They will be helping run after-school programs in the inner-city of Toronto giving children safe, fun, and relationship-building alternatives to life on the streets. These seven, along with ten other young German students, are now under our pastoral oversight as we have begun the ministry of the International Student Volunteer Program. Each one brings an energy and passion that is having an impact on the lives of people throughout the Greater Toronto, Canada area.Here's a breakdown of where they are serving:
- Seven are in the inner city of Toronto with UrbanPromise.
- One is providing child care for a missionary family that serves a Bangladeshi community in Toronto.
- Two are serving local churches in Milton, a suburb of Toronto.
- Five are in the northern lakes region of Ontario at Christian camps that provide grade-school Outdoor Education programs.
- Two are serving at the Liebenzell Center in Moffat Ontario, providing a place for immigrant churches to gather and refresh far from the city noise and distraction.
Each one of these areas forms part of the vision of Liebenzell Mission of Canada to provide "Strategic Patnerships to Cross Barriers". In Canada, Liebenzell embraces opportunities and builds strategic partnerships to cross socio-economic and cultural barriers with the love of God. With each ministry served, we are bringing the larger Christian community together in love and service.
A Fast Start
Donna and I arrived in Ontario, Canada on Sunday evening, August 15th, after a short drive from central New York. It was quite strange arriving in a new mission field after such a short trip! No airports, no long flights. Still, we had to face the important task of getting our visa documents approved at the border. Thankfully, that step went smoothly and in less than half an hour we were in!
But we had to hit the Canadian soil running because we had less than 2 weeks to get ready for the arrival of the 17 young people that will spend the year here. Our initial task was to prepare the agenda for 9 days of training, meals, and activities. Our Liebenzell team is made up of the Mission Center Caretakers, Jeff and Ursi Wilson, who are on just their second year of service here; and Jakob and Lori Koch, the Mission Directors, who have 10 years of experience running this program. We met together often during those initial days to share experiences, expectations, and resources. By the time the airplane carrying the exuberant youth landed at the Toronto airport, we were ready for them.
Eight days later, when orientation was over, we rejoiced in how far we had come in learning their names, their stories, and their passions for serving God. They moved into their ministry locations throughout the province of Ontario united in purpose and ready for hands-on service to God. Please take a moment to read some of the daily episodes of their orientation in our blog:VolunteerYearToronto. The blog really is a key conduit to news about our ministry. We post pictures and news updates several times a week. Facebook has opened up a new avenue of 2-way conversation. If you have a Facebook account, please look for our "VolunteerYearToronto" page and make a "Like" link.
"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God." - John Stott
There is no getting around the fact that our ministry is dependent on donations. Even during these uncertain financial times, Christian mission continues. The work of Liebenzell continues today by leaning solely on the Lord in prayer for support through individuals and churches. Would you consider a gift today? Online donationsare now possible through the Liebenzell USA website,mission.liebenzellusa.org.
Would you help us raise an additional $800 per month to reach the next level of our support? Currently we are at a basic level that barely meets our monthly expenses of food, lodging, and transportation. While our current support level allows us to carry on our ministry, it provides no margin for inflation, emergencies, or budget upsets. Thanks for your help.
Contributions by check should be made out to "Liebenzell Mission USA" and sent to :
Liebenzell Mission USA
P.O. Box 66
Schooley's Mtn, NJ 07870.
Include a note in the envelope indicating the words: "For the ministry of Gregg and Donna Hanchett".
Bloor-Lansdowne Christian Fellowship House
During our first weeks in Canada, we have been staying at the Mission Center, the Liebenzell Canada headquarters about an hour outside of Toronto. In the next several weeks we will be making the transition to a ministry house near downtown Toronto, currently undergoing renovation. It is very convenient to the transit system subway and city buses. The house is owned by a local church and is being rented by Liebenzell so that we will have a central location from which we can minister to the volunteers. It will also allow us to bless the neighborhood by sharing the love of Christ in our daily lives. The church, Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship, also shares its facility with three other congregations-- one Spanish, one Portuguese, and a deaf congregation. On Wednesday it opens it doors and serves a "Community Dinner" to the poor and underprivileged in the area, free to all who enter. We have already been able to help on two occasions during our short time here.
Would you pray specifically for this aspect of our ministry? We believe strongly that the Lord wants us in this strategic downtown location during our time in Toronto. Our immediate need is to finish the renovation. Several local believers are helping with drywall, plumbing, and painting, however there are no funds available to purchase flooring materials. We have been scouring the area for deals on any type of flooring and have found a few great deals. Any donations designated towards these finishing touches would be wonderful! We hope to relocate to this house-- finished floors or not-- by the end of Sepember. Thanks for praying-- and giving if you can!
Meanwhile, you can contact us at the Liebenzell Canada address: 12168 First Line, R.R. #1, Moffat, ON, Canada. Postal Code: L0P 1J0. My cell phone number is 647-746-6893. Gregg's Email is hanch6@gmail.com. Donna's Email is etjah6@yahoo.com.
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