Friday, November 27, 2009
RJC Weekly News Episode 7
The CPT 30 class presents their latest news offering. See the Art Class Feature and Grey Cup news.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
RJC Weekly News 5 - Mennonite World Conference
The CPT 30 class released their 5th installment of the RJC Weekly News. This time they interviewed Bishop Danisa Ndlovu from Zimbabwe. Bishop Ndlovu is the President of the Mennonite World Conference, and had been in Chapel that morning addressing the RJC students.
Deeper Life Days - Food for thought!
This year's Deeper Life Days theme was"Food for Thought". On Nov. 4th and 5th the student body explored issues surrounding hunger, food security, fair trade, locally produced food and the effects of our food choices on the environment.
Guest speakers on the first morning included Louella Friesen, a resident farmer who recently launched a Christmas CD with proceeds going to the MCC "Food for All" program, and Claire Ewert-Fischer, the Executive Director of MCC Sask. They shared about their connection with food (Louella as a farmer and director of Innovative Farm Families and Claire as a MCCer concerned with development and relief work throughout the world) and encouraged us all to make a difference by committing to actions that will help the world share the food we have.
Louella sings a number from her new CD.
For lunch the students were separated into five groups representing the top 20% to the bottom 20% of people in the world according to wealth. The top group was able to eat a normal RJC lunch, which happened to be tacos for that day. They had unlimited access to seconds, or thirds and could drink as much as they wanted, water or juice. They had fruit and dessert tacos, yum! The next group was given enough food (rice, beans, cheese and taco beef) to live on and not be hungry and access to as much water as they wanted. The third group was limited to a serving of rice beans and cheese (no meat) and was only given one glass of water. The next group was given only rice and beans and a half cup of water. The final group ate only rice and did not have access to water. This exercise helped the students understand what it would be like to not be able to have access to food and water, and to see how unfair that is, and appreciate what we normally take for granted.
Lyle Graham was disappointed with his portion, but played along.
The staff hammed it up on Thursday morning with a skit that demonstrated the tensions between some of our values and healthy food choices.
The Deeper Life Days Band lead in music featuring songs such as "Hungry".
Guest speakers on the first morning included Louella Friesen, a resident farmer who recently launched a Christmas CD with proceeds going to the MCC "Food for All" program, and Claire Ewert-Fischer, the Executive Director of MCC Sask. They shared about their connection with food (Louella as a farmer and director of Innovative Farm Families and Claire as a MCCer concerned with development and relief work throughout the world) and encouraged us all to make a difference by committing to actions that will help the world share the food we have.
Claire addresses the student body.
Louella sings a number from her new CD.
In the Afternoon Wilf Buhler shared about his experiences throughout the world with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Much of the grain donated comes right from our area!
For lunch the students were separated into five groups representing the top 20% to the bottom 20% of people in the world according to wealth. The top group was able to eat a normal RJC lunch, which happened to be tacos for that day. They had unlimited access to seconds, or thirds and could drink as much as they wanted, water or juice. They had fruit and dessert tacos, yum! The next group was given enough food (rice, beans, cheese and taco beef) to live on and not be hungry and access to as much water as they wanted. The third group was limited to a serving of rice beans and cheese (no meat) and was only given one glass of water. The next group was given only rice and beans and a half cup of water. The final group ate only rice and did not have access to water. This exercise helped the students understand what it would be like to not be able to have access to food and water, and to see how unfair that is, and appreciate what we normally take for granted.
The 'rice only' group lacked food, but had spirit!
The 'top group' bellied up!
The Faith and Life Committee served the meals.
Lyle Graham was disappointed with his portion, but played along.
The Faith and Life Committee spent a lot of time on their backdrop for Deeper Life Days. Well done girls!
Part of Deeper Life Days included a student lead journey through the "10 Myths of Hunger" which dispelled commonly held myths about hunger like "there is not enough food to feed the world". Suzanne Luitjens reads one of the "Ten Myths of Hunger"
In the afternoon Melanie Boldt of Pine View Farms in Osler shared about the importance and benefits of locally produced food. That evening some students visited her Souleio Restaurant in Saskatoon which features many of Pine View's products.
The staff hammed it up on Thursday morning with a skit that demonstrated the tensions between some of our values and healthy food choices. 
On Thursday we traveled to the Station Arts Theatre to listen to Dennis Helmuth, the operator of the Tea Room, talk about his 'slow food' philosophy. After he spoke we watched the docudrama 'Food Inc." which explores many issues as they relate to North America's, often unhealthy and unjust, food industry.
The Faith and Life Committee Reps, Allison Schmidt, Danika Epp, and Katie McLellan, relax after a busy Deeper Life Days schedule. You did a great job girls! Thanks for bringing this issue to the minds of the student body. Thank you for giving us all some "Food for Thought".
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