Travel Log- Day 3 in Montreal

Today I'm only writing in English because I need sleep, want to make it quick. I could go on and on about what I learned today, but in general today was my "eye-opening" day. My first time in a Catholic church service (mass) in a French-speaking church... my first time having the church door opened for me by a homeless man who didn't even ask me for money (although he held an empty cup by his side), my first time discovering that apparently Montreal doesn't have a homeless shelter (that explains how many homeless people I've seen everywhere!) and lastly, my first time in a prayer meeting with francophones and having sharing time with them about native communities (we were told not to use the word ''reserves'' cuz it sounds like they are in a zoo and are animals).

It's heartbreaking sometimes, to see how needy Montreal and Quebec is. People long for meaning and for God but don't know how to reach Him. There are also a lot of barriers due to history that block people from wanting to know God.

My heart broke especially for the homeless man who told me there was no homeless shelter here. After talking to him, I actually went to a coffee shop and cried, because I just felt the sorrow of this man, who has lung cancer, is miles away from home because he wants to join a program, has no place to live, no puffer or health care, and a little daughter waiting for him in London, who is his only reason to keep on living and not kill himself. I talked with him for a long time. I wish there was some way all his problems could be solved. It's so complex though.

And the Natives. I heard from a missionary that in the span of one month, in one community there was 4 suicides, and they were young people. We saw a picture of a little boy holding a beer bottle, wandering the streets. And yet, they still have so much to offer us, more than what we can offer them. Because they used to live on this land and own this land, so they know so much more about nature and harmony. Although abuse is rampant and there was even a girl from a native community who said her only idea of love was when someone raped her, these people have a culture and have a dignity that we have to give back to them.

The natives need the dignity and space to do things naturally and not through technology. Technology only cripples them and makes them not know what to do with their time. And the history is sad. Because the natives used to heal the Europeans who got sick from diseases on the boat. They used natural medicines to heal them. But the Europeans gave them nothing back but trouble. So our mission is really to go there and rebuild bridges, be humble and learn from them, so that they will learn to trust the new generation of white Christians, and on their own, find dignity and true spirituality again.

I'm Chinese so it might be easier for them to approach me, but it's hard when they see a white person. They said it was very rare for a native child to approach a white person and hold their hand. It is a very precious moment if they let you touch them at all. And another special thing is... the natives don't make promises. They can say yes, or say nothing, but they don't say no. And when they say yes, they might not trust you still. So you kinda have to wait until they trust you on their own. Takes time to heal a wound so deep. Only God's love can heal this kind of wound.

Another little goal we have is to go there and be dumb. Seriously. Because when we make a fool out of ourselves like for example not knowing how to chop wood or do fishing, they can laugh at us and relieve their stress. They can forget about what's going on at home and just laugh it off. It's hard for the missionaries or pastors there. Sometimes even their own kid commits suicide. So another goal for us is to encourage them, make them feel that they can still go on, not to give up... that what they are doing is very appreciated.

God was there before us. We are not bringing God to them. We are only there to encourage them with our presence, to come alongside them and be humble so that they can feel joy and respect again. 5 days is not enough to change a life in a native community, but it's enough for a little joy and peace to seep through and find them where they are.

May God bless Uashat and Obedjiwan, as well as all the other native villages out there that desperately need God.