Wednesday 29 August 2007

Mon., Aug. 27, 2007St. George, New Brunswick

JoAnne Carney told Doug and I about local history. Samuel deChamplain and Sieur DeMont set sail in 1604, commisioned by the King of France, Henry IV, to develop the New World. They came to the Bay of Fundy and proceeded to the St. Croix River and selected an island. The harsh winter its toll. Out of 80 men, less than half survived. They didn't trust the natives and could not leave the island as the river around them froze for the winter. Life was harsh.
Now four hundred years later, communities have developed. As I walked on Oak Haven Road near St. Stephen, I met some young kids on their bikes.They stopped to ask what I was up to. I told them I'm a monk walking from St. Stephen to, to St. Andrew, to St. George to......"I am going to all the saints," I exlplained. I explained the difference between saints and satan since they asked. One girl asked if I knew Terry Fox so I responded to her that he had passed away about 25 years ago and that he's now in a new body. She was curious about that as well.
Some young teens at Oak Bay, where we took a swim and veggie wrap break, where also inquisitive. They happily recieved books by Srila Prabhupada.
Tom McLaughlin, of classic rock station WQDY in Calais, Maine, took a fancy to our walking story. He came through the border at St. Stephen to interview Doug and I. So a US media outlet came to hear our story to be broadcast tomorrow.
Another novel feature of today was meeting Neville Crabbe of the St. Croix Courier newspaper. It was his first day working at the paper and his first assignment was to interview the monk. He did a splendid job and I wish him well in his career.
37 kms

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