How comittment to making a difference right where you are can look.

Our first stop was at our sweet friends, The Gampers. These smart, warm, salt of the earth folk live tucked away on a quiet lake off the beaten path in Huntsville Ontario.

Their vegetable garden is reminiscent of our own. Thick skin and a willingness for dirty hands is required to forage through weeds and find harvest offerings. Their children bring a warmth and flurry of activity to their home, a good match for our little tribe. Many nights as Victor and I lay our heads on our pillows, our conversation turns to the unrest in our souls. Feelings like we should take our skills and passions and move to a place where we could invest in and learn from the lives of those significantly less privileged than us press up against our dreams of starting a community right here at home that meets less visible needs, or wondering how we might do both, simultaneously. Our difficulty has not been a shortage of ideas, rather a lack of putting one foot in front of the other in a risky step of faith. Stopping at Andy and Anna's was a window for us into how you can use your talents in the exact time and space that you find yourself in, even if it's not exactly as you imagine it would be. On Monday we went through the staff entrance to their studio and cafe in downtown Huntsville. Living Wood Design is where Andy and Anna's commitment to sustainability and fostering community inspires all who walk through their doors.

Our children learned about eco-friendly and globally-conscious choices that individuals and businesses can make.

Living Wood Designs is where Andy crafts salvaged pieces of wood into beautiful live edge custom pieces of furniture.

It is also where Anna oversees a coffee shop and store which hosts a meaningful collection of books and works by local artists and ethically sourced clothing and jewelry from artisans around the globe. Single use coffee cups are completely bio-degradable and made from a plant based plastic. Straws are paper. Incentives are given for using a Mason jar for your drink.

Our children witnessed courage and hospitality first hand as Anna welcomed customers into their shop. Within a few sentences Anna has an uncanny ability to find common ground for conversation with complete strangers; a true gift which turns shoppers into friends. It was beautiful to watch her switch from English to French at the hint of a Parisian accent. These are big hearted people and artists who are making strides to live by their conviction to build community, spread love, and live in a way that cares for the earth and world. As we asses and refine our personal family vision and commitments, there was no better first stop we could have made in this pilgrimage.