Folks,
Robert MacNamara once said that he never answered a question he was asked, but always answered the questions he wished he had been asked. It used to drive the press to distraction. So , I thought it would be an interesting process for Nadia and myself to concoct questions that she wished she had been asked and was given the opportunity to answer them. Today’s newsletter is a product of that effort.
Warmly,
In Christ
Jeremy Bell
Q ‘n’ A for STMs
What have you been involved in since starting in January?
A big part of my job has been getting to know the story of both the denomination and the churches and ministries within. It has been amazing to travel through W. Canada, meeting with people who are passionate about God and their community and are seeking creative ways to engage people.
What does your job entail?
I often joke with folks and say that I’m the Cupid of Short term missions! I seek to match make groups willing to serve and churches and ministries needing help.
Why the “push” for Short Term Missions in W. Canada?
I think the real question is “why not STMs in W. Canada?” We’ve bought into this idea that STM are for youth, going to exotic/foreign cultures or just as a fun trip. We’ve become a ‘parachute’ culture instead of a ‘partnership’ culture. God is moving in W. Canada. There are churches and ministries working to engage people in the story of God. The opportunity for partnerships is huge! Think of Paul, called the greatest missionary. A lot of his time was spent going to churches to encourage them, to teach and to serve. We need to be doing that within our Canadian Baptist Churches and ministries. I would love to see groups with people aged 9 -90 going out and serving.
What are some examples of STMs in W. Canada?
We’ve tried to create a broad range of STM experiences across W. Canada. From participating in the First Nations Games in Duncan, to the Mustard Seed Edmonton, to a church camp in Kitimat to a church plant in Sask., there is an experience available for you.
**Check out the testimonial from First Lethbridge and their story of serving in Edmonton***
What is one need that you want to highlight?
I really want to encourage folks to consider serving our church in Kitimat. Every summer they run a overnight camp for 2 weeks for children and youth of their community. They desperately need volunteers to come and help be counselors, cooks etc. The only cost is your travel there, and they are willing to help with that too! What opportunities do you hope for in the next year?
I would really like to focus on resourcing and teaching around short term missions as well as developing more partnerships to give a greater range of opportunites for groups. I want to encourage more intergenerational groups to serve and increase awareness the stories of our ministries and churches.
How do we contact you?
You can call me at 604-837-0539 or email at nvanderkuip@cbwc.ca or you can check out opportunity on the website: www.cwbc.ca , look for ministries, then leadership and click Short Term ministry.
Culture Shock
On Easter Sunday we ventured out to inner city Edmonton for a Spring missions trip. More specifically, the Mustard Seed Street Church.
The team members had never experienced anything like this before. They all came for different reasons, not knowing what was going to unfold in the next few days.
Our time in Edmonton started with a walking tour of the downtown core – this was an awakening moment for the group. Hearing the homeless stats for 2006. Over 2600 people were counted in the homeless census. We encountered a few people in the community who were less than friendly, but still friendly enough to warn us that the neighbourhood wasn’t a place for young people. Did I mention that my wife and I brought our year-old son with us?
Over the week we were there, we had opportunities to serve the people of the community, hear heartbreaking stories of people and how they came to be part of the Mustard Seed family. Miss-management of funds, substance abuse, less than desireable health conditions and broken families. These were just a few of the scenarios that we had been given a glimpse into.
We heard from two people who had different life stories, but were full of hurt and now reconciliation and redemption in their lives through Christ. One, a lady who had been raped at 13, abused by family members, encountering misfortune in the years ahead, dealing with a tumor on her forehead, dealing with the pain of her own children’s pain and suffering.
The other, a young man who through a series of events became a pimp in Toronto and later shot at 15 times, sharing his story of how he wants to now tell of how Christ saved him from the pitts.
A week after the experience, we gathered to debrief as a group after having time to process all that happened that week. Hearing the stories from the youth who went about how they view homeless people differently. One young man said that he no longer looks down at homeless people, but he looks across to them. One young lady said that before the trip she was terrified of homeless people, now she says she can look them in the eye and that most of her fears have been taken away.
This is just a very brief snapshot of out time at the Seed. These young people gave up the freedom to sleep in and relax on their school break. Instead they came, not fully knowing what to expect – and in the end taking the opportunity and growing from it.
Because of this trip, we are now exploring ways in which we can be part of the difference in Lethbridge.
Short term missions can happen anywhere in the world. I encourage youth groups and youth pastors/workers in the CBWC to explore options and opportunities that the CBWC has near by or across the seas.
Chad Dranchuk