So I got escorted home by the police yesterday.

I know.

First night in Victoria and I get brought home by the cops. Well one cop to be precise.

So I was at the office here in Victoria. I got off the ferry, met the people I will be staying with for the next month, and then went over to the YWAM Victoria office to start getting a handle on the editing work that I will be doing over the next month. So I get into the swing of it, am working hard, and then get into doing a couple of other errand type things, and talking on Skype, so then by the time I leave the office it's 9pm. And dusky. And I realise I can't remember how to get to where I am staying.
I'm pretty sure I ahve a general idea though, so I start to retrace the path that I think the car took that drove me there in the first place. Then a cop car pulls up, so I figure, 'hey lets just ask a cop' so I say 'is this the right direction to be walking to get to Fraser st?' and the cop says 'sorry miss you're going the wrong way, turn around and it'll be about 4 blocks up'
So I thank him and move on.
About 4 blocks later I'm kinda looking and walking, not too worried, but a little confused, and then I hear a breathless 'umm, Maam?'
And the cop's partner is running up behind me. So I stop and turn, and he says (a little pink) 'umm, sorry, my partner sent you the wrong way, it's one block off where you were when you stopped to ask us. I'll walk you back'
so we walk and turn down the street and he says 'ok this is fraser' shines his flash light up on to the street sign and it reads in big flourescent letters 'CARLISLE STREET'
and the cop says 'Oh no, now I'm lost too!'
So a motorcyclist pulls up just then (while I'm laughing trying to reassurethis guy that he isnt' in fact a bad cop) and I suggest that we should ask him, given he lives right here.
'so, do you know how we can get to Fraser st'
the guy takes of his helmet, looks from me to the cop and back at me, and laughs and says 'it's two blocks that way, the police station is on the corner of Fraser!'
the cop blushes again and mumbles something about not being from around here and walked me all the way home, much to the amusement of the couple that I am staying with here.

So anyways.

In other news...
I have Facebook now. Lame. I got sucked into the online community vortex that was. *whimper* and a voice in the distance mumbles '....sellout....' sigh
But yeah, I'm now listed and linked and my wall is written on.......

So yeah. I'm here in Victoria. I'm staying here with a beautiful old couple named Roy and Jan and their cat Misha. Roy is 76, Jan is 70 and their 49th wedding anniversary is the same day as my 23rd birthday! (ahem, Friday 11th hint hint cough)
It's been fun hanging out with them, and today we had a great day, I slept in, had breakfast with them, went and worked out at the rec centre and then we piled into their huge dodge minivan and drove all around victoria, all aroudn the water, looking at their church, the houses they grew up in, the army barracks roy lived in, and i got to be a little part of a very long history for a short moment. I'm pleased to say i had the best fish and chips for lunch sitting on the wharf too, the smell was just like home and it was fun to hear about their lives and grandkids and kids and church friends and senior aquasize and game night and the crazy cat and the wheelchair business and dentists and dreams and visions and hopes and ideas, and then tonight sitting having tea with Jan and hearing their love story. It's a beautiful thing to see two people so happy and safe with one another, who genuinely laugh and tease and care and nag and love. I want my slightly gooofy husband when I'm 70 to tell me i'm too sweet to have sugar in my coffee too one day. and he still tells her at least 5 times a day how pretty she is. it's a beautiful thing.
I'm going to church wtih them in the morning and Jan is going to introduce me to her choir ladies........ :) and while I know I'm out of practice with reading out of a prayer book, I'm looking forward to it.
Have taken a roll of pictures already, it's beautiful here, and I started out with Jan and Roy with my camera out, so I'm getting some good pics of them too. Need to start taking more pics of faces and people and lives and laughing and tears and eyes. Need to get closer.
Am excited for this month. God is so good. Already have been talking with friends, near and far (yay for Skype!) and even though I felt so overwhelmed when I first got off the ferry here, it's really comforting to know that I'm not too isolated.

And I realise I never actually posted from Oregon. I left to go there, then was swamped leading the team and something in me couldn't post, I had to just be there, and live it and I figured I would post later and better.
It was an amazing trip. God overwhelmed me, saved me and made me laugh, and brought me really special people, and made me see how special the people I was with were, even more than I already knew. I realise I love America more and more everytmie I go, and I miss the people, the laughs, the humour, the radio, the food, the driving, the scenery, the coffee, the colour, the people, the music, the shops, the churches, the YWAMers, the people....... Is this really my life? I wanna go back soon......

So it's coming up on 9 months since this leg of my Canada life started up, and there are big changes in the winds ahead. More info will be in my next newsletter, but yeah, it's exciting, keep praying with me and for me ok?

Loads of love, I'm off to bed
Leave me comments, I miss you

Hillary