Prince Edward Island—Where’s That?
October 15, 2008
By the time you read this Marlene and I will be on our way to Prince Edward Island.
Okay, let’s stop right there and try to remember our 5th-grade geography. I say that because every time I’ve mentioned Prince Edward Island recently, I’ve gotten exactly the same response, a vague look that says, “I know I’ve heard of it, but I can’t quite place it.” I’m happy to report that Prince Edward Island is a province in eastern Canada located north and east of Maine. It’s part of “Atlantic Canada” and is one of the Maritime provinces, along with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Many people know Prince Edward Island (or PEI as it is often called) as the setting for the Anne of Green Gables books.
After a little research, I discovered the following facts:
PEI is the smallest Canadian province.
It is named after Queen Victoria’s father.
The provincial flower is the Lady’s Slipper.
Its motto seems fitting: “The small under the protection of the great."
About 75 percent of the people are of Scottish or Irish origin.
PEI grows 30 percent of Canada’s potatoes.
Fishing is obviously a very big industry.
Ditto for agriculture and tourism.
Here’s a recipe for PEI Mussels on the Half Shell.
People come from all over the world to visit the places made famous in the Anne of Green Gables books.
Check out this PEI photo gallery.
Charlottetown (the capital city) is called the “birthplace of Canada” because leaders met there in 1864 to discuss the formation of the country.
During our visit to New Brunswick Bible Institute last year, I met Stephen Bray, the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Charlottetown. We were glad to accept his invitation to speak at the Fall Bible Conference that begins this Thursday night and runs through Sunday night.
This is our first-ever trip to Prince Edward Island, and we’re excited about ministering at Grace Baptist Church, making new friends, visiting the land of Anne of Green Gables, and seeing what God has in store.