authority. So it was a pretty "hevy, revy" class but a really good one. This afternoon we made sandwiches again for the local ministry and then we had Fireside. Today's guest came from Watchmen for the Nations and is a woman who has a real heart for Israel. She shared her stories, and how God really has developed her heart for His people. It was really neat to hear her speak because she has such a passion that she can't help but pass on God's heart for Israel. It was a really amazing night. Well I am off to bed now, and we are all preparing for a snow storm, so we may not be heading up to Parliament Hill tomorrow. I will let you all know what happens on Friday. Have a great night.
Erica

Quiet Day

Today began with Ken Hall's class, where we looked at the important role of the Holy Spirit. There was much discussion during the first part of the morning but after that, we began looking up scriptures that talked about the Holy Spirit's personhood. I think it is safe to say that after class was over, we all understood the importance of recognizing and knowing the Holy Spirit as apart of the Trinity. Without knowledge of him, we cannot fully know God. After class we headed down to Question Period, which was fairly quiet today. I did manage however to find the youngest guy (a Conservative) and decided that I am going to marry him. (for those of you who don't know me, I like to joke around) I waited for Him to look up and then I waved. I was so embarrassed I turned beet red, I don't think he saw me though. During the discussion period, the opposition brought up a lot of concerns about governmental funding, because the budget has not yet been released, the Conservatives were able to pass off a lot of questions. (I believe the budget is being released Mar. 19) All in all, the accusations given by the Liberals were weak and the answers from the Conservatives, equally weak. (In my opinion both held no substance.) I am sure however, that after the last 2 weeks the House of Commons needed a quiet afternoon. Just so that everyone knows, Parliament takes 2 weeks of holidays and I believe it begins next week (I will double check) I will continue to write in my blog there just wont be any political content. Well I have a homework night tonight, so I am off to read. Take care everyone, and talk to you tomorrow.
Erica

Voting Day

Once again the morning started off with Richard's class- Biblical Introduction. We mostly went over our assignment regarding Hermeneutics and Exegesis. We also looked at passages of scripture that are often taught wrong, because they were not understood properly in our day and age. Most of these scriptures applied to the people of then. After class the other interns headed off to work for their MP's while I went to Question Period. (I start working for mine next Tuesday.) Compared to the last couple of days, the House of Commons was pretty quiet. The only difference was that the government had invited some of the 911 victims to help get thier point across as to why the Anti-terrorist Act should remain. Stephan Dion once again did not show up, and it was rumored that it was because he couldn't face the victim's families. A few hours after this the House of Commons voted on the Act and it was denied, a 134 to 159. It doesn't make sense as to why so many were against, but it was a disappointing day for the Conservatives. After supper we had Rob's class. Tonight we learnt how to have authority in intercession. If I could summarize it in one point, Rob was basically saying that when we are abiding in Christ and pursuing our call, we are given authority for that area. He also stated that we should be very aware of our boundaries in prayer and not over step them by say, taking on something we do not have authority to, this is a very dangerous place to be as an intercessor. Well I am off, but I will talk to you all tomorrow. Have a great night.
Erica

And the Award goes to:

Well Today was pretty easy going. This morning we did some house chores and then I took a YWAM team for a tour of the Nation House of Prayer. That was a really neat experience and I was able to meet people from Switzerland, Holland, and Norway. So after lunch we headed off to Question Period. Once again the issues brought up were, the anti-terrorist law and the Prime Minister's lack of judgement on the article he brought forward on Wednesday. The main event however was a response the Conservatives gave to the Liberal leader Stephan Dion. I am not sure how many of you are aware, but Stephan Dion was on the committee that helped bring in the strict anti-terrorist law after the Air-India bombing took place. Previously, all Liberal members were in support of this law until a few months ago when Stephan Dion changed his position. (what they refer to as the "flip-flop") Although many of his party did not agree with his opinion, he threatened that if they did not support him, he would refuse to sign there nomination papers. As a result, the Conservatives, who are very aware of the weakness and disunity within the Liberal Party, attack it and its leader regularly. Over the past few weeks the Liberals continue to ask the government why it is doing nothing on terrorism, but then refuse to cooperate with the Conservatives on re-opening the Air-India case. So today one of the Conservative members stood up and gave this speech. "All across Canada, people were watching the Academy Awards last night and although there were many awards handed out they missed one. That award was the biggest "flip-flop" award and... (then another member handed him a sealed envelope exactly like on the Academy Awards) the award goes to Stephan Dion." (paraphrased)Then all the Conservative members stood and gave him a standing ovation. Although we found it hard not to laugh, and although it did have some merit, it was handled so in appropriately. It was extremely childish and embarrassing to all the citizens sitting in the gallery watching. I turned around and one man looked at me and said, "they are like a bunch of school children!" Meanwhile as Stephan Dion tried to respond all the Conservatives started clapping and yelling "speech," with genuine smiles on there faces. Lucky for them Mr. Speaker only rebuked them for using a prop (envelope) and mentioning another candidates name. (Dion) Shortly after the meeting ended. Tonight we have Fireside and then hopefully bed early. Take care everyone and much blessings.
Erica

2 minutes of Fame

Happy Friday everyone! So this morning class was focused on learning the structure of Parliament. I wish I could explain the whole procedure for everyone, but it would probably take 2 hours. Needless to say, we discussed many of the issues (Air India bombing, and police officers being involved in electing judges)and tried to look at the different strategies each party was attempting. For example, one of the reasons, we believe, that the Liberals are against the anti-terrorist act, is not that it is a bad idea but that it will help their party look better. This is why we are praying for unity, because all parties are working against each other. On Wednesday we saw the Prime Minister try to attack the Liberal member using a newspaper article, a pretty low blow considering the question had nothing to do with the article. Unfortunately we are seeing this everywhere in the House of Commons. As the church of Canada we really need to be praying into unity, honor, and righteousness for our government. So after lunch we went to the East Block Chapel to pray into the exact things I mentioned above. One little side note, today we had 100 Huntley Street come in and all of us interns were interviewed. I was so nervous, they followed us around most of the day and asked pretty tough questions. The really unfortunate part, was that our interviews were done outside in the windy -26 weather. As you can imagine most of my interview was done with a red nose and hair in my face. The reason they have come to Ottawa is to do a series on prayer that they will be airing the week before Easter, so I encourage you all to watch the NHOP interns 2 minutes of fame!!! Tonight is a celebration dinner for the Israel Canada tour that came through. Everyone is sharing stories of what God did and how it touched the Israel delegates. By the sounds of things, the Israelis really left with a sense of how much Canadians love them and want to stand by them, there have even been phone calls of how much they miss us. It was set up through Watchmen and the government was invited and it sounds like God really showed up. Well I am going to relax this weekend after an insane week and hopefully catch up on my homework. I will talk to you all Monday. Goodnight!
Erica

Amazing Night

So today started with Richard's class called Spiritual Direction. Most of the morning was talking through Richard Foster's book, Spiritual Disciplines. I would like to get a copy of the notes because they are a very good summary of what the book is about. If some of you are interested I will see if I can email them to you, just let me know, ricky_rayth_@hotmail.com. After class we made sandwiches for the mission here then came upstairs to watch Question Period. Once again it was a vain attempt at trying to get the Prime Minister to apologize for his comments on Wednesday. Along with this topic they brought up the Conservatives plan to bring police officers into the process of voting on the judges for the Supreme Court. In my opinion the Conservatives have a stronger argument but the Liberals are working very hard to keep police officers off the committee. The reason the judges have become involved, is because up to this point the courts have been very exclusive and made up largly of lawyers and judges. Well tonight we led worship, as most of you know, and it went so well. God really touched and the worship was very sweet. As the 100 people came through they had an opportunity to pray for our military, our government and unity, and Mr. Harper. As we were praying Rob asked if anyone was from Quebec, one lady stood up, then he asked her if we could pray with her, as a representation of our desire to see unity across Canada. So while this was all happening I pulled Rob aside and said that I felt God was telling me we should all hold hands and each province be represented. Rob agreed and asked me to tell the group. Unfortunately all I could say before I burst into tears was, "Hi, I am from Saskatchewan and I would like to hold hands with Quebec." Rob had to finish the rest, so we all circled up and had an amazing prayer for unity, there were even Americans joining hands with us. It was incredible. We also had the chance to pray for the First People's of Canada, lucky for us there were four different groups of people represented, so we all circled around them and began to pray. We prayed for unity, and healing for their people, we prayed for a repentance in the white man, and a forgiveness in the First Peoples. We also thanked them that although it was us who hurt them, they were taking the first steps and forgiving us. This also was an incredible time. So tomorrow should be equally cool. We have 100 Huntley Street coming in to do some interviews, then in the evening we have a celebration with David Dameon and those who helped out with the Israel Tour that just came through. So pray for an amazing Friday. Goodnight everyone.
Erica

House of Commons Erupts

So this morning we had Ken Hall's class where we learnt about the trinity and how the Bible supports the idea of the trinity, because the word is never actually used in the Bible. In order to understand this fully we had to go back to the original Hebrew language and discover that often the word one (echad) has a singular meaning as well as a compound meaning. So that was really neat. After class we headed down to Question and Answer period...and boy were the topics hot. I don't think I have seen so many standing ovations, or dishonoring statements yet. Let me try to explain what happened. The House of Commons was debating the topic of reopening the Air India bombing case even though the Supreme Courts have ruled otherwise. The Conservatives are in favor but the Liberals are opposed to the idea and their reasoning is the fact that the government should not be allowed to overrule the Supreme Court. Anyways, as Mr. Harper was responding to one of the questions he tried to bring up a slandering article written in the Vancouver Sun about one of the Liberal members comment towards Air India. Before he could even finish all the Liberals erupted yelling at the Prime Minister, banging on the tables, booing, and then chanting in unison SHAME, SHAME. Needless to say it was very disturbing and the rest of the afternoon was accusations and attempts to get the Prime Minister to apologize. One member called even called him deceitful, even though the Mr. Harper never got to read or say anything about the article. It was a very dishonoring, childlike time and I am embarrassed as a Canadian citizen, at the lack of cooperation the House of Commons shows, even when it is in everyone's best interest. So after a troubling afternoon we came back to the house for worship practice because we have a group of 90 people coming in tomorrow. I am really insecure to play because I have my first solo! An interesting point that my roommate said though, is that often our insecurities stem from pride, it really hit me so my goal is to get my heart in the right place before tomorrow. Well I have a tonne of homework to do so I will talk to you all tomorrow. Have a goodnight.
Erica

Classes, classes, classes

Well this morning I had class (how to read the bible for all it's worth) and we learnt the importance of understanding how translation works. We had to look at different translations and how inaccurate they were as well as compare them to other translations. For example we compared NIV to KJV and looked at a verse that has a complete different message than the other version. We also learnt how to read and write the epistles. But my favorite part was this little blurb that I am actually going to write out for you all to read.

Guidelines for Problem Passages
1. They were not written to us, and we may need to content ourselves with our lack of knowledge or not ever understanding the intended meaning.
2. Ask, "What can be said for certain about the text and what is uncertain?"
3. Always look for the main point of the passage even if you can't always be certain about the details.
4. Consult a good commentary that gives various options to consider.

So that was the morning lesson and then in the afternoon we headed off to the library. Usually on Tuesday afternoons we will be volunteering in our MP's offices. (so I will be with Lynn Yelich or James Lunney- a christian man whose riding is in BC) I am really excited about this and hope that it will open the door for some amazing opportunities. Also, my teacher said that if I want to get into politics and decide to stay here, he can guaranteed me a job in Parliament, so that is very exciting. I will have to see what God has in store for me after this internship. Tonight was the intercession class and we learnt about intercession in worship. There were soo many good points that I will probably have to write out notes and send them too you...but it was an amazing teaching night. Other than that, I am talking to Kendra and getting ready for bed. Talk to you all soon.

Erica

Bright Monday Morning

Hello everyone! Well it is a bright Monday morning after a long weekend. On Saturday we just had a fun relaxing day, we went shopping, ate food, and watched a movie. Sunday I went to a bilingual church in Quebec (which is about a 20 minute drive from NHOP) then went out for lunch to try Lebanese food. (if you like breathing garlic for 3 days afterwards..you would love it!)
At church they had a guest speaker that they brought in and she was speaking on the spirit of fear, which was a really good message to hear. So today started bright and early and I did some chores for the first part of the morning, until we headed off to Parliament Hill for the afternoon. When we showed up at the Hill there was a really long line up to get in because they had invited 130 military personnel to sit in at the House of Commons. Unfortunately we were unable to get in but thanks to James Lunney (MP for Naniamo) we sat in his office and watched it on TV and prayed there. One of the hot topics in Parliament today was childcare, and how the Conservative Party promised spaces and funding for parents and they have not yet seen the full benefits of that promise. They accused one member of the Conservative of spending more tax payers money on limo rides then on the people she was there to give the cheques to. Another topic they brought up was how the government has said that the Canadian military would pull out of Afghanistan in Feb. 2009 but how the Liberal government found confidential documents stating that they had intentions of extending this time. (of course it was brought up because 130 soldiers were sitting in the room) In response to this accusation the Secretary of Defense simply stood up and said that 2009 was the date they were sticking with unless when they arrive at that time, something must change. Finally the last topic they really focused on was the lack of funding and initiative the Conservative party has been showing to help those in poverty. Solberg (Human Resources and Social Development) simply informed the Liberals that they have given a generous budget to this initiative and it was far more then the previous government. (I can't remember exactly how much but I think it was around 340 million) The best part of this afternoon though, was at the end of Question Period they asked the military to stand up and all honored them with a long applause as the camera panned around, it was very cool. Well it is almost supper, and tonight we have Fireside and our guest that we are bringing in is one of the staff members who is very gifted in discernment, the prophetic, and dream interpretation....so of course I am really excited. Have a great night everyone.
Erica

Friday!!

Well Today is Friday, my favorite day of the week. This morning we had ethics class and I learnt that I have 3 essays due in this class by the middle of April. (bummer hey?) The good part is that it is a class largely focused on the structure of Parliament and Canada's history, which is 2 of my favorite topics. This afternoon we attended the east block (that's at Parliament Hill) where we joined with the local intercessors that pray for Canada every Friday. Some of the topics that were brought up targeted the divisiveness of the parties represented in the House of Commons, so we prayed for a divine unity between all the parties. We also spent time praising and thanking God because we have notice a real trend as far as prayer requests go. I don't know how many of you have felt this...but God has really been answering prayers quickly, and even more then we expected. For example, one of the ladies prayed for a mother who's son wouldn't not come and visit her. (she was sick in the hospital) The next time she talked to the mother the mother said that she was getting really annoyed because her son had started coming to see her, but twice a day! So we had a time of just praising God for his faithfulness. As far as tonight is concerned, it is our fun night, YAY, so we are going to watch a movie and just chillax. But I wanted all of you to know that you are welcome to send me emails or ask me questions, I love hearing from everyone back home. Email me at ricky_rayth_@hotmail.com I can't guaranteed how fast I will return them, but it will be as soon as I can. Have a great weekend!

Erica