NorthWind Family Ministries
138 May Street S. P7E 1B3 Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

Shay has been with us for less than a year but has worked her way deep into our hearts. She is extremely thoughtful and very positive and encouraging, besides also being very competent in her work. She is very sensitive to the working of God and the claim he has on her life. We admire how she and her husband, Dave, demonstrate this through the role of foster parenting. Add to this a fun-loving personality that doesn’t put on airs and we have another stellar member of the Nort...hWind team. Fun Facts: Grew up in Winnipeg, MB where 7-Eleven sells more Slurpees than any other place in the world How does she spend her free time? Her time is usually spent with her family (husband, daughter, son and 95 lb. beast of a dog) usually out adventuring to find a lake to swim in or a new trail to hike. Evenings are paired very well with a warm cup of tea and friends. What values drive her? Honesty, Integrity and respect What is she never seen without? A bunch of random fruit in her bag/purse along with her prescription sunglasses Favourite cartoon character? Fancy Nancy (she has a 7-year old at home)

Epic! Something NorthWind has excelled at is pivoting to respond to the many challenges that have presented themselves over the years. 2020 was epic! As we minister to the whole person, a need that presented itself was the desire of individuals to learn to use limited resources to cook nutritious meals that people really want to eat. How to do this in a pandemic? On-line of course. So we did. Then, when it became possible, we also offered in-person classes, which were enormously appreciated. We want to acknowledge Thunder Bay Community Foundation and Second Harvest Food Rescue for their support in this endeavour.

We are sad to say goodbye to Ivory, one of our Canada Summer Jobs staff, who came to us as a music student at Lakehead University. Heather, her supervisor, says she is ready to try anything and is fantastic with children, so she quite naturally jumped in, whether it was the Family Strengthening program, Complex Outreach, or the Gathering. She also helped prepare activities for the families we serve, including the music sheets she prepared to go with the Boom Whackers we’ll be... using with families. We wish you well, Ivory. Don’t forget about us! Fun facts about Ivory: The harder she has to think, the faster she blinks - and there’s a lot of blinking going on when other staff, like Heather, are up to their antics. She’s from Oshawa, home of the Parkwood estate, formerly the residence of the founder of General Motors of Canada, Samuel McLaughlin. Favourite books: The Barcode Tattoo, Watership Down, To Kill a Mockingbird Favourite quote: Children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate. ~Laura Bogner Values that drive her: Compassion, kindness, hard work, dedication Tim’s or Starbucks? Starbucks (Sorry Tim’s fans) Best piece of advice she's been given: When things are going badly, look for the good, no matter how little it may be.

This is the result of the Christmas snowfall we have been posting about.

Corianna, Cori to us, is from Thunder Bay, the sunniest city in Eastern Canada. A colleague described her as sweet, caring and very perceptive, but she is also compassionate and courageous. Today Kyla, the program Lead, is away so Cori stepped up and is running Cooking for Life on her own. This fits right in with the culinary management program she is in at Confederation College. We are enormously grateful that the Canada Summer Jobs program made it possible to have her on ...the team as we help people learn to cook healthy, economical meals that families actually love to eat. Winning! Fun Facts: Book she is reading: Radical by David Platt Favourite Quote: When I consider the cross of Christ, how can anything I do be called sacrifice? Amy Carmichael What she is passionate about: Cooking, Building deeper relationships with our Creator and with each other Tim’s or Starbucks: Tim’s but her favourite snack is a Chai latte with chocolate espresso cookie from the The Habit Coffee & Bakeshop Her bucket list includes travelling Europe with a backpack Sports: Plays hockey with her brothers

Privileged to be featured in Acts of Grace Foundation's #CharitySpotlight. They have been a valued partner in our ministry and their support will pay dividends for many years to come.

If you aren't from Thunder Bay, you might not know this, but the pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow is actually our building at NorthWind. It's true! Here is proof! Not fake news! If you've been there you might recognize it. Sometimes it seems God gives us reminders that we are in the right place, doing the right thing. Pictures by Cori and Kyla.

Woohoo!!! Inaugural drive! Bera and Bonita were able to break in the new road as the snow was falling this week. A little work to do next spring but for now, the road is done and usable. The propane truck drivers will be very relieved. We are thankful again for the family that made this reconstruction possible and that we had more than enough gravel on the property to complete the work without buying any.Wo

It was too much for the snow plow. The plowman had to start with his backhoe but Bera and Bonita did eventually make it home for Christmas day. In Bera's words, " We shall never forget this Christmas". Will have more pictures shortly.

Justin is a man of many talents, some of which we use in his role as Facility Manager. He recognizes the importance of making the many ministries of NorthWind run more smoothly and he helps us to be good stewards of the spaces God has entrusted to this work. We have been so grateful for him because his job requires an all-purpose sort of person and Justin has been exactly that - and he does it all with a heart of grace and passion. Fun facts: Where he is from: Chihuahua, Me...xico What he is passionate about: Social justice, simple living, good music and good coffee Starbucks or Tim’s: Starbucks taste on a Tim’s budget Something on his bucket list: Walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Messy or organized: Periodically organized (Great answer, Justin! )

Many years ago, when Henry and John Hiebert were still with us, they discovered the gravel pit on the property. That pit supplied all the stone for the staff house construction, the implement shed and now the new road. Approximately 70 loads went into this road. It is estimated that the pit saved us $20,000 to $30,000 dollars on this project alone. It's remarkable how the service of two faithful men is still giving in such substantial ways. It reminds us of their huge stature... as notable servants of God and challenges each of us to serve well each day. We may never know how much God will multiply our work in ways we haven't even imagined. You may or may not have thousands of dollars to donate and you may never discover a gravel pit, but God has a purpose for the abilities he has given you. Use them, plant the seed, and the fruit will grow. You too can change lives through the Spirit of God within you. "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

We're cutting a new road at The Cove! If you have been there, you may know how difficult it is to get a propane truck in and out in the winter. Not only that, part of the road was on a neighbour's property. While cutting the new road, we discovered some structures from when this was a children's camp long before NorthWind arrived.

Our own gravel pit! Recently we posted about a new road being cut into The Cove to provide better winter access and take our road off the neighbour’s property. We are fortunate that when God blessed us with Eagle’s Cove, it came with its own gravel pit that is supplying all the stone for finishing the road. We’re getting it done just as snow season starts.

Yesterday you met Shannon who works in the complexes but today you meet Anna, another Canada Summer Jobs star, who gives the leadership in this ministry. Over the course of the year, Anna has won all our hearts with her genuine love for people and her desire to serve. She is passionate about her faith, which motivates the love she has for the kids she so freely gives herself to. She blesses them and our whole team. Fun facts: Hometown: Kaministiquia, Ontario (What a cool plac...e to be from. Only the people who live there know how to spell it!) Its name means, Mouth of the River. Favourite expression: That’s cool; Exactly Hobbies: Hiking, baking, kayaking Book she is reading: A Long and Terrible Shadow: White Values, Native Rights in the Americas, by Thomas Berger A place she hopes to travel some day: Greece

Shannon is one of our Summer Stars, hired through the Canada Summer Jobs program. She is passionate about working with children and hopes to apply the nursing degree she is working on at Lakehead University, to explore this passion further. Shannon works in the low-income housing complexes providing high-energy Play-days. Her meaningful faith is what drives her desire to share love in these discouraging days of COVID-19. Fun Facts: Her hometown: Thunder Bay. It produces more ...professional hockey players per capita than any other city in the world. Best advice she has been given: Keep persevering through the difficult times because I’m a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. Hobbies: Softball, most outdoor recreational activity (fishing, hunting, kayaking, hiking, snow shoeing, camping), and baking / cooking. (This girl is a doer!) Favourite books: The Narnia Series. See more