Hope at Thanksgiving

Messages of hope and peace have touched the Shawnigan community in advance of the Thanksgiving season.

On Tuesday morning, English teacher and rugby coach Ander Monro inspired the student body with an engaging reflection on his rugby career.  Mr. Monro recalled a Haka he and his brothers performed at a family gathering in his childhood.  "It was passionate, honest, and huge fun," he said.  "But as we were performing the Haka, I would never have predicted that 20 years later, at a Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, I would be standing on the rugby field, 20 metres from the All-Blacks, facing the real thing."

At the heart of his presentation, Monro was urging students to pursue their dreams.  He touched on his mother's unflinching support and also quoted lyrics from an ABBA song she had always played in the car.  "I have a dream, a song to sing.  To help me cope with anything.  If you can see the wonder of a fairy tale, You can take the future even if you fail … When I know the time is right for me.  I'll cross the stream.  I have a dream."

 

Picking up from Mr. Monro, the Reverend Holland asked students to join him in prayer and reflection for those affected by the Monday's violent shooting in Las Vegas.  "We pray for peace: peace in the world, peace in our nation, peace in our community and peace in our lives.  Let peace begin with us."

Reverend Holland also invited students to bring condiments to Thursday's Chapel service.  These specific donations have been requested by the local food bank and will be sent as the Shawnigan community sits down together for a Thanksgiving dinner before the long weekend begins.