Days 15-20: Manitoba performances, sleeping at Briercrest College, and a prayer request for someone you probably know.

We continued our journey with a unique stop: we would all be staying and doing a brief performance at the home of Bill and Laurie Rempel, who have long been generous donors for Rescue Cambodia. The kids became extremely hyperactive once they entered the house's basement, as there was an abundance of nerf guns and other toys present. The other chaperones and I had to settle them down for their abridged performance outside, where the Rempel family and friends would be watching. The night saw almost all of the children opt to sleep in the main basement room, with only three boys choosing to sleep in the theatre room along with me.

We then paid a visit to Aletta Holsteins, a dairy farm just outside Winnipeg. The kids enjoyed watching the cows and learning the process in which they are milked. A few of the kids even got to squeeze an udder themselves, which always resulted in mass giggles. The team was then shown the farmhouse that contained the calves, which led to much fawning; one calf in particular was very energetic and began jumping around when coaxed by Trakuan. After seeing the calves, the team was treated to hold the farm's new puppies. It was an all-around great visit!

Our visit to Freedom Worship Center in Arborg was another great success. The church was on the larger side compared to where we had performed at previously, but the children did

not show any stage fright. This was a relief, as the children were more rowdy than usual during setup, which made me fear they were not focused.

While on the drive to Winkler the next day, we stopped at a playground for a picnic and a lengthy play session. I'm always both amused and alarmed at how hard the kids play with each other, as arm-punches, kicks and slaps are often exchanged regardless of size or gender. I have routinely told the boys to be nice to the girls, only for the girls to hit them rather hard. Our time at the playground was no different, as games of tag often resulted in rather rough "tags".

Our performance at Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church had a smaller turnout than expected, but those who did arrive gave generously. At one point I heard laughter from the second floor which I thought was coming from one of the kids, wandering where they shouldn't be. I went upstairs to retrieve them, only to discover that a separate event was happening on the second floor, and that the laughter was coming from an attendee of said event. Needless to say, I felt foolish.

The next day was a real treat for us all, as we went to the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg. The kids and adults all had a blast seeing the animals, especially the polar bears as we arrived at just the right time. Two of the polar bears were wrestling in the water when we approached, and continued to do so for several minutes. Other highlights included tigers, seals, lemurs, and my personal favorite, gibbons, who always make me chuckle due to their disproportionate long arms.

We then spent the night at a Canad Inns hotel, where the children were eager to use the pool and waterslide. I was particularly exhausted and needed to work on the blog, so I sat out. From what I've been told, the kids were a handful and greatly enjoyed their swim. The next morning saw the kids enjoy the free breakfast, which included a very funny moment. Vinnah spotted the chocolate chip pancakes on the menu and became very excited. He told us that he wanted to try the fish pancakes, as he believed the chocolate chips were fish eggs.

Once we were done our breakfast, we went to Nassau Street Church in Winnipeg, where we would do an abridged version of our performance for the Sunday service. The congregation was greatly appreciative and gave the kids lots of applause. They were heavily moved by Sreytop's testimony and made large donations to us after the service. We were so appreciative of their kindness that we gave them a song for a farewell, something we normally do the morning after a full performance.

After the performance at Nassau, we drove out to Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, SK. The staff generously let us use their empty dorms to stay at, which led to lots of shenanigans that night. I must have chased the kids around the dorm at least ten times over, threatening them with "The Claw", the devastating wrestling hold that was inflicted on me when I was younger. The kids each slept two to a room, which meant us chaperones had to make sure they were actually in bed. You can guess how that went.

The next day was one of our few days off. No dances, just relaxation and games at the dorm. We went swimming at the Moose Jaw leisure center for the afternoon, where I finally got to swim with the kids. The leisure center had a unique rule in place, where in order to use the diving board and swim in the deep end, you had to swim one full lap (two half-laps to the rope divider) without stopping or touching the floor. Not all the kids could manage this, which led to some humorous moments where the kids insisted they completed the task when they obviously did not. Thankfully there were other things to do at the pool, so nobody was heartbroken over not getting to use the diving board.

Once we returned back to the dorm, Sarah led a devotional in the meeting room. It was really cool watching the kids listen intently to her and Tong. It gave me a glimpse into what life at Rescue must be like. As the day winded down I let the boys play on my Switch 2, which continues to make me laugh, as they greatly enjoy Mario Kart despite not fully grasping the game (driving off cliffs continues to get laughs).

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Now for something more sobering. Most of those associated with Rescue Cambodia are familiar with the book below, and most Canadians will know the man who edited it.

Robert Munsch is a masterful children's author, whose works have been widely read by children and their parents. As some of you may have heard, Munsch recently revealed that he was approved for physician assisted suicide due to a 2021 dementia diagnosis. This does not mean he is going through with the procedure, just that he is approved for it.

The reason I bring this up is because Munsch provided a massive favor for Rescue Cambodia. When Marie Ens was writing her first children's book, My Forever Home, Munsch was reached out to and asked if he could give feedback on the rough draft. Munsch did so for free, simply out of kindness. His notes were essential for the final version of the story. He then let his name be added to the book cover for no charge or royalties. He has even agreed to sign copies of the book for promotional purposes, again for no charge. He did not need to do any of this. He had every right to refuse.

I do not want to speculate what Munsch's faith/spirituality is like, nor do I want to wade into the ethics of physician assisted suicide. All I know is that Robert Munsch has shown great generosity to Rescue Cambodia, that his name association continues to benefit us, and that he is now experiencing a time of great pain in his life. I request that we all keep Robert Munsch in our prayers, lest we forget the great kindness he did for Rescue, or the great stories he told us all.

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I'll try to get the next blog out faster. Yes, I know that I've said that before. This time I mean it (I think).