Spirit Children’s Walk (shared by Steve Britton)

Good morning all. I am with St. Lambert United and I would like to share a story of determination with you. Friends of ours from Kanesatake are walking to Sault Saint Marie to honour the missing children from Shingwauk Residential School. They left Sept. 8 on the 1000 km trek. They have endured heavy cold rain, blistering heat ( as well as feet), pulling three wagons of tents, supplies and other essentials. There are three of these warriors, Al Harrington ( founder of the Wolf Pack Street Patrol in Montreal, of which my wife and I are volunteers and donors), who is Ojibwe, his son Nation who is Mohawk, and only 13 years old and their Mohawk friend, Jessica, with her service dog Jazzy, the Wonder Dog. Today, they left Arnprior, Ontario in cold miserable weather determined to make it to Renfrew. Once there, two hotel rooms have been reserved and paid for by Trinity United Church (Renfrew) who decided a bed was more appropriate than their concrete floor. What wonderful gracious support for these strangers. Though they will not make it to their destination by Sept 28, they are giving it their all to go as far as possible. A driver will pick them up and take them the rest of the way so they can pay their respects to those lost and forgotten , then they will make their way back to Ottawa for the 30th for orange shirt day.

 

All along the way, they have met strangers asking questions, offering support, shelter and good food. Only once have they met with distain from someone. I have personally been calling our sister United churches along the route to see if shelter for a night can be found, somewhere to camp on the property, water, or a gym floor to sleep upon, out of the elements.

 

All this to say that there are good people left in this world and we should extend our hand of support in any way possible to our indigenous brothers and sisters in this, their sacred journey.

 

THEIR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD, THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND, WE WILL BRING THEM HOME.