And then there were none

Suddenly we looked up, and all of our volunteers were gone! After 11 months of intensive, unselfish, and Christ-like service, our volunteer team has finished their term in Canada and returned to Germany. The above scene at Toronto's Pearson International airport on July 18th is representative of the many good-byes we said that day. Dominic, Simon, and Uli (on the left) and Marisa (on the right) are saying good-bye to the family of Jeremy Reurich, the Intern Director of UrbanPromise of Toronto. Mixed feelings were the norm for the day. Their happy thoughts were turned towards seeing their families and friends back home in Germany. But they were also sad to be leaving Canada. A few are already planning their return to Canada in a few short months. It filled us with great joy to listen to each of their plans for the future. Some are off to Bible College. Some will go to a technical university to study engineering. Some have arranged on their own to return to Canada for another year of Christian service. As we prayed for each young person throughout the year we asked the Lord to guide them in their path for the future. God has answered those prayers abundantly!

Typical of the comments we received from supervisors about our volunteers was a statement we heard the morning of their departure. We were picking up Evert and Daniel from Ontario Pioneer Camp, north of Toronto and heard, "You are taking our two greatest guys!" The camp normally has multiple dozens of staff during the summer so it was a great testimony to the character and hard work of these guys during their year. Similar testimonies were heard during the days leading up to their departure. Another testimony to the quality and growth in their Christian walk came as we were loading up the van with their suitcases. Two of the Canadian staff approached the guys and asked for a final prayer time.

Not until after several minutes of prayer fellowship, were we able to finish loading and head to the airport. Good thing we had scheduled plenty of time into our day. There's no way we wanted to interrupt those kind of good-byes.

In all, twelve young people got on the plane that day. Six of our original 18 were already back home in Germany. Beginning Monday all of them will be gathered one more time in Germany for a week-long debrief session. Then on August 1, a NEW group of 18 begins their adventure of preparation for a year in Canada! They arrive here in Toronto on the 26th of August. Donna and I can't wait to welcome them to begin a life-changing year of ministry. Thanks for your participation during this past year. Your partnership and prayers had a huge impact for Christ and his church!

Blessings.

Volunteer Transitions

Spring is slowly making its way into Toronto bringing long-awaited change to our daily lives and our Volunteer Program is in transition. A couple of our Volunteers are reaching the end of their service with us, one has been added to our team, and one has had to return to Germany to attend to a family concern. Thanks for praying that the Lord will continue to bless us with great unity of purpose as we manage day-to-day affairs.

Andreas and Marcel, our volunteers at the Moffat Liebenzell Mission Centre have completed their service here in Canada and are presently on holiday for a few weeks before returning home to Germany. We appreciate the work they were able to accomplish at the Mission Centre-- chopping fire wood, felling trees, caring for the grounds and facilities. They were a key component in making our ministry to immigrant congregations an ongoing  success! The Mission Centre serves smaller church groups that need a place for retreats and personal get-aways.

We added Sara to our ranks in February! She has come to care for several children of our missionary candidates during the next five months. Sara has been able to integrate quickly despite some tough paperwork challenges that we are still working to resolve.Please pray with us as we work with Immigration to give them all the answers they are seeking.

Finally, one of our Volunteers serving UrbanPromise Toronto flew home urgently to attend to his father who suffered a serious heart attack. We continue to pray for Micha O, his father and his family. We hope and pray first that his father will make a full recovery, but then that Micha will be able to return to Canada and continue the great work he is doing with the after-school programs among at-risk kids in Toronto. We miss you, Micha! [Update: Moments after initially posting this we received news that Micha's father passed away. We are deeply saddened by this news. We take comfort in that his father was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and is now in the Lord's presence.]

In the next several weeks, we have a busy schedule. One of our Volunteers is off to Haiti with his church on a short-term mission trip. In April, all the volunteers will gather for a two-day retreat. After that, Spring will be fully upon us and we will be looking towards a great finish in June and July.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support of the work of Volunteer Year Toronto.

UrbanPromise Christmas Gala Recap

Christmas is a few months past, but the December video below highlights an important aspect of the work of UrbanPromise Toronto. Seven of our interns serve this ministry. They organize and run a series of after-school programs for at-risk children. The "camps", as they are called, help the kids by giving them something to do during the after-school hours when many parents must still be at work.
The interns give homework help, organize games, and supervise special projects with the children. A major highlight of the year is a "Christmas gala" in which all the participants receive personalized invitations at their home and then bussed to the event. They are pampered with things like manicures, hors-doeuvres, and on-camera interviews. The charming video shows the joy the kids receive from the special treatment.
Plus, the gospel message is presented emphasizing the same message of God's love given through the love and friendship shown each day at camp.

Costa Rica Return Delayed

Our guys have finished their Costa Rica project and are trying to get back to Toronto. As of 11am today, Friday morning, they were stuck at the airport in Costa Rica, because of weather. They are waiting for a flight to Houston, then Detroit, then Toronto. Thanks for praying for their patience and travelling safety.
Gregg

Have you ever sat in a jail cell?

Have you ever experienced sitting in a jail cell, face-to-face with a convicted criminal, with your Bible open on your lap, sharing the love of Jesus and explaining how he or she could have a new start in a relationship with the Creator God? Have you seen, first hand, the tears of joy that come when that same convict repents, accepts God's love, and gains spiritual freedom through faith in Christ? Have you ever had that wonderful experience?
Me neither.
I've read stories about it. I have talked to others who have been there and done that. I've thought that it would be a great thing to do for God. But I have never done it.
Why not?
Because nobody invited me and showed me how to do it. Or they did, but I didn't take them up on the offer.
Same difference. I didn't do it.

Have you ever knocked on the door at the home of a complete stranger -- or of a friend-- and told them about God's love for them? Have you seen their eyes fill with hope and hear them respond with thankfulness when they understood the message? Have you had that wonderful experience?
I have.
I always heard that there was great joy in sharing one's faith and helping another accept it. And now I have done it.
Why?
Because somebody invited me and showed me how to do it. They offered me the opportunity to experience, first hand, something that I would never do on my own. And they stood by my side, teaching me, encouraging me, helping me.
Big Difference. I did it.

Two experiences. Two crucial ministries in the work of proclaiming the gospel to the entire world.
One I missed out on because I didn't find someone to open the way for me. But the other changed the direction of my life. It removed a major hurdle, an unknown, about serving God. It gave me confidence. It started me down the path of full-time ministry.

We are here in Toronto to help others get started down that path. We introduce young Christians to the nitty-gritty of missions work.  We stand by their side. We teach them how to begin. We open doors for them. We encourage them and we are there when they fall, helping them back up. We help them serve God by helping them serve others.

By directing this Volunteer Program, our own ministry horizons are broadened. In early September we brought our youth to serve at a "Community Dinner", serving a hot meal to street people. It was a new, uncomfortable experience for many of them. By doing it, they learned it wasn't so bad. They actually enjoyed serving and want to come back. And an amazing thing happened. We liked it, too, and have made helping to serve this meal part of our regular Wednesday schedule.

This story repeats itself with the other ministries our youth are involved in. Inner-city, after-school programs giving kids an alternative to gangs and drugs. Serving small, immigrant churches by offering retreat facilities for spiritual rest and refreshment. Involvement in pioneer church-planting through serving a missionary family. Adventure camping turned into a spiritual journey.

As we introduce the youth to new ministry experiences, we meet a wide range of ministry leaders. We discuss ways to help them resolve their ministry challenges. Because of the breadth of our contacts, often we are able to help them network with other leaders to resolve their challenges and grow new partnerships. Once again, we are by their side. Sharing common experiences. Helping the Body of Christ grow stronger and more effective in service.

Toronto is the new face of world missions. Toronto is the most ethnically-diverse city in North America. The world is literally at our doorstep. Christians here have a golden opportunity to proclaim the gospel into China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Morocco, India, Brazil simply by sharing their faith with their neighbors! We are equipping those believers, enabling them for ministry, opening doors for service.

Are you waiting for an invitation to try something new for Christ? How about supporting a mission outreach? Why not join us in this ministry? By supporting Liebenzell Mission with your regular financial gifts you start down the path of making a difference for the Kingdom. You allow the work of forming future servants to continue here in Toronto. It is front-line ministry with a world-wide impact.
This is your opportunity.

Full day of ministry

This was a day full of ministry. Our objective was to take the remaining volunteers to the Bloor-Lansdowne house to begin final preparations for our move-in. Of course, the Moffat boys wanted to be included,  so we brought them all in. I had invited Pastor Frank from the Hungarian church to meet us at the house because he had wanted to help with hanging drywall. When we arrived there was no material (drywall compound) and instead of saying that I didn't know where a store was,  I offered to go get some. Well,  an hour later I returned with only a small container, unsuitable for the job.  Pastor Frank said that if I had told him, he would have gone and left to find some. (Note to self: remember humility is a virtue!) He was very gracious and brought a very gentle man from his church who was very talented with drywall taping. They worked all day and were a great blessing. 


Donna was supervising the youth at painting and priming while I had to drive across the city to deliver a document to Salvation Army. It was a great visit and well-timed as I had an opportunity to meet with our 3 volunteers who are placed there, as well as meet with the leaders. We worked out some administrative details and they even gave me some lunch from the soup kitchen that is open daily in this depressed neighborhood of Toronto.
Upon my return to the Bloor-Lansdowne house, the group-- now including the girls who arrived by subway-- had made great progress with the painting and were helping the other 2 sets of volunteer craftsman who had been working hard all morning. We worked on cleaning some windows and clearing out some of the construction materials that had gathered in some of the rooms. We met Sophie, the administrator of the house and the lady who operates the soup kitchen "community dinner" next door. She is a whirlwind of activity. We helped her work out some questions on the house repairs then the guys helped her wheel the filled garbage can back to the church for pickup on Friday.

Later at 5pm, we all dropped our tools, changed out clothes, and went next door to help serve at the community dinner at the Bloor-Lansdowne Fellowship Church next door. The dinner started at six and we each helped serve overflowing plates of turkey, rice, vegetables, salad and bread. Three of the youth spoke on stage during the testimony time. Micha and Marlen spoke briefly about why they were in Toronto and then Marlen and Marisa sang an a capella version of  "Lord, I Lift Your name on High." They were very brave and were well received with applause by the audience. After cleaning up the dishes and putting away the tables and chairs, we climbed back in the van for the 1 hour drive back to Moffat and our comfortable beds.

Resting for more of the same tomorrow...

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful opportunity to serve You, help others, and use our gifts and talents for the benefit of Your Kingdom!

Why Toronto?

The International Student Internship Program takes advantage of the unique situation of Toronto. The city is home to virtually all of the world's culture groups and is the city where more than 100 languages and dialects are spoken. Consider what that means from the perspective of ministry. It is possible to learn from and live among people of every culture in the world. What a great opportunity for those of us who are interested in seeing the life-changing message of the Christian faith communicated around the world. You will recall the episode in the Bible book of Acts, within days after Our Lord ascended into heaven, he left this message with his disciples: (Acts 1:8) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In our day, and in the city of Toronto, the world will be literally at our door!

Each year more than 100,000 immigrants come to live in the Toronto Metropolitan Area. According to the city of Toronto website, among the top 15 languages spoken in Toronto, besides English, are Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Urdu, and Arabic. The abundance of languages available in Toronto has resulted in several mission organizations using Toronto as a base for training missionaries in the target language of their assigned field.

Volunteer Year Toronto will take advantage of this strategic location this year alone to introduce more than 15 young people to Christian service and help them network with others who are making a positive difference in the world. Will you stand with us and be a part of our "Network of Faith"?

Homeless

This week, during our Europe trip, we visited the city of Colmar, in the Alsace region of France. It is the birthplace of Fredric Bartholdi, designer of the Statue of Liberty. During our visit we learned that the city recently installed a scale model of the famous statue, so we went to visit it.  It is not nearly as impressive as the real thing sitting in New York Harbor. But despite the copies and the various locations, the most impressive thing about the statue is what it stands for. The lines written by Emma Lazarus that are engraved on the pedestal of the statue are known by most Americans:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

As we start a new mission, in a new location, a new city, a new home, we have thought a lot about those "huddled masses yearning to breathe free", the homeless, and "tempest-tost". Not just because we will be working with ministries that serve the homeless. And not just because we are learning what life is like for refugees newly arrived in this continent. It is because we have lived in many homes in the past 14 years. There is a "yearning to be free" and have a home into which we can settle. But we understand that there is a higher calling, to go where God wants us to go. The biblical concept of missions, and even evangelism, has its fundamentals, its roots in the idea of "this world is not my home", of being "in the world, but not of it". The great commission of our Lord is a call to believers to "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). You can feel the "homelessness" in the idea. Now I don't believe that God calls everyone to go to a foreign land, but you will have a hard time claiming, with Biblical authority, that God has called you to stay in your specific place. Abraham was the only one that God called to live in a specific place, and that was after he told him to "go". God said "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you". (Gen 12:1) And even Abraham did not know where that place was.

Perhaps you have put down roots in one city, or one location, but one thing that missionaries share in common with all believers is the truth that "we are rooted in Christ". Not in a geographical location, not in a city or people group. But that we are rooted in Christ. So you could say that missions is about "homelessness" or at least holding very lightly the houses here on earth that God has given us.

So it is with satisfaction and humility that we start this new place of service. Part of our work will deal with a ministry to the homeless. Oasis food kitchen provides meals to the needy of Toronto.

There is a  Refugee Shelter we will be supporting-- talk about being homeless. Your country being torn up by war or lawlessness and being forced to flee, leaving your work, your family, your home. It is too easy to get caught up in the politics and forget about the individual lives that need basic shelter, food, and above all, hope. (Watch a powerful video that features two young people, refugees, one of whom was served by Matthew House, one of the ministries we will be helping.)

There will be other ministries around Toronto. Not all involve the homeless or inner-city ministries. But all involve teens who have volunteered to leave their home for a time, for a year, and serve others. Our job will be to help them see the big picture of ministry. To help them to see God's plan in their lives. To protect them so that they can focus on what it is that God is telling them. It is our desire to instill in them this same idea: this world is not my home, I'm just passing through.

Donna and I are incredibly grateful for your partnership with us. You have ministered to us in wonderful ways during the past year. Still we have a tall mountain to climb. In order for us to arrive in Toronto by August 1, we need to raise the finances necessary for our year living in the city. Your gifts to Liebenzell on our behalf is the method which writes our ticket to go. Please pray with us we visit with others and share this opportunity.

The Beautiful Disappointment

Excerpt from a book by Colin McCartney, executive director of UrbanPromise Toronto. The title of the book is "The Beautiful Disappointment: Discovering who you are through the trials of life", my current read:

"Over the years, I have come to understand that positive community change is not the result of any sophisticated children's or youth after-school or summer camp programs we operate. It is also not because we run a fancy mothers' program. In fact, our programs are not that fancy at all. We operate a bare bones program light on the programmatic side, but heavy on the relational and love side. What we lack in ornate bells and whistles and fancy, expensive programming is well made up with loving care from our staff. We earn respect through our commitment, dedication, and genuine love for our people... Our task is not to run programs, but to craft an ethos of love and grace. Our goal is to create holy places where the love of God can be experienced."

This helps explain why UrbanPromise has been so successful in Toronto, and many other urban centers across North America. A focus on grace, not rules; love, not fear. Profound.

Liebenzell volunteers have to meet a high standard to serve with UrbanPromise. Thus far, they have done so successfully for several years running. Thanks for praying and partnering with us as we seek to prepare ourselves for an intense ministry in Toronto.