Grade 8 Mission Trip to Kyuquot with the BC Mission Boat Society

KYUQUOT, B.C. – After the pandemic put our hopes of a grade 8 mission trip in partnership with the BC Mission Boat Society (BCMBS) on hold last year, six students and two teachers from Hope Lutheran Christian School in Port Coquitlam, BC, were finally able to travel into the community of Kyuquot, BC on the northwest part of Vancouver Island, at the end of March 2022. 

We were so thankful that Rhonda and Julie from the BCMBS worked with the students prior to our departure to carry out the necessary training and planning. Although there were still many unknowns, they did their best to ensure we were prepared and felt more like a team. 

Our team noticed right away that the community was very welcoming and warm. We were greeted by a number of individuals as soon as our boat docked in Kyuqout and they were happy to help us haul everything off the boat and down the ramp to the pickup truck that had been brought to the dock for our use. Thankfully, God blessed us with a beautiful day! The drive to Fair Harbour where we got on a water taxi, as well as the boat ride to Kyuquot, provided us with the opportunity to enjoy some of the most beautiful and stunning views. God’s masterpiece, His creation, was on show wherever we looked. 

During our time in Kyuquot, the team helped to lead Kids’ Club four times, hosted a gym night, which included an impressive game of volleyball with many of the teens/young people from the community, a women’s craft night, and a family games night. 

We were reminded that our plans may not be God’s plans when we learned that there was going to be a funeral in the community on the second day of our trip. God used us to support the community (especially the kids) during this time and we were invited to join everyone at a community dinner the same day. We felt blessed and privileged to be asked to join the community of Kyuquot and felt like we belonged. 

The grade 8 students and adult team members took every opportunity to connect and build relationships with the kids, teens, and adults of the community, whether it was sitting and colouring with a child, playing with kids at the playground, joining an evening game with the teenagers, playing a game of Dutch Blitz with a couple of the ladies from the community, sitting in the home of an elder who told us about the history of the community and her family, or keeping the little ones occupied during ladies’ craft night. 

Throughout our time in Kyuquot, God showed us the importance of relationships and how impactful they can be when we slow down, are present in the moment, and allow the Holy Spirit to work and speak through us. For those of us who are often focused on time, schedules, tasks, and avoidance of failure, God opened our eyes to the importance of living in the event, focusing on people and relationships, and being open to trying things outside of our comfort zones. For some, this meant taking part in a puppet show, reading a Bible story aloud, praying aloud in front of others, or initiating a conversation with an individual. 

Through it all, we felt God’s presence. He kept us safe as we travelled (by car, ferry, and boat), was present and working in the hearts of the kids when we shared Bible stories in Kids’ Club, and as we connected with adults in the community through games and visits to their homes. 

We are so very thankful that God made it possible for us to go to Kyuquot. We were all impacted in powerful ways and treasure the connections we were able to make. Many of us hope and pray that God provides the opportunity for us to return to Kyuquot someday.

The team’s reflections about the connections they made with kids and teens in the community:

“I made a connection with a girl with Tawni who was shy and kind of scared of me at the beginning of the week. I tried talking with her more and when we were playing tag on the playground she opened up and we started high-fiving and playing together.” – Michael 

“The whole team made a connection with a grade 12 student named Ethan. When we came, he greeted us at the dock and offered us rides up to the school gym when we had lots to carry. We had conversations with him and he helped us a lot.” – Hanson 

“It was a really good experience and I made a personal connection with a boy named Rhiley. We talked about what being a Christian looked like. He’s been worried that he isn’t good enough to be a Christian. I had the chance to assure him that Christ died for us and we don’t have to be perfect to be accepted by Him.” – Reana

“I made a connection with a kid named Ben. He was very shy at first (he didn’t come to Kid’s Club the first day and only came the second day because his mom came with him) but over time he started to build up confidence and started to hang out with us more. We even played a soccer time and it was cool to see someone who was so passionate about the sport.” – Zach 

“I made a connection with Desmond (Dez), a Grade 11 student in Kyuquot. On my first day there was a lot of things I didn’t know and when I talked with Dez he answered a lot of my questions about their culture and how things work in their community.” – Aydan 

“I made a connection with Frankie, a six-year-old in the community. She was super kind and welcoming from the beginning, always asking for hugs and piggyback rides. She bonded really well with Reana and I and stayed with us as long as she could. On the last day, she gave us her bracelet to help us remember her.” – Denise

“Over the course of the week, I had the opportunity to connect with a female named Ocean Jules. She was a young adult who is currently practicing carpentry in the community of Kyuquot, building a log cabin on Spring Island. The reason I was drawn to Ocean is because of her experience in post-secondary athletics. We were able to chat about her career in basketball and how she can use her passions and skills to further develop her community. In a community with multiple youth, I am excited to see people who are willing and able to grow into leadership roles.” – Craig (teacher) 

Elena Nast, Middle School Vice-Principal at Hope Lutheran Christian School, Port Coquitlam, BC

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BC Mission Boat Society is a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada dedicated to sharing God’s love in remote communities along the BC Coast. Learn more at bcmissionboat.org/

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