Oh, Canada.

Canada: land of poutine and genuinely kind people.

We have encountered countless moments of sincere hospitality on this trip, but it hasn't been as deep or saturated as it has been here in the Great Maple state, as my mom likes to call it. For the last two days we have been in Yorkton, Saskatchewan spending time at the home of a young couple. They have welcomed us openly into their home, fed us yummy stews and soups, and let us raid their candy stash. They actually didn't even spend the night here as they were helping out some friends and babysitting their kids overnight while they went out of town on escape. They left us with the instructions : "eat whatever you want, do whatever you want." They are beautiful people.

They have brought wonderful conversation to the table along with the food and have told us "thank you" over and over again. This is where I get confused. Why are they thanking us? They have gone out of their way to host us and invite us. They are doing US the favor, not the other way around. We are intruding in on their lives to bring them a story that we believe is true and necessary of which I feel very strongly about. This is our call to action, yet they thank us for coming, time and time again.

It feels weird every single time to be thanked.

It truly is our pleasure.

Plus, we get to see things like this time and time again. We really should be thanking you.

Goodbye, St. Louis. Hello, Iowa.

St. Louis has treated us well, or I guess me in particular. Since last Thursday, this has been my leg of tour and goes through our stop on South Dakota on Saturday. It has been such a joyful time, meeting the contacts I have been working with over the phone and getting to know their schools and friends.

Back in San Diego, they told us that we would form a sense of protection and attachment over our new friends and they are so right. I have come to the point of stress in that I want their screenings to go perfectly for them and I want them to feel gratitude and immense appreciation from us. I want to spend every waking moment with them, getting to know their ins and outs, since I may never see them again.

It's a weird paradox. I hate that I have to move on and go to the next state, but if I don't then my other precious soon-to-be-friends won't get the attention they so deserve. I love spending quality time with my friends and it's frustrating having to leave so soon!

But, like I said, this time in St. Louis has been amazing. It may be a city I return to some day. It's big and expansive, but the people are Southern and hospitable, just like what I know.