Dear Parents,

As we prepare for our Terry Fox walk as a school tomorrow, we took some time this morning to reflect on why we chose to participate in this event. Part of this ties back to our character traits of Courage and Compassion. We explored the theme of “Courage to Care” and discussed how God is the one who equips us with the courage that we need to face difficult things.

We are instructed in so many different Bible passages not to fear, but to be filled with courage. Isaiah 41:10 tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We are reminded that our source of strength and courage is not found within us, but rather in God himself.

According to Terry Fox’s brother Fred, Terry was a Christian who, “accepted that he was put on this Earth for a higher purpose.” He also said that, “faith played a huge part in Terry’s life after being diagnosed with cancer and gave him strength before he passed away.” It is not surprising that he did not accomplish this in his own strength, but that God sustained him to continue to run despite the pain and suffering he went through. He persevered even in the face of opposition, including some who tried to run him off the road or yelled unkind things. He set out with a purpose that God placed in his heart and ran with courage, resulting in greater blessings than he even expected.

Both our students and community can learn from his example, as we continue to face challenges daily. We also take time to remember some of the loved ones we know who are currently fighting cancer or have fought cancer in the past. As a community, we too will walk/run with purpose tomorrow, knowing that we represent many others and we hold on to the fact that our God still works miracles and gives us strength to persevere with courage through any obstacle.

Blessings,
J-D Lussier, Principal