Canada: The Maple Leaves

By: Guadalupe Muñoa Ocampo

After 36 years away, Canada made it to the World Cup for a second time! They unfortunately lost all three of their group stage matches during their first appearance in Mexico 1986, but they arrived in Qatar hoping history would change; this year, they qualified as the best team in CONCACAF, pleasantly surprising fans by beating the league’s finest: Mexico and the United States. They fought for their spot in Qatar, where they shared Group F with Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco. Although it proved too difficult to advance to the next round, 22-year-old Alphonso Davies, currently one of the most valuable defenders in international soccer, gives them much hope for the future.

Boasting many ancient cultural components that are still alive today, Canada is the second most ethnically diverse and multicultural country in the world. It’s home to 200 First Nation peoples and communities, each with their own language, tradition, and culture. Their indigenous population has a strong connection to nature, as they still practice hunting and fishing routinely and only use technology when necessary.

Canada’s official languages are English and French. Foods like maple syrup, tourtiere, and poutine make up their daily menu. Clothing-wise, the red Mounted Police are a typical image often associated with the nation. Canadian literature is indispensable, as authors often touch on tough topics like failure, futility, and self-deprecation and regularly portray nature itself as the protagonist.

Canada currently has the sixth-largest music industry in the world, with popular festivals like Canada Day, New Shoes, and the Calgary Stampede — known as the greatest outdoor show on Earth. You can visit the Museum of Victory, which has a fabulous collection of artifacts from Aboriginal peoples, or you can take walking tours of local communities. Ice hockey and lacrosse are favorites in Canadian sport realms. The country also boats of a beautiful variety of natural landscapes, mountains, lakes, forests, plains, valleys, and tundra.

Christianity (including Roman Catholics, Protestants, etc.) is the largest faith at the moment, occupying 53% of the population. Another 35% identify themselves as atheists, agnostics, or simply non-believers — and this number is growing.

Let’s pray that Christians will continue to reach the hearts of those who do not yet know about Jesus and that the Evangelical Church will continue to grow in the nation. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of believers to find creative ways to serve their neighbors and show them the love of the one, true God.