Stories to Tell: Tiffany

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Tiffany. I am a sinner saved and sustained by the grace of God! I came from Hong Kong 6 years ago and I am going into the final year of my Master of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto. I work as a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer at the university. I love all that I’m doing and learning. I am very introverted but God has continued to strengthen me to do people-facing jobs and share my faith when chances arise. I am also passionate about digging deeper into Scripture and I am learning biblical Hebrew on my own. 

How are you seeking to live missionally in this season of your life? 

I find it more difficult to have these opportunities as a Master's student. I feel like people are more apathetic to matters related to faith. But I always pray for opportunities because God is still working. God answers prayers. This summer, I had some opportunities to talk about faith with a classmate, with a man in a shawarma shop, with a friend on a camping trip, and with a friend I met at a conference this summer. I visited my high school teacher’s grandma with their family and was really encouraged to see this 103-year-old grandma, never heard the gospel before, just captured by the gospel booklet and kept reading it. Finally, a few of us from church did a street interview experiment and connected with a few newcomers from Burma. We later had a hotpot with them and hope to continue to witness to them. What a joy to be able to join in God’s work in the world!

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you recently? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

I have a friend whom I journeyed with for 4 years who professed faith last summer. I was overjoyed when I witnessed that moment. Both of us knew fellowship and discipleship is the next step to take. Matthew 13 describes the parable of the sower. Today, this friend is like Matt 13:22 “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” We had a conversation about going to church earlier this year and this friend became hostile to my encouragement to attend church. I was hurt and disheartened. We are still very good friends but please pray for us! 

Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission

I went on my first mission trip with my church in April where we interacted with mostly Iranian refugees/immigrants. Shortly after coming back, I was placed in a primarily Iranian clinic for my first physiotherapy placement (we also see many refugees). I also have an Iranian personal training client. So I learned a number of Farsi phrases before and during my time at the clinic (primarily to make patients happy, secondarily to communicate with those who don’t speak English :P). I enjoyed working with the Iranians. It was an “interesting” arrangement by God. There are more and more Iranians in Toronto and UofT (gyms/fitness classes), and I never hesitate to go and greet them in Farsi. 

Stories to Tell: Guershom

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is Guershom. I am an incoming Masters student who is passionate about international students, stories, God at work and many many other random things.

What is a favourite moment or memory of your summer so far?

This summer I had the pleasure of attending one of my best friends’ wedding. It was such a pleasant experience seeing two close friends I’ve known since undergrad go through all the shenanigans of wedding planning, then eventually saying I do to each other surrounded by friends and family. So cute!!

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

This summer I chose to quit my job early with the hopes of pursuing a short term mission trip in South East Asia. I was excited to see how God is moving in a part of the world I really care about and dream of ways in which I can partner with that.

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you recently? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

Unfortunately, after a lot of hard work, prayer and sacrifice together with the support of friends and family I was unable to go for my Missions trip. I felt like I had sacrificed so much for the trip, and initially could not understand why things didn’t work out. In the end I was reminded of God’s faithfulness and encouraged by His word that though my plans may be many and elaborate, ultimately it's His will that will prevail.

What are you hopeful for moving forward?

I will be starting a new chapter this September meeting new people and pursuing a new degree in a new place. I am curiously excited to see how God will connect me with people both near and far from Him, and how He will grow in me the experiential capacity to love His people the way He does. The future is bright!

Stories to Tell: Annie

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi there! My name is Annie and I am going into my 3rd year at UofT. I am currently studying human geography and human resources. I was born in Taiwan and moved to BC when I was 10, and now I’m in Toronto for school! When I am home (in BC) I like spending time with family and breathing the fresh BC air. When I am in Toronto, I like to play Just Dance and Mario Kart with my friends. You can also find me making crafts or baking in my spare time! 

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

To me, being a Christian means listening to God carefully and involving Him in discerning how I spend my time during summer break. As the end of the school year drew near, I began to brainstorm how I can keep myself busy in the summer by serving in missions. I looked for opportunities to go on mission trips abroad, specifically in Asia, hoping to share the gospel with people living in cultures where Christianity is unfamiliar. However, after prayer and discernment, I did not feel confident that God was calling me to this opportunity at this time. Although I was initially disappointed and conflicted, I ended up being able to spend more time resting, as well as with my family, specifically my grandma who is not yet a believer. Ultimately, I learned that I can honour God with my summer plans even if it doesn’t look like what I have in mind because God’s will is good and His timing is perfect. 

Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission

While I was in Taiwan visiting family, God gave me the opportunity to help out at an English camp in Taiwan run by a local church. I served alongside short-term and long-term missionaries to host 40 kids. The camp aimed to introduce the good news of the gospel to the campers as well as to show the love of Christ by building meaningful relationships with them. Each day, there was a different lesson about a core Biblical concept that related to the theme of the local attraction in Taipei that we visited. Though taking 40 kids to a different tourist location each day was exhausting, it was nonetheless, a fulfilling experience. I was able to witness God’s love for these children through the leaders who made the camp happen. I was encouraged by the love the leaders had for the kids at camp and their faith in God through all the hard work and challenges of running this camp. Overall, I felt God affirm me in my journey to pursue His mission by giving me this opportunity to serve at camp this summer. 

Stories to Tell: Jeff

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello friends! My name is Jeff. I was born and raised in Vancouver – I’m currently going into my 4th & final year of undergrad studies at U of T! I grew up as a Christian, but I recognize I am only starting my lifelong journey with God. To receive His abundant love entails expressing that same love towards others – a principle that guides my being.

A bit more about me: I enjoy listening to jazz music and playing the classical guitar. Whenever I have the time, I also like to play chess (I’d love to play a match with you) and hike, something Vancouver is well suited for!

What is a favourite moment or memory of your summer so far?

Hiking with my father! Despite the limited opportunities available, hiking is for me a valuable time to connect with my father and connect with God through His creation. His creation directs us towards Him, after all. Hiking also happens to be a welcome break from ordinary life.

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

External transformation is necessary for internal transformation. In that regard, I’m trying to develop better relationships with my family, my friends, and the other people in my life through meaningful activities this summer.

A rhetorical question: where would I be without God? It’s certainly a frightening thought to be without God. To say I would not be where I am today would be the understatement of the century. But dwelling on this question reminds me to be grateful for his grace, to trust in his (the) truth, and to live out his love.

Why is engaging in missions important to you?

For me, it’s just a logical extension of “wanting the best for others”. I was blessed to have Christian parents. Many don’t have that blessing. This prompt reminds me of the encounter between Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch. God put Phillip in the position to make a difference, and Phillip had the initiative to do so. I believe God gives me plenty of opportunities to do the same. To engage in missions is to fully realize these opportunities.

What are you hopeful for moving forward?

I’m looking forward to potential leadership opportunities in UTCCF, whether in a formal capacity or otherwise. I look forward to growing my spiritual life, whether alone or with others! Let’s see where God leads me!

Stories to Tell: Katryn

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello 😃 My name is Katryn and I am a recent grad from the University of Toronto! In my spare time, I like taking walks to explore and doing fun little artsy crafts like knitting, making friendship bracelets, or doodling. 

What is a favourite moment or memory of your summer so far?

I think my favourite memory of the summer so far is going to Vancouver and Seattle to visit friends and family. I ate lots and lots of good food and was able to see the pretty mountains!!! 

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you recently? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

Since coming home to Boston after graduating from UofT, I couldn’t help but feel a little lost. Not only am I unsure where God is calling me in this next stage of life, but I felt like I also came back to a hometown that no longer felt familiar. After being blessed with fellowship in CCF throughout uni, returning home in this new stage of life made me feel like I no longer had a consistent community or fellowship that I could turn to especially since I hadn’t been home for so long. This made it harder to feel encouraged or even able to partner in God’s mission. However, during this time of uncertainty and longing for community, I was reminded that this is not my home and that even in this time of transition, I can still be faithful where I am now. These feelings of discontentment, confusion, and longing only pointed me back to God, the creator and sustainer of all things. Through this time of transition, I am reminded of God’s consistent character and His faithfulness in all seasons. I am able to rest in Him as a child of God and while I’m still trying to discern where God is calling me to further His kingdom, I am now more assured about my purpose despite the uncertainty of my career or community. Even though there is uncertainty in my community or direction, I am assured that through it all, God will always be constant. That despite this season of uncertainty, I can still be faithful to wherever God has placed me now without worrying about where He’s leading me next. 

Why is engaging in missions important to you?

To me, engaging in missions is a direct reflection of God’s love and grace for me. It is the natural result of overflowing joy from seeing all that God has done in my life. I believe that engaging in missions mirrors God’s greatest commandment for us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself”. It’s also a constant reminder that this is not our home, that there is so much more, and to share with others and rejoice in the freedom that only comes from Christ.

Stories to Tell: Simon

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello everyone! My name is Simon and I just finished my third year of computer engineering at U of T. I was originally born in Canada, but I grew up in the US, specifically Arizona and Colorado. I love hiking, skiing, camping, and anything outdoors. I like to spend my time reading, leading in my campus fellowship (P2C), and hanging out with friends! In May, I started a software engineering internship at Intel which has been an awesome experience.

What is a favorite moment or memory of your summer so far? 

I went on a camping trip to Bruce Peninsula with friends from P2C and my church. We played campfire games, went on a long hike, and swam in the lakes. The views were absolutely gorgeous!

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer? 

Being a Christian meant I wasn’t content to spend all summer simply relaxing. I felt a great need to continue focusing on Chrisitan discipleship and my spiritual walk with God. Practically, that meant participating in an awesome program called Greenhouse where I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to serve underprivileged folks in my community, love on my city through prayer walks, and enjoy rich fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ! It has also meant meeting weekly with my mentee from P2C to walk through life together, seek God, and pray for each other.

Why is engaging in missions important to you? 

My experience with Jesus has completely changed my life! In my past, I spent so much time and energy searching for something more, but in all the places I searched, I never found it, and was always left feeling emptier. However, in Jesus I found the loving relationship that I was really seeking all along! I believe He offers the same transformational love to everyone, so I share my story in hopes that others can experience the same joy I do!

Stories to Tell: Regina

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello everyone, glad to be back again this summer to share about God’s work in my life! I grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia and moved to Toronto in 2019 for my undergrad. I graduated this year. In last summer's Stories to Tell, I shared that I was torn between working in ministry and working as an HR professional in the secular environment. I mentioned that at the end of that summer, I felt called toward one of them. Glad to share that today, a year later, I’m currently working for a Christian ministry called Power to Change, as a campus intern @ the University of Toronto! I’m thankful that God’s calling for me to proclaim the Gospel in the university space has been made so clear to me. 

Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission 

From May to August this summer, I’ve been meeting up numerous people for Ministry Partnership Development (MPD, also referred to as support raising). Not only do I get to catch up with friends near and far, I delight in the joy of talking about God’s calling in my life and invite them to partner prayerfully and financially with me in my ministry with P2C! 

Honestly, in every meeting, I felt God affirmed the calling He had led me to in doing campus ministry. Each time I shared my vision to reach university students on campus with the Gospel, and seeing people buy into that vision, I felt like God continues to go before me in this leap of faith to trust He would provide financially for this internship through other people. 

I’ve heard that “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” This became especially true for me each time I shared about how God has placed a deep burden in my heart (the Gospel needs to be proclaimed louder on campuses) and how I’ve found deep gladness being the vessel that God uses to meet that spiritual hunger in students. 

Additionally, God affirmed me in this journey through answering specific prayer requests. He provided when I prayed for 1) God to provide people who can give larger donations, 2) Logistical challenges in re-routing overseas donations to be solved, and 3) God to bring people outside of my own social circle to my ministry, and many more. In each of these prayer requests, I was thankful that He answered within a few days! It’s really so mind-blowing when you trust God to answer big prayer requests and then He does. All you can do is boast in Christ and humbly accept that you could not have done it with your own might. Praise God, my ministry was fully funded before the deadline!

Stories to Tell: Matt

Tell us a bit about yourself

I graduated from UofT in 2022 where I did my masters in civil engineering and since then have been passionate about a life of missions both abroad and locally! I recently got to experience overseas engineering missions overseas for five months where God was able to teach and heal me so much. Now I’m in the city working for my micro church and trying to be a good witness to international students. Other then that, I’m really into fishing and doing fun/dumb things like how recently I got into a friendly cucumber sword fight with my bro (shoutout to Simon) where we smashed each other to bits with cucumbers for the heck of it XD

What is a favourite moment or memory of your summer so far?

I’ve been a part in leading a discipleship training program called Greenhouse where I’ve been able to have nice moments of personal transformation, building new alliances, training in building up others, and of course tons of dumb fun. There’s been many honorable mentions of moments full of tears, belly laughs, singing, or self-reflection but none quite hit me like when my cucumber comrade hit me full blast with a weaponized cucumber of mass destruction.

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

I was faced with a decision on extending my time overseas which would have been a longtime dream of mine, but for me, God made it clear to come back to be here for the summer and be a part of the ministry work being done here. I have so much joy in that decision, being back in the “garage” getting upgraded and challenged missionally on my home turf. Being home with loved ones and being able to rest has done wonders in preparing me for the next leg of my journey. I look back and see how much of a blessing it was to rest and prepare well, along with getting new equipment that I’m grateful for as I continue to live missionally locally and abroad. 

How are you seeking to live missionally in this season of your life? 

I’ve been active in international student ministry (Global Community) where we seek to do outreach through building community and relationships with friends from abroad. God has been showing up in amazing ways through these relationships, and more and more of our friends are coming to know the love of Christ more intimately through our conversations and time spent together. It’s been a big blessing to be serving in this way, but also to gain the new relationships and friends from this community. 

I’m also preparing to go back overseas in the fall! I’ve been preparing with the organization I’m with in Cambodia and I’ll be taking on some projects with them around October for another few months. Really grateful for the chance to go back and learn more from them as well as get more experience in a different cultural context for missions.

Stories to Tell: Gwen

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello! My name is Gwen, and I'm a student from Boston, Massachusetts entering my third year at U of T. I enjoy living in Toronto because it’s a hub for the world’s cultures, so I’m constantly learning when I meet new people. Also, I like the Hong Kong cuisine from uptown, which is not as common where I come from.

Why is engaging in missions important to you?

A landmark in my faith journey was when I learned about the biblical basis for missions. In other words, how God has revealed from Genesis to Revelation his heart to restore people from every nation to himself and commissions all those who follow him to take part in this mission. How amazing is that! John Piper once wrote, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.” This reminds me of the beautiful and glorious image we have of the full diversity of humankind one day giving unified praise to the Lamb (Rev. 7:9-10). Learning about missions has helped to enlarge my view of God, and I hope for the day that we will personally see the great multitude joyfully worshiping before him.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world?

It has been an exciting summer in Boston because I’ve gotten to meet many new people. A few in particular come to mind because they are relatively new Christians who shared about how the gospel has changed their lives. I can see their childlike faith (Matt. 18:3-4) in how they show readiness to be molded by God, and I’m encouraged by their eagerness to share the blessing they’ve received with others. God is truly working in the hearts of people around me.

What are you hopeful for moving forward?

I’m looking forward to connecting with more people this year through my local church, my campus fellowship, and Missions Hub. I’m hopeful for more opportunities to share and learn about missions with others in these communities.

Stories to Tell: Caleb

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hey y’all! I’m Caleb, a to-be 4th year studying computer science at UofT hoping to get into computer graphics. Music and sports are one of my favorite ways to rest and recharge. I love pretty much every sport out there (except baseball) and my music taste has been roasted too many times so I’ll just leave that to your imagination. This summer I have been working at code ninja where I get to teach kids how to code.

Did you have any frustrations in your missional journey recently? How did you find hope in the midst of it?

I think one area that didn't go as planned would be my job. My last job was remote work and all my co-workers were much older than me. I didn't really get any opportunity to get to know them let alone share my faith and so I was excited for a change this summer. At my work there is a camp running on weekdays where 3 ~ 4 teachers lead a class of about 10 ~ 20 kids. I thought it would be a great opportunity to use my love for coding and also build strong friendships with people that I work with. But on my first day I found out I would be teaching private lessons where I would be the only teacher with 1 or 2 kids and the last month I would be at an entirely different location teaching on my own. It was frustrating to not be able to use this job as an opportunity to share the gospel in the way I wanted. I find hope in knowing God can work in any circumstance to make his name known and is in control of it all. I work with the confidence that I can serve God with my heart no matter what work I do or where I do it and take any opportunity I get to reflect Christ to others, with the knowledge that as I inevitably fail to live up to Christ's example his mercy is greater than any of my failures.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world?

I've seen God working in the lives of my friends this summer. I have a close group of friends from high school that I keep in touch with and it's been hard to share much about my faith since none are really religious and our friendship was very surface level during high school. Over the past few years we've gotten much closer and I've seen them open up more, ask questions about my faith and p2c. This summer we even got to talk about life, death, and regrets and I was able to share my perspective as a Christian. One of them who's grown up christian that I've invited to church many times finally came out and is looking to start coming regularly. He even expressed interest in preparing for baptism where I can walk alongside him in clearly sharing the gospel and what life looks like with Christ. It has just been a huge answer to prayer and amazing joy seeing God working so powerfully in my friends' lives.

What are you hopeful for moving forward?

There's a lot that I am still wrestling with now and I've had many moments that brought sadness, frustration, anger, or just a feeling of impossibility this past year and yet I look back and all I see is God's faithfulness in my blindness to the great plan he had for me. With each trial, God has given me a stronger and stronger trust in him so as I look forward I am just so hopeful in God's magnificent work that I will get to witness and see knowing he is worthy and deserving of our trust and reliance on him.

The One Who is Leading

"Faith never knows where it is being led,
but it loves and knows the One who is leading."
~Oswald Chambers

Headaches from screaming children, marking tests on date nights, and holding my pee until the bell rings were not really what I had expected my vocational life to look like. My family is outnumbered by teachers, and I had always ardently defended the idea that I would never become one. My personal life was also a surprise to me; recently married, my husband and I were settling into our home and planting roots in the city where I had always lived.

What might be so unexpected about this conventional kind of life, you should ask? The fact that I had always expected something quite different. Though a timid and careful child, the freedom that Jesus had brought into my life around 18 years old ushered me into the realization that my life could be an epic adventure. He harnessed my love of fictional adventure stories to show me that He is the best author of real-life stories, and He desires purpose and meaning to be interwoven into each of ours. Biographies about heroes such as Corrie Ten Boom and David Wilkerson showed me how masterfully God could write epic stories in this day and age, igniting my passion to live a life full of courage and surrender.

My life with Jesus started off with one exciting adventure after another. From experiencing God’s enabling grace to work with challenging children, to sharing the gospel in an unreached country, He was teaching me to rely on Him to do hard things. I started to think my life would always look this exciting, and felt a stirring in my heart to live a life worthy of a biography. Though I still felt fear, I desired more to let my life be poured out for Jesus and used for His glory in the most difficult, unreached places of the world. And as I prayed and pursued this, I found God opening doors for me to navigate how to move toward vocational missions in an unreached country.

I began to prepare for what I believed God was calling me into. I connected with others on a similar journey, obtained a teaching degree as a vocational means into any country, and met with many different mission agencies. As these plans culminated, I found myself unable to move forward for a variety of reasons. Even after interviewing with a number of different mission agencies, I did not have any peace about moving forward with them. God began to redirect my attention towards injustices happening within my vicinity, and I began to wonder if He was steering me down a different path. Doors kept closing for missions abroad, and yet opening within my own city. I even found a friendship re-kindling with a man who had similar stirrings in his heart about Jesus and the injustice around us.

Needless to say, I was very confused. Was God truly leading me in a different direction, or was I merely allowing my heart to be swayed by proximity? Or swayed by desires for comfort and familiarity? Like a canoe paddling upstream against a strong current, I tried harder and harder to open the doors that seemed to be closing. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not do it. And even more strangely, I found an increase of peace and assurance when I began to let go of those dreams I had been so sure of.

As life has progressed, I have increasingly realized that I do not have as much control over my life as I once thought. When I was in high school and university, my dreams of the future seemed so idealized and attainable if I set my mind on achieving them. As I tried to bring them to reality, however, I found that the doors would open and close outside of my control. Only if a door was opened by Fate would I be able to walk through it. My control is solely over what I choose to do with the open and closed doors of my life.

Yet I found this truth very hard to accept. I realized that I placed a tremendous amount of value in dedicating my life to the areas where there was most need. Oswald Chambers’ Utmost devotional spoke strongly to me during this season of questioning God’s guiding hand. He wrote:

Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.

God wants our lives to produce the most fruit possible for His glory. However, He alone knows how to do that. He was asking me to trust His plan and purpose for my life, even if it did not make sense to me. Just as He had once asked me to surrender my inclination for comfort and familiarity to do missions abroad, He was now asking me to do the opposite. To give up the satisfaction of knowing I was labouring in the most needed areas of the world, and instead be willing to do things that may not seem as purposeful to me, such as raising a family or being a teacher in my hometown.

God has shown me that to be led by Him, I need to abide in Him and not just in my thoughts about Him. Sometimes He will lead us in ways that are not the most logical or what we would expect of Him. A friend put it to me this way: “what do you want more – to do what is 'seemingly right' or follow the Lord?” What a subtle difference! However, I knew I wanted the latter. I needed His direction – Jesus’ presence Himself – in order to really follow Him. And if I disconnected from the branch when He was leading me away from what I expected Him to, the effectiveness of my life would be impacted.

So here I am – a newlywed, working in a public school in my city, sometimes wondering what on earth I am doing here. But at other times, I stand back in amazement at how the Lord has guided me to this place. I am married to a man that I love with my whole heart, who challenges and encourages me to be more of the person God created me to be. His strengths and weaknesses complement mine as though our union was intentional. We are praying with our hands open and starting to make new dreams together – dreams that are all about loving Jesus with our whole lives and sharing His love with those around us impacted by injustice. But even these plans we will hold with an open hand, because we know that God’s plans are not always distinguishable to us. He alone can lead us forward in the path of life. No matter what story He writes for us, whether overseas missions or the "obscurity" of teaching and family-raising (or both!), we will trust that it will bring Him the most glory.

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’ So I went forth, and finding the hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East. (Minnie Louise Haskins)

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We are thankful to share this written piece by blogger Rivka Stone! 

It’s been our joy to journey with Rivka through different seasons of her ongoing discernment process through Missions Disciplers, Perspectives, Live Called, Book Studies, Church life and more! It’s deeply encouraging how she continues to hold her plans with open hands trusting God well in the path before her. 

Link to original: 
https://rivkamcstone.wixsite.com/myblog/post/the-one-who-is-leading

Stories to Tell: John

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

This summer I spent six weeks on a mission trip to a closed country where Christians cannot openly do missions. After learning about the extremely large numbers of people in unreached countries who don't have much access to the gospel, as well as the access I have to closed countries as a student, I jumped at the chance to finally go on an in-person mission trip to engage others with the gospel. While a mission trip is not superior to other ways of spending the summer, and God might not be calling everyone to go on one, I thought it was an overlap of opportunity and need that couldn't be ignored.

What did it look like for you to live missionally this summer? How do you practically practice this?

On my mission trip we focused on building friendships with local students and sharing about Jesus through those friendships. We met local students in places where they gathered, and shared life with them as we got to know them. As we talked about our lives, values, and dreams, we had many opportunities to naturally share about how Jesus is important in our lives and the only way to be reconciled with God. In support of this, during the trip we received training on how to have conversations about spiritual topics and share the gospel, and would debrief as a team to share our experiences and lift each other up in prayer.

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you from this summer? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

It was a joy to live on mission together with a wonderful team of like-minded individuals, and also just have fun together for such a concentrated and dedicated period of time. I was encouraged and emboldened by being able to do ministry together with friends, share about our experiences, and keep each other in prayer. We also saw God answer prayer in many big ways!

Did you have any frustrations in your missional journey this summer? How did you find hope in the midst of it?

My greatest frustration came after one of the best spiritual conversations I had with local friends. After being excited at a previous meeting that we were able to share the gospel in full and that our friends had asked many good questions, I was looking forward to continue the conversation at our final gathering before our team left. My teammate and I prepared for the conversation and prayed together, yet when we met our friends they suddenly lost interest in discussing spiritual topics further (partly because of stress from exam prep), and seemed to have forgotten what we shared previously in response to their misconceptions about Jesus. In this environment where the biblical truth that people's eyes are veiled to the gospel of Christ was painfully obvious, it was helpful to meditate on how Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of people's hearts–the light that the darkness has not overcome–that allows them to see him for who he truly is.

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

After graduating from university, I look forward to investing more of my time in my local church, particularly our ministry to youth and young adults. With many new immigrants arriving lately, I have the opportunity to continue engaging in cross-cultural ministry here in Toronto!

Stories to Tell: Ayl

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is Ayl (pronounced like ‘aisle’). I was born in the Philippines, raised in Toronto, and just transferred to Redeemer University from the University of Ottawa. I’m an ESFJ + ennea 2 who loves matcha tea, music, connecting with people, playing volleyball and spending time with those I love!

What was a favourite moment or memory of your summer?

This summer was a very eventful one! There are too many good memories to mention, but a highlight would be checking off an “Ottawa Bucket List” with my friends before moving to Hamilton. They also surprised me with two goodbye parties which I’ve often fondly thought about during this season of transition.

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

I spent a lot of time back and forth between Toronto and Ottawa this summer, despite my original plan to spend it entirely in Ottawa. Although that may have seemed inconvenient (and in many ways, it was! Going back and forth took up a lot of time, money and effort), serving God is what mainly motivated all these trips. My reasons for going back home often involved some form of discipleship or serving with my local church, whether it be through our being a leader at our kids' summer day camp and youth retreat, sharing about my missions experience with my church, or just spending time with and supporting friends during milestones. I think if I had it my way, I would have saved that time/money and made the most of my time with Ottawa friends before leaving, but the Lord had other plans. Today I am able to reflect and see fruit from all the times I went back!

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you from this summer? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

This summer, part of living missionally looked like going on my first mission trip! This was a new experience for me as I NEVER saw myself going on an overseas trip. Overall, it went really well and I really experienced that 2 Corinthians 1 comfort as I engaged with locals and my team. One of the harder experiences for me was reconciling the Christian missional mandate and the sovereignty of God, as I observed a nation full of people that did not know Jesus as saviour, friend, and Lord; a nation of people who don’t have the same access to the gospel that I do. That thought discouraged me multiple times throughout my trip and even made me doubt God’s character. My discipler used Scripture to remind me of God’s infinite wisdom, that his ways are not my ways, and that no matter how I feel or what I think, He is good and knows what He’s doing. Instead of discouraging me, I hope these feelings further motivate me to share the love of Christ with people around me. (J.I Packer’s “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God” is next on my to-read list! Shoutout to my old roommate Rebekah ❤)

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

Moving forward, I am super excited to finish my degree at Redeemer. Classes have just started, but I am already so encouraged by the quickness of my professors to pray and point our subject matter to Christ. I hope and pray that this education will better equip me to  live out God’s mission regardless of where I end up, as I hope to take up space as a Christian wherever I am without the secular/sacred divide.

Stories to Tell: Rebekah

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi, my name is Rebekah! My home country is called Mauritius (Google it!). I was born, and mostly raised there. I’m currently an undergrad student in Chemical Engineering at UofT. This summer, I turned 20 & it feels OLD!!! I do feel that I’ve aged a lot this season - in the best way though - spiritual growth! If you caught it right, I’m high on the feeling spectrum aha. My Myers Briggs personality is INFP-T and my daily interaction with people reminds me how accurate it is! I love hiking, pre-WW2 biographies and embroidery. While I like recharging with slow-paced activities, I’d still consider myself quite adventurous. I LOVE travelling! Watching the sunrise from an aircraft’s porthole is always fascinating! Last nugget, I find it HILARIOUS the way your heart almost misses a heartbeat if you are unprepared, and way too amazed by the scenic view while on a drop tower ride XD

What was a favourite moment or memory of your summer?

There are too many beautiful moments but I will share the first one that comes to mind! I went sailing for the first time this summer. It was on the day of my online interview for a fashion design course I applied to. This is also the day I overcame my fear of dark, translucent lake water and entangled seaweed around one’s skin! But hay, let’s get back to the point. I was tired, drained and cozy in sweatpants from a warm shower + shampoo, with full curly hair routine. I definitely did not want to get back in the water. After a persistent verbal tug of war, my hosts - at the cottage - convinced me to get half wet. The bait was this: anything that won’t cause me to go through the hair journey again!

And yes, I did end up sailing! Here comes the moment I wanted to share. While sailing, to catch the wind, you’ve got to pull the rope connected to the mainsail. This also means that the side on which you are sitting will come very, very, very close to the water! For a sailing first-timer, that knows only backstroke, that overcame fear of deep water at age 14, and fear of seaweed in translucent water 6 hours ago, that was a HUGE leap of faith! I was excited and scared! Pretty much what Peter felt while walking on water I bet!!!

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

Throughout this summer, I felt hungry for meaningful and edifying conversations. This made me spend a lot of time with the Christian communities around campus like P2C, Luke 10:2, NL!Toronto, Grace YA, and especially Missions Hub! I cherish every moment spent with the beautiful souls I met!!!

While I did make plans outside of Christian communities, it often felt spiritually draining at some point. I was looking for something deeper and more meaningful which I could find only in those Christian milieux ( could not resist! I had to add a snippet of French somewhere ;D). I would like to touch on something though. I know the audience might not always be a Christian one which is why I want to point this out: Christians are not perfect, Christ is. Toronto is filled with marginalized, oppressed, and alienated people. They might be sinful, but who here, is worthy to cast the first stone? The entire city (especially my neighbors on Church St!) vibrated to Pride month this summer. How did you live this as a Christian? Did you judge, or did you show love & compassion prayerfully? And I want to leave you with that thought, What Would Jesus Do (WWJD)? That’s what was on my mind while making plans this summer.

Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission

Probably last July. It was my first day at Luke 10:2. Jason & Caleb from P2C came to share their respective mission trip testimony. I mean, it started first by this yearn to hear how God is moving hearts around the world. I had never heard of Luke 10:2 before that. I was just curious and hungry to hear more. It’s hard to explain. If I can illustrate it that way, it felt like that guy in the Bible that would climb on a tree, just to see more, hear more, and feel more of the wonders Jesus was doing. It’s a feeling hard to resist, and I can promise, it’s very satisfying when this longing is met! I came in that night, sat there during those 2+ hours, hanging to every word that was shared. I had found this community where fresh living water was overflowing from. There was not one aspect of their vision I did not resonate with.

I then joined the small group, ‘prayer for the Middle East’ where I met John, an engineer that did his Professional Experience Year (PEY) in the UAE. That’s what brought everything back to focus. I remembered that day I met that Mauritian girl in Nazareth that was studying engineering in Tel Aviv. She was there, alone in a country at war, purposefully driven by this heart for the lost. I was reminded when, how, and why I chose engineering in the first place - it was to pursue His mission.

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

I hope this journey does not end here. It’s easy to fall back in that casual zone of comfort where we merely go to church on Sundays or socials organized by Christian fellowships. We ditch one quiet time, then two, and continue until we lost that boldness to share the Gospel. We become lukewarm. John describes it well in his message to the church of Laodicea. That’s the worst state we can be in. A state of denial. We convince ourselves that everything is still the same. I hope I won’t reach that point anytime soon. Anytime at all would be quite a stretch. As usual, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. And even if I do, I pray I will be supported by this community to shift myself back into perspective.

Stories to Tell: Regina

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hello, I’m Regina! Currently going into my 4th and final year at UofT, studying Criminology, Human Resources, and Sociology (I know, it’s a mouthful). I’m an international student from Indonesia, Chinese by blood, but I’d say I’d identify with an amalgam of cultures because I grew up in an international school and travel a lot. I’ve been to ~15 countries and my favourites are Australia and New Zealand. People would say I’m highly social but deep down I’m an introvert (INFJ) at heart. In my spare time, I love to explore cafes and bookstores in Toronto, engage in deep convos with friends, sit by the Harbourfront, and go through my To Read list (I have a goal of 50 books/year!). 

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

Being a Christian and striving to live a lifestyle that is Christ-like means that I see my time and energy as investments to build God’s Kingdom. As I’m graduating next year, I knew that I’d have to form my post-grad plans soon enough. I’m torn between going into full-time ministry and working as an HR professional in a secular environment. Going into the summer, I decided that I’d invest my time and energy into experiences and environments where God would mould my heart toward His will for me — it could be either of those two or something else. 

One of my highlights from this summer was joining Zoe Toronto’s (a microchurch) Greenhouse Program. Greenhouse is a summer program for accelerated spiritual growth. For 1.5 months, we received training, invested in deep relationships with one another, and were challenged to reorient our lives toward living missionally daily. Besides that, I did an internship at a fintech company because I wanted to explore what working as an HR professional in a secular environment is like and if it’s something I’d pursue post-grad. At the beginning of the summer, my heart was pretty much 50-50 between working in full-time ministry and as an HR professional in a secular environment. Now that the summer is closing, I feel that God has drawn my heart closer to one of them. We’ll have to wait until next year to see if that’s where God will direct me!

Did you have any frustrations in your missional journey this summer? How did you find hope in the midst of it?

Early this year, I deeply wanted to go on a mission trip with Power to Change (P2C), a student ministry I’m involved with at UofT (and I still do). I knew my parents would be hard to convince so I typed up an 8-page formal proposal on reasons why I wanted to go, the logistics of the trip, and addressed potential counterarguments. I felt a deep conviction to go and was very convinced my parents wouldn’t turn down my proposal. They called me a few days later to tell me that I couldn’t go. It was the most painful experience I experienced this year — I cried a lot, I was angry, and I felt that my parents were putting a roadblock on my journey toward God’s calling for me. 

Thankfully, God surrounded me with the Body of Christ which affirmed and encouraged me. It took time to heal and understand. After mourning the possibility of what could have been, I realized a few things: 1) I could desire a God-honouring and Biblical thing, but that doesn’t mean that God will give me the thing when I want it the most, 2) God’s “not yet” does not always mean a “no” and God is constantly preparing me for the “yes” that I desire, 3) I learned a lot about forgiveness, reconciliation, humility, and trust through this experience. Ultimately, I found hope in the midst of it all by recognizing my hope does not come from any opportunity I have to serve Him, but that my hope comes from Him who says “yes,” “no,” and “not yet” according to His good and perfect will. 

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

I’m hopeful for the work that God is continuing to do in my heart, community, and life! God is so good and amazing. Going into my last year of school, I’m excited to continue serving at P2C. This year, my leadership role involves a lot of vision-casting and vision-implementing for the student ministry as a whole. Not only that, but strategizing, planning, and disciple-making — all that I love to do! Being in a position of leadership entails spending a lot of time with God to seek His direction and steering the ministry toward that direction. 

I trust that God will equip our ministry to live out the vision He has entrusted through my co-leader and I. Not only that, I’m hopeful that He will provide us with the joy of seeing its fruitfulness. Another thing that my co-leader and I are focusing on this school year is building up the next generation of leaders. We want to provide them with the environment, culture, and resources to grow up as followers of Jesus and as fruitful leaders. That way, when we graduate and leave the student ministry, God can continue the work He is doing on our campus, through them!

Stories to Tell: Katryn

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi everyone! My name is Katryn and I’m currently going into my 4th year at the University of Toronto! I grew up in Boston my whole life but moved to Toronto in 2019 for uni. I am currently leading in my fellowship, UTCCF and I find joy in seeing God at work in my fellowship and the lives of people around me. I like listening to music and taking long walks no matter the weather conditions, and I enjoy making friendship bracelets or doodling when I have free time. I would say I’m pretty introverted by nature, but I love connecting and getting to know other people!

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

For me, being Christian has impacted the way I look at meeting up with my friends during the summer. Recognizing that God gives me opportunities to share the Gospel through hanging out with my non-christian friends, as well as building upon kingdom-oriented friendships with my Christian friends, made the time I spent with them seem more meaningful and intentional. Understanding that the time spent with these friends has eternal significance has definitely impacted how I planned my time during the summer.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world?

This summer, I was originally supposed to go on a summer abroad trip to Ecuador and I was excited to finally be traveling again after COVID, so I bought new gear and emotionally prepared myself for what was supposed to be an adventure of a lifetime. Ultimately, God closed the doors to go on that trip but opened doors for other opportunities that He had in store for me. Since I couldn’t go to Ecuador, I was able to stay home and spend time with family and friends as well as help out at a Christian summer program for kids in the Greater Boston area. Through volunteering at the summer program, I was able to see their childlike love for Jesus and how even at such a young age, God was already at work in them. Being able to grow alongside the kids and see how God was working daily was such a blessing and it made me realize that while my summer plans were disrupted, God instead led me to serve my community and see the love of God in action. 

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

As the summer comes to an end, I'm hopeful for the opportunity God has given me to be salt and light on campus and to share with others the hope that I have in Jesus. I’m hopeful for those who don’t know Christ yet to one day understand God’s sovereignty, grace, and love for us and in turn live to glorify God.

Stories to Tell: Caleb

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Caleb and I am going into my third year at U of T for Computer Science. Within computer science, I am hoping to go into computer graphics and get involved with game development, engine development, or research. I love pretty much any sport that exists but my absolute favourite is soccer which I have been playing since kindergarten. Fun Fact: I grew up in Japan because my family were missionaries there. I am now involved with Power to Change at U of T and it has pushed my faith so much I can’t imagine the university experience without it.

What did it look like for you to live missionally this summer? How do you practically practice this?

One way would have to be my mission trip to Vietnam at the beginning of the summer. I got to build relationships with local Christian students to be mutually encouraged and lifted up, and also with non-Christian students who I was able to share the gospel and my testimony with. Another big part of the trip was sharing with people back home. I got to share my experiences through a youtube interview, post-trip support letters, Luke 10:2, sharing with people at church, and also while hanging out with my friends. I also had the opportunity to help lead a summer discipleship group with P2C and grow together with all those involved. Finally, I think my personal time with God and taking time to rest has best equipped me to live with a missional mindset over the summer.

Were there any new (good or hard) experiences for you from this summer? Did these help or hinder the ways you engaged in missions?

One hard experience was having a job that was guaranteed to fall through due to some complications. I was looking forward to work at the same internship from last summer but my summer suddenly opened days after I was supposed to start work. I was left with a very open summer and was disappointed looking forward. But because of that, I had so much more time to spend time with my friends that I usually don’t see during the year. I was challenged to use my time to be a light to them and take the initiative in sharing the gospel and what life looks like with Christ. 

Did you have any frustrations in your Missional journey this summer? How did you find hope in the midst of it?

I had many opportunities to spend time with my friends who don’t know Christ and talk about deeper topics or just share my life as a Christian and yet I did not see any change or fruit in that. I think I am quick to forget God’s faithfulness and what he has already accomplished and impatient when things aren’t going as I would want them to. There were many moments where I would feel down after not being able to share as much as I wanted to or not getting the response I wanted but looking back to this summer there has been so much fruit and seeds that God will continue to work through and that brings me so much joy.

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

I am first hopeful that God is continuing his work in people’s hearts that I was able to reach and that the result of that is not up to me. Looking into the new school year I am excited for a brand new year of P2C with awesome returning leaders and students and even some early new faces. I looking forward to all the opportunities that post-covid school will bring to our impact on campus. We recently had our Frosh Launch event and just seeing so many people there ready to serve God and make his name known on campus was so encouraging.

Stories to Tell: Tiffany

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Tiffany. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and I came to Toronto in 2017 to study Kinesiology at UofT. I came to Christ at the end of 2017. Currently, I am doing a Master of Physical Therapy at UofT, but I am also deeply passionate about evangelism, apologetics, and biblical studies. I love Biomechanics and the Bible. They both start with a ‘B’ (:P); one deals with the body while the other speaks to the soul. During the summer, I have been doing a bit of studying/research in both, and a lot of meeting up with people… keep reading to find out more. 

What did it look like for you to live missionally this summer? How do you practically practice this?

I co-led a weekly discussion group called Christianity Explored (CE) and I am usually mission-minded in other social engagements. We ran CE for 7 weeks. We invited our non-believer friends to come and have dinner with us and learn about Christianity. Half the group was a few summer exchange students, one of whom I met while I was coaching a group fitness class on campus. These CE nights always turned into engaging discussions into the late night, and the group became good friends with each other. No one professed to be a Christian yet, but everyone gained a better understanding of the gospel and a more open mind towards the Christian faith. We trust that God is sovereign over the seed sown and we ask that you pray for these participants. 

I also spent time with these international students outside of the CE setting, cultivating a genuine friendship exchange with them. These international students are new to Canada and are only here for a short time. Some of them come from countries where Christianity is the minority. But a lot of them are open to trying and learning new things. It was during one of the excursions I had with them when the topic of church came up, and 4 came to church with me the following Sunday. One of them brought home a Bible and one of them came to church with me a few more times as well.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world?

God is amazing and He does wondrous work! I have been able to see changes in peoples’ attitude towards the Christian faith. One of the CE participants went from disregarding Christianity to engaging in the sessions, asking thoughtful questions, and being open to faith. Another one went from being intellectually curious about Christianity to asking for prayers to find her own faith. God has used us to soften people’s hearts and slowly turn them towards Him. In this summer, I also had the opportunity to witness a close friend I journeyed with from undergrad since 2018 came to Christ! My walk with the Lord has been encouraged by actively praying for each session and each person. 

Stories to Tell: Henar

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Henar, I’m a second-year doing Astronomy & Astrophysics and Physics at UofT. I’m a very sociable person so naturally I got to meet and make a lot of friends during my first year which eventually lead me to joining Global Community! GC a student group that cares and serves international students in Toronto so it was the perfect opportunity for me to let my extrovert self thrive. I started attending the GC microchurch where I currently serve full time.

How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?

Even though I was doing school this summer, I gave my full commitment to my ministry, serving international students and my community. My plans were basically centered around my ministry with GC, meeting up with people, sharing the good news with them, and most importantly working on my own spiritual growth. One of the main themes of my summer was discipleship. I got discipled by Matthew Chan, a very beloved member of Missions Hub and GC (SHOUT OUT TO MT). It was one of the things that God orchestrated perfectly at a time I needed to know what discipleship really was. It greatly affected my vision of the ways I could serve God and my mission.

Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission

God has been working with me the entire summer and I’ve seen that in the ways he placed the right people and right opportunities at the right timing. One of the biggest highlights of my summer was doing Greenhouse. Greenhouse is a summer program run by Zoe Toronto, the network which Global Community is a part of. As a group of believers, we gathered seeking a life resembling Jesus. In doing so we received training of how to be intentional, implementing disciplines to live out that calling. I’ve learned that with the fruit we bear we can transform our communities in miraculous ways. Through Greenhouse I discovered my desire for church planting and it reawakened my passion for long-term mission.

Did you have any frustrations in your missional journey this summer? How did you find hope in the midst of it?

I’ve had many seasons of stress, burn out and exhaustion this summer but every single time God reached out and comforted me. Telling me that he’s with me through it all. To lay all my worries and burdens on him and find rest in him. I’ve heard his voice through people and the word. God constantly kept proving that his word is alive. Even though it has been written thousands of years ago, it still speaks to us to this very day.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world? 

For the past few years God has been taking me on a journey of wonders showing me glimpses of what it looks like to live for nothing but his glory. Seeing brave young people take the decision to submit their lives to the Lord and follow him was a wonder that I strongly felt He wanted me to see and admire and I witnessed that this summer. 

I’ve been blessed to see God using me to evangelize and invite nonbelievers into my church. And even more doing so with fellow church members that are so faithful to the Lord. Global Community is one of the greatest works that God has done in my life. 

Because of my faith I had to leave friends and loved ones but I always held onto the promise that God made me, that he will reward me a hundred times more of what I left in his name. And because of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness he never breaks a promise. Through GC, Jesus has so generously put one of his daughters in my life and she eventually became one of the most important people in my life. In only three months she became my best friend, my soulmate, and my sister. The love that God has given us to one another was nothing less than a miracle. She was a fulfilment of God’s promise to me. The Lord has been good to me in many ways during this season.

Stories to Tell: Matt

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name’s Matt, and I’m finishing up my grad studies in civil engineering in a week or two. Super excited to wrap up the academic portion of my life and get out there ahaha. 

I’m a raging extrovert and love to meet anyone and everyone. Nothing fills me with more life than big rowdy gatherings with loved ones, whether at karaoke nights or potlucks.

When I (must) slow down, I like to hermit with my guitar, get lost in a bookstore, and indulge in my nerdy obsessions.

Been a Christian for most of my life and have been blessed to have some amazing people walk with me and encourage me in my faith and missional journey. Been a joy to have gone to school at UofT and be connected to the Missions Hub early on as well as the amazing work being done there. MH was key in helping me discern about the missional heart that God had been preparing me for!

What was a favourite moment or memory of your summer?

Early on in the summer, God used some pretty coincidental and divine ways to send me and a couple church friends to Vancouver to learn from a pastor and church movement who offered to take us in and show us how God was at work on the other side of the country. We were expecting it to be a more formal type of a visit but were surprised when the pastor and church leaders then proceeded to speak into our lives. They helped us each discern deeper about the season of life God had called us to and the people that God wanted to form us into, with the logic that our leadership of churches in Toronto would benefit more from our personal development rather than just a series of workshops. We left Vancouver feeling refreshed, not just from the moments of sightseeing and rest we had, but more so from the prayer, prophecy, and blessing we received from some really great role models.

What did it look like for you to live missionally this summer? How do you practically practice this?

The microchurch that I am a part of, Global Community, has regular rhythms of missions every week, in which we engage with international students through outreach and personal hangouts. God has been using my experiences with church to learn so much about cross-cultural missions, all starting here at home. Through the outreach events it’s been such a pleasure to throw myself into the different cultures present and meet all our international friends while getting to show and exemplify God’s love and community along with my church, and it’s through the personal hangout times that we plan where we get to really dig deep and learn more about their backgrounds, worldviews, and get to share the gospel with them.

How have you seen God at work this summer in your life / community / this world?

In church, I’ve seen God work through the way that He opens the hearts of our international student friends to hear the gospel. This past summer we’ve been able to welcome 1 or 2 of our friends into our church family as new believers, and after hearing the stories of how God led them through life and eventually to hearing the good news, I’ve been really encouraged and inspired. In addition, seeing the way that all the other international student friends are so open to listening and asking questions shows me that indeed the harvest is plentiful, just as God says.  

In my own life, God has been using a couple different ways to teach me new things that were all kind of tied together in crazy ways. I’ve seen Him use everything from a car license plate to indicate what day to fly out to Vancouver, to using me breaking my arm in an arm wrestle as prophecy in my life. In each of these circumstances, trusting God has led to unexpected blessing and healing, for which I am very grateful.

As summer comes to an end, what are you hopeful for moving forward?

Really looking forward to the next semester, where I will be spending 5 months in Southeast Asia for a mission/intern trip where I’ll be doing civil engineering work alongside getting involved in ongoing ministry there. I’m grateful for the opportunity that God has given me to get exposure and a bit of experience in overseas mission, and I hope to learn so much about what missions in my life might entail, everything from learning a new culture to discerning what value I can bring to a context.