Rainy River's Jordan Beller returns from African adventure

Editor's Note: This is part one of a two part series.

By Jack Elliott
Correspondent

When he stepped through our front door, his face covered with wild red whiskers and a bushy mop of hair poking out from under a crumpled hat, 19 year old Jordan Beller looked like he was stepping out of history- a Boer trekker returned from the wild African veldt. In fact he was returning from Outtatown a two-semester program by the Canadian Mennonite University of Winnipeg that included a three-month sojourn in South Africa with a story relating experiences as exciting as anything told from a trip to South Africa from two centuries ago.
Beller of rural Dawson Township, familiar in the Rainy River area as one of the main characters in the Great Beaver Caper held during that communities 2004 Centennial celebrations, graduated high school this past year with an idea of what career path he wanted to pursue, but anxious to explore other opportunities before committing himself to a path.
“The Outtatown program at the CMU gave me that opportunity,” said Beller explaining its purpose was to expand the individual’s knowledge of ‘knowing God, knowing the world and knowing yourself’.
The two-semester program began last September with a three-week stint at the Bird River Bible Camp near Lac du Bonnet for Beller’s group of 30 classmates and four leaders. Activities included ‘service days’ where an ‘urban plunge’ focused on working at homeless shelters, helping the poor, praying with someone, or simply offering a hand up to someone down-trodden. Scavenger hunts across the city, solving riddles, and viewing ‘urban murals’ also expanded personal horizons.
Speakers and seminar leaders provided both challenges and opportunities to participants. One speaker John Unger particularly influenced Beller.

“We talked about and documented our personal heritage and history, our abilities, and how we can use our history to shape our future,” explained Beller passionately detailing the deep impact the session had on him.
Throughout the program structured, extensive physical activity played an important role with canoe trips, horseback riding, hiking, surfing, swimming, rock climbing, archery, paint ball, sky diving,and shark diving some of the various endeavors that were a first for many.

As the program progressed locations progressed from Lac du Bonnet, Canmore and Rocky Mountain House Alberta and the Vancouver area of B.C.
Many different cultures and social settings were experienced from the traditional native culture of the B.C. Coastal native communities to the desperation of the drug infested streets of East Vancouver opening many eyes to realities not experienced before.

“Seeing addicts ‘shooting up’ and drug deals ‘going down’ was really shocking,’ stated Beller obviously deeply moved.
“I knew very little about native life and was very impressed by their history and culture. Simply knowing the proper was to greet a person in a native culture was new to me,” he said.

When the first semester ended Dec 5, Beller was back to Rainy River to prepare for the next leg, South Africa. Departing Winnipeg, Jan 13 with a –49C wind chill, Beller stepped off the plane two days later to +30C in Johannesburg, S.A.

“The heat and humidity just enveloped you,” remembered Beller of his first impression.
The format of the second semester was similar to the first, but with more emphasis on exploring the diverse cultures. Soweto with its poverty and apartheid museums gave the group ample opportunity for ‘service days’ in crèches (day care centres) painting, looking after children, and teaching said Beller.

See Adventure in Africa part II next week!