Snow, Snow, Snow!

As I write this I am back home in Ohio, watching a few flakes of snow drift down, and lie in a light dusting on the grass. The weather here just now is getting to that slippery “around-about-freezing” part of the season that has everything melting during the day, then freezing up again overnight.  In the more temperate parts of the world the arrival of snow and ice usually means travel chaos, and everything grinding to a halt. As they say in Glasgow, ‘s naw nice, snaw ‘n ice … (It’s not nice, snow and ice, if you need the English translation!!) Last weekend a group of the people we had been working and living with at Northern Youth Programs in Dryden had set off on a trip that was only happening because of the arrival of colder weather and snow. The community of Poplar Hill is a First Nation Reserve 6 hrs drive north of where we were working. During the winter months this community is more connected with the outside world than any other time of the year, as the last 2 or 3 hours of the journey to Poplar Hill are made on an ice road that will have completely disappeared and turned back into open countryside in the next month or two. Some of the staff at NYP were making the trip up there to spend the weekend working with kids from that community. They had a programme prepared including drama sketches, games and local radio appearances, and they were keen to spend time getting to know the children in the village and share Jesus’ love with them. There is an air strip where bush planes can get in and out with supplies and medical help, and between the air strip and the ice road, this makes up all the transport links that Poplar Hill has with the rest of Canada. This situation is one that is repeated all over the north of this continent. It really shows how vitally important aircraft are in accessing the First Nations communities with practical help, teaching and support for the churches who would otherwise feel incredibly isolated.

Working with "First Nation" kids

Northern Youth Programs are a mission organisation with a calling to serve the “First Nation” or aboriginal people across the northern part of the world. Their ministry is very focused on counselling and as an organisation they have been able to bring the hope of the gospel message to many people who might never have heard it before. While we were in Dryden the founder of the organisation was in Greenland running training seminars in conjunction with some of the local churches in that area. They also work right across Canada, although most of their service is in NW Ontario and eastern Manitoba. As is often the case with indigenous groups around the world, people in the far north can be vulnerable to alcohol and drug abuse, domestic troubles and depression. There are very real identity issues that come from being part of a group of people from a very different cultural background to that of those living around them. As well as courses, counselling and summer camps that are run at “Beaver Camp”, in Dryden, they also run summer camps, training courses and mission trips out into many villages across the country. To allow this outreach work to continue, the planes are a well-used tool, spending many hours in the air over the summer months especially.

The plane we were working on while we were there was a Cessna 206. It is a pretty common work-horse across the mission aviation world, and is well thought of for flying people and cargo into rough bush strips around the world (in fact we are currently working on two 206’s in the hangar here in Ohio). Many years of flying into interesting airstrips takes it’s toll on a plane, and the one we were working on had developed some cracks in the skins that make up the wings. Two mechanics had previously been up in Canada to help repairing the first wing, and completed the work on the left wing before they had to return south. NYP have only one full time mechanic in the organisation, and even though he is very capable, it is just physically impossible to drive and buck the rivets that hold the structure together with only one pair of hands.  

Getting ready to rivet the new leading edge skin in place.

MMS were asked if we could help with some man power to rebuild the right wing, and so myself and Bob traveled up to help out. Other work commitments meant that the hangar space was needed by the weekend of 23^rd Feb, so by the time we had organised ourselves, and driven 1200 miles to Dryden we had only 8 or 9 work days to get things put back together.

We easily managed, with a day to spare, and on Friday 22^nd, we were able to carry the wing over to a storage hangar and leave the heated hangar ready for the Piper Cheyenne’s 100hr inspection. Jordan will be able to get both wings scuffed and painted when the hangar space is free again, and with a couple of days work reattaching the wings and hooking everything back up, their Cessna 206 will be back in the air serving those in NW Ontario.

Myself, Bob and Jordan behind our completed wing.

One of the things that I loved about growing up in Scotland and now living in Ohio is seeing the changing seasons. Of all the things I might miss when we move on at the end of this year, I think snow has to rate pretty highly. I have spent lots of time appreciating the winter this year, (even when trying to get our car back out of a snow covered ditch!) and am glad that we will be able to spend a couple of months over Christmas 2013 in one of Scotland’s snowier areas. Being a cold weather creature, I was excited about this trip to the frozen north! Bob is from northern Minnesota, and so he is used to having everything buried under lots of snow; it was good to be able to travel to Canada with him and his family, and have his “insider knowledge” on living and working in the cold. As well as working hard and finishing the task we had set out to do, I was able to check off a load of things on my “bucket list”! I had a great time; I had my first experiences on a snow mobile, sat in an ice fishing hut, watched my first ice hockey match, and spent quite a bit of time just being out in the snow! Unfortunately I didn’t get to see any of the Northern Lights, but standing out on a frozen lake, late at night, looking up at a clear sky and wall-to-wall stars is a fantastic experience. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. It was definitely an extra blessing for me getting this unexpected little trip up north!

Snow mobile fun!