Moving

This is Paul & I moving to the Ottawa Valley, Golden Lake to be specific, to live with our son Josh and his wonderful wife Becky. We are in Sudbury tonight and will be making it to Josh's tomorrow.
This move has come after many long hours of tears, prayers, and counsel. It is our desire to walk an authentic spiritual life and God has been doing a great work in our marriage. So we are following what we have come to believe is God's will for us.
The path to this place has been through some very dark days of emotional and spiritual turmoil. Our church in Melfort was very supportive and kind, even though they couldn't understand what was happening they allowed us to leave with their blessing. We regret all of the hurt we have caused anyone due to this life changing decision we have made. We do pray daily that God will bring His best from these events and that Satan will be hindered in his efforts to destroy.
Today, I was driving (for the first time) the rig you see in the photo above. We were just starting into Lake Superior Provincial Park which runs along the shores of the largest body of water in Canada. It started snowing, and accumulating on the road. The other factor was that I was negotiating some really long steep hills that included in sharp curve with a 50 ft drop to the water on one side. I told Paul, "I wish you were driving." and then, "Oh well we will just pretend that God is driving." So I called out loud to the Lord, "Could you help me here?"
Then the phone rang, (NO, it wasn't God calling!) but since we were in the park the call was dropped due to a weak signal. When I retrieved the message it was from Burkina Faso!! Pastor Michel had called to say that he was praying for me! How I needed his prayers right at that moment!
Isn't God amazing! He not only heard my prayer for help driving but He let me know He was looking after all the details of getting someone to pray for me....someone who doesn't even really know what snow is, and for sure has never driven in it! It was 41+ degrees when we were there three weeks ago.
Thank you Lord, I know you will look after all the details of our life on the uncertain road ahead.
ps I know I promised more Africa photos but the cds are packed in the UHaul...later ok?
pss I did an interview with CBC Regina today at 6:40 am. Another opportunity!

There and Back Again

Our Burkina Team at the Boa-boa (pronounced bowbow) tree.
First snow welcomes us home! Looking out our balcony door.

I probably shouldn't "borrow" this title because you might think you have before you a piece that is as well written as Tolkien could write...not at all. I simply want to say that we have been to Africa and are back again.

Upon arriving in Burkina Faso the gracious welcome began with a visit to the VIP lounge at the airport while our documents were expedited through customs in the hands of a police officer assigned to us. Pastor Michel met us and led us out into the night where over 100 children from the village formed two double rows and marched in unison along with a brass band playing "Onward Christian Soldiers", cheerleaders leading the way we walked down the streets of Ouagadougou in a parade fashion! What an overwhelming welcome we had. During our stay in Africa we were introduced to many political officials. The first was the King of Burkina Faso. His role is one of tradition and formality but his genuine concern for his people was evident.

He was very grateful and sincere. I felt very privileged to be able to present the necklace I wore on the walk to him with my prayers for his country. He accepted both the soccer ball our whole team had signed and the necklace with grace.

We also were granted audience with the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso. This man is one of the men who will make changes happen in that country. He is a committed Christian man who sees the needs of his country as those of the heart. While we met with him we prayed together for the country and for his leadership. What a blessing to meet this man and to be congratulated by him personally.

We also met the Minister of Territories and the Governor. Both of these men were very kind and grateful for the walk and the work that Pastor Michel is doing there in Burkina for the children.

Paul & I worked at breaking the ground for the new highschool. The school needs to be ready for next year as the first grade 6 class is going to write their government exams at the end of this school year. Their teacher has set the goal for 100% of the class to achieve 100% on their exams. He brought the class back a month early to get a head start on studying. Our sponsored child is in grade 6 and seems to be doing very well. What a blessing to have watched him grow from a little fellow to the young man he is now.

I will post more photos and write more soon.

On the way to Africa

Hello my friends and neighbours! Paul and I are getting set to leave for Africa on October 31. We will be working at the Village of Hope and will be symbolically presenting the proceeds from the walk to the children at the village. It promises to be a great time of closure for me. Although large sums of money continues to come in as recently as today someone dropped off a cheque at Careforce office for $3000.00!!!! Thank you my friends!
What is it like to be home?
Thats a question alot of people ask me and I don't think I do very well at answering the question. I loved walking and I felt very much at home the whole time-except for the fact that my dear husband was too far away. Coming home just seems to be natural and easy. I do miss Diane now and again.
Do you still walk?
I haven't been walking because of this Bell's palsy - my neck and ear are very susceptible to the cold now and I want to be well to get to Africa.
What is Diane doing?
She has a great opportunity to drive truck with her husband in the north for a couple of months. So she is trying to get everything ready to LEAVE again! I am so happy for her and Carmen.
What do you miss the most?
I miss being outside all day, everyday. I have been trying to think of a job that would keep me outside...not coming up with much. I miss meeting new people everyday. I miss sleeping beside trucks, grain bins, walmarts, train tracks (:) and streams. I miss morning prayer with Diane.
How did the walk affect you?
I can't mention all the ways that I was touched by the walk. But Ido know this, God intended the walk to do more than raise funds to build a school in Africa. He is ever pursuing my heart, ever molding my will, ever guiding my purposes. I am changed and in some ways that I don't even realize.
What is next?
We have no plans for more adventure yet...one thing is FOR SURE it will be with Paul along next time. We have played with the idea of walking from the Arctic ocean to the Pacific and then across to the Atlantic. One couple did it in 8 months and they are older than we are.
So, I will write again when we get back from Burkina Faso. God bless you til then.

Now for something completely new!

I woke up on Sunday with some strange pain in my neck (no, I don't mean Paul). The pain was also in my ear and was accompanied by dizziness and spasms of sharp pain. On Wednesday I went to our Dr. who thought I might have been grinding my teeth while sleeping. He told me to stop chewing. But by Friday morning my right side of my face had started to become paralyzed and my outer ear was swollen. We were visiting Amie at Caronport so we went into Moose Jaw to a walk in clinic. The Dr. there diagnosed it as Bell's Palsy. This is a result of trauma to the 7th nerve in your brain. The trauma was caused by a viral infection in the ear. The swelling debilitates the nerve and you loose control of your face muscles. Today the paralysis is worse than yesterday and my loving daughter and husband can't stop the peels of laughter at the faces I accidently make while trying to sip tea from a cup or even laugh. The photo below is one of me laughing at them laughing at me. Now that I know it is just Bells Palsy I am not afraid and can enjoy this funny time too. One web site we looked at says that about 1 in 5000 people get it. Funny enough, my father-in-law had it about 20 years ago! Maybe it runs in the family but it skips a blood line every 20 years. I should have my face muscles back under control within a month just in time to smile at the kids in Africa without making them run screeming, "What is that thing!"

Bell's Palsy makes my smile one sided.

So I wanted to tell you about coming home. The thought of walking into Melfort, was packed with the emotion of 1. completing a long term goal, 2. living with Paul again, 3. beginning a change of lifestyle (no longer living with Diane in the RV moving along the road everyday), 4. being welcomed home by friends and the celebration that ensued. When I spoke at Calvary Church in Saskatoon the Sunday before arriving home a little missionary lady, Flo Salaway (she and her husband Owen worked with NCEM in Prince Albert) told me, "dont worry honey, Jesus will be with you." She was so right. I was just blessed by all of the love and encouragement not overwhelmed. The job was done, Diane and I had kept the goal of getting home as the focus and let everything else fade into the background. We had done what God had asked us to do.

I believe we are at $133,000! Donations on the last day amounted to $17,000.00!!! Thank you Lord.

Wanna see where we live? This is one of the streets Paul and I walk on in the mornings.

And this is the Melfort Post Office.
And this is the door to our new place. It is apartment D - handy that our name starts with D too eh? And that is my bike that I love to ride around Melfort. We are happy to be together and I thank God for His great work in our lives.
Sorry it took me so long to blog. I am still trying to give away and pear down the stuff that clutters the little place. But living there feels so right.
Paul just bought me a new book that we started reading together on the way down to Amie's. The byline of the title is: Moving from Affluence to Generosity. I am looking forward to getting into this book as this is what I have been thinking about and Paul & I are working toward in our life. This book is an updated book first published 10 years ago.
Rich Christians in an age of Hunger, follow this link to more info about this book.What is God talking to you about these days? Ask and listen, its an exciting journey. Thanks for being my friend on this journey. denise

Some pics from the last seven kms and celebration

The Melfort Journal gave the Simple Steps Walk front page coverage. You can read the article on their website, "DeGraaf Welcomed Home from Simple Steps Walk."

Thank you to Cindy Neilsen for taking photos. Here is a brief overview of the day.

I will write more but for now...

I will write more about getting home tomorrow - hopefully - I still haven't even taken my things out of the RV! But tonight just before I go to bed I want to share my heart with you.
I want to tell you something I am thinking about right now, that I have been thinking about all day…not that I can tell you everything…but I can tell you that our God is so incredibly amazing (words are so pitiful) that He can take what was completely broken, ruined, shattered and like He has turned back the hands of time, repair it!!! Today, I have seen this in my own life. It is true – NOTHING is past his healing, NO ONE one is past his touch. He is the God who is called, “Create Anew.” This God is our God forever and ever.
Sleep peacefully in His arms of love and forgiveness. For He has said, "There is nothing you can do that will change how I feel about you." THAT IS WORTH LIVING FOR my friend.

7 km more to finish

This road is now acting as a breakwater. I guess the drought is over. Thank you Lord.
Can you see the two grain terminals in the background - thats Melfort! Almost there.

Friends join us from Burlington, Ontario and walk the last couple of kms yesterday.

Approaching the end of the second last day! Sleeping at home tonight.

Today we walked to the junction of Hwy #41 and #41A. That's where we will start tomorrow. People are going to join us for the last 7 kms and we will end at a park where we will have entertainment, a program, a chance for us to say thank you and a celebration.

I am pretty disoriented tonight but I know that I will begin to find some balance as time goes by. My mental health plan includes writing thankyou notes to all who donated, spending time organizing our home, and then in November 1 we leave for Burkina Faso to visit the Village of Hope.

As we approached the last 2 kms today a strange woman approached me and wanted to give me a donation! She turned out to be the Director of Careforce International and I just mistook her for a strange person because she's from Ontario :) She had come for the celebration with 3 other of our friends. What a blessing to see them!!

All I could say was, "Look what the Lord has done!" I will try to write in a couple of days about my feelings etc - right now I am dizzy with the events of the day and tomorrow coming up.

Love you, denise

Denise on Bcast

Listen here to Denise speaking at the Briercrest Bible College chapel service on September 10th.

Bcast

Lot's of Help Covering Familiar Territory

Yesterday Denise and Diane (Paul writing again for Denise) started the day walking just west of Yellow Creek along Highway #41.

They were joined early in the day by Etta Taylor who walked all the way to Ethelton (approx. 25 kms). Here they are walking past the old McCloy Creek train bridge.

Diane had the joy of the company of a few passengers throughout the day. One of them was one her Sunday School students, Tyrelle Audette, who also walked over 6 kms.

As the day progressed the crowd increased to include Linette Audette and Brian Stevenson. Throughout the day many people from the community stopped to bring words of encouragement and give donations.We finished the day at the town of Ethelton, just 27 kms from Melfort. We could see the grain terminals to melfort on the horizon. Great job to everyone who joined the walk! In the evening we were treated to a warm meal and a visit from some of our friends from the community. Thank you to Brain & Linda Stevenson for their generous hospitality.

Three Days to the Completion of the Walk!

Here's where the day started. Walking North-east on Highway #41 into the rising sun.

Stacey Meyers joined Denise (Paul writing here again) for most of the day. She walked 21 kms with Denise. Great job Stacey!!! Wednesday was a busy day for visitors. Many friends from Melfort and region stopped to bring food, offer words of encouragement, pray and make donations. One group was from the town of Meskanaw. They brought hugs and left a generous donation for the Village of Hope.

I showed up around 5PM. It looks like I'm doing all the work here, but don't be deceived by appearances. Denise still has plenty of energy for the remaining 50 kms. We were treated to a warm meal at Denis & Victoria Borsa's home at the end of a long day of visiting and walking. Thank you to everyone who brought words of encouragement and acts of kindness to help make it through another day on the journey.

Only 4 more sleeps!!!

Yes we are only four sleeps away from Melfort! We have spent the whole summer (and parts of the spring and fall) walking across three provinces and here we are almost home.
People ask me what I have learned from this experience. I often speak about the surprise that people are not as cynical as I thought but there is something more important. . . I have learned that taking risks is worth the reward of walking with my Lord. Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and took the risk of a lifetime. He even realized the truth of the risk when he began to sink. But Peter is the only person who knows the experience of walking with Christ ON the water. Knowing Christ like you have never known him before is the reward of risk.
When I started thinking about the walk all of the risks were considered. And if I didn't think of one, someone else would be sure to let me know of a risk that I had overlooked. But the desire to help others and make a difference in people's lives motivated me to step out into risk.
Go ahead and take a risk.
This advert placed by Sir Ernest Shackelton sparked the interest of some 5000 people who responded with a desire to sign up for this expedition. "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success."
Are you considering a risky step? If you are following God's direction for your life you will NOT be disappointed! The rewards are worth the effort and risk. The best reward will be postponed until you stand before your Lord and you hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!"
Don't waste this vapour of life you have been given. I know you have thought about this too. So do what God is asking you to do. Don't keep your life all safe and secure and then in the end find out that it didn't matter.
Take a risk and lose your life for Christ. I promise you He will not disappoint or abandon you.
Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose."
I believe in you, you can do it! denise

On the HOME Stretch!!

On Monday, September 17 (Paul here writing for Denise) Denise and Diane started the final steps toward home on Highway #41. It was a cold, wet and windy day. However, the warmth of many Melfort friends stopping to visit brought comfort and encouragement to the day.

Denise started walking at Aberdeen just south-west of the Louis Dreyfus Inland Terminal.

These two large crosses are a familiar fixture on the road between Saskatoon and Melfort. We (Denise & Paul) took some time to walk up the hill and investigate. They stand as a constant reminder of the thousands of lives of unborn children that have been taken due to abortion. We knelt to pray at the foot of the cross to recommit our lives to God and His service.

At the completion of twenty-eight kilometers we reached the town of Alvena and then drove ahead to Wakaw to be treated to a warm supper at the Crossroads Restaurant (thank you Sandy). While we were eating a trucker walked in with a big smile on his face. Carmen and Diane stayed at the Kenilworth motel, while Denise and Paul returned to Alvena to stay in the Community Centre parking lot in the RV (thanks Alvena for your hospitality). We'll try to keep you posted each day of the progress on this final week.

Disasterous Flooding in Burkina Faso

Torential rain is causing disasterous flooding in Burkina Faso. Check out the following news stories:

Burkina Faso: Lots of Rain, Little Aid (irinnews.org)

Flooding Causes Misery in Several African Countires (cbc.ca)

Saskatoon!

This is Paul posting for Denise. Yesterday was a big day for Denise & Diane. They had two media interviews: CTV News just south of Saskatoon and CJWW just east of the city with our good friend Dan Bushman. Denise walked through Saskatoon and started east along Highway #5 and then north-east on Highway #41 towards Melfort.

Later in the day Denise had an interview with Heather Almas over the phone. Hadrian Manufacturing in Burlington, Ontario, held their annual golf tournament and Simple Steps Walk was the designated charity. The participants raised over $20,000!!!!! (I'm sure Denise will want to follow-up with her own slant on the story).

A weekend in Caronport

DONATION UPDATE!!! $89,600
With only two weeks to go I was able to spend Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday with our daughter and family in Caronport. It has been such a wonderful time with our grandchildren and sharing with Amie and Jon again. They have just moved to Caronport so that Jon could continue his studies at Briercrest. It was nice to see their new house and where they will spend the next year while at school. These are photos from the weekend previous that the kids came to visit me in Regina.
On Sunday it was my privilege to speak at Ashley & Lisa Taylor's church, Sunningdale Community Church in Moose Jaw. (You can see photos on Ashley's blog HERE) They were a warm and generous congregation. They had a special gift ready as well . . . the worship team sang the Brian Doerkson song, You Will Lead Us Lord (the song that the title "Simple Steps" came from) and had a slide presentation with photos of the walk. What a kind and generous gesture. Thanks Ashley and Lisa for all your support!
On Monday I spoke to the students in chapel at Briercrest and felt the Lord filling my mouth with His words. What a humbling experience to know that God is using you. Thanks to Cal McFarlane the chaplain here at Briercrest who invited me to join the students in chapel.
We were then spontaneously invited to speak to a Micro Economics class about the plight of Burkina Faso. Paul joined me for this presentation.
Well, tomorrow I hit the road again. Diane and I have agreed to meet at Davidson at 10 am. Five days of 30 kms to next weekend will take us to Aberdeen (north east of Saskatoon) and then the next weekend we will be home!
Thanks for hanging in there with us all this way! We will continue to blog when we get home as Paul & I will be taking a trip to the Village of Hope i.n Burkina Faso on November 2 - 16. We will put photos and stories from the trip here.

Our first Melfort sign

Leaving Regina we saw our FIRST sign for Melfort. It was really a milestone for me.
I walked by these "diggers" as my grandson would call them and thought I would take a photo for him.
This is a photo of a land formation called a coulee.
The restaurant is closing so I can't write any more! Home soon.

The Prince Albert Daily Herald: article about Simple Steps

The Prince Albert Daily Herald: News Walking for children

photos from this week

A morning photo of the moon that didn't want to go to bed for the day.

A very friendly and generous town, Broadview was indeed a pleasure to visit. While returning some recycling this man came over and offered us some water! He and his wife run this water bottling company and they invited us in to see their operation and gave us water. Thanks!
We were blessed with many kindnesses and donations here. The town also runs a FREE camp ground where there is plugins and water at each site.


In the town of Wolseley they had this cool suspended foot bridge. Another generous little town! When we stopped for some propane the owner refused to take any payment and then later we stayed the night (Thurs Aug 30)at a restaurant, Al Kevino's, and they even let us plug in! Thank you Wolseley!!!

In the morning photo above these two combines were waiting to start their day of work and looked so impatient I tried to quell their anxiousness by suggesting I take their photo. (whew)
In the south here the harvest looks like it is nearly done. Not sure what is happening at home in Melfort.

Can you see Regina downtown off on the horizon?

We have really made it to Regina today (Mon Sept 3) and Diane was away for the day. Paul was driving and when we hit the city proper we left the RV at a Husky truck stop and just walked together to our day's end destination which was the intersection of Albert and Victoria Streets.
Diane later picked us up when we were done for the day.

There is some beautiful achitecture downtown Regina. I am standing on the steps of Knox United Church (I believe that was its name).

Another downtown Regina photo. The building behind was originally the Land Titles Office. Thanks Paul for the great couple of days. I admire and respect you more everyday. Thank you for your friendship and committment that is not changed by circumstances.