Friday morning started out at 8:30 in a chill way. Unlike the previous morning, full of voice training and many runs of “Chocolate Cookie,” we decided to take it a bit easier on our voices, setting our sights toward Lake Erie. Arriving by the shore around 9:20, we had about 45 minutes to dip our feet in the water and walk around. After those 45 minutes had passed, we all headed back to the bus with sand in our shoes, the smell of dead fish in our noses, and some mediocre at best coffee in our hands (don’t think we didn’t have a good time, though, as Lake Erie was a party).
Canada had treated us all very well, and even though we never quite burst out in “O Canada,” we all have fond memories of the friendly people, amazing chocolate, and the beautiful countryside of the Ontario region we were in. All that said, it was time to leave and head back to our homeland of the good old USA. After Corey’s devotional on the bus, we neared the Canada-US border. It was an exciting experience to drive over the brand-new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which had opened only a week prior (July 27) and had been a 4.7 billion dollar project, as Albert had happily informed us! As the bus stopped at the border, nerves kicked in just a bit, but the friendly US border patrol quickly checked us through, and we were soon on our way again.
After crossing the border, we stopped in Detroit for some chow before heading to Goshen, IN. We arrived at Pleasant Grove Mennonite Church (live stream link) just a bit before 4 in the afternoon and had some quiet time to try to refocus after the bus ride, which contained more of Jamee’s caricatures and many rounds of Hearts. After warming up and eating a scrumptious supper of sandwiches, fruit, and chips, the 7:00 program time drew near. After singing our hearts out and definitely not messing up the words of “Nearer My God to Thee” in front of Daimon Hoover (who had come up with the arrangement we were singing), we went home with our hosts, preparing ourselves for an early morning of shooting music videos the next day…
– Written by Jonny Mullet