UrbanPromise March Break Camp

Toronto schools are out for a week in March, but that means our Volunteers have new opportunities to teach Biblical principles to their young charges. They gather together all three after-school programs for a combined program of teaching, games and fellowship.

Simon Scholz posted on his blog a video summarizing the fun:



Seven of our volunteers were involved in this week-long activity and many of them appear in the video. The love these kids have for their leaders is evident in their joy!

Spring Volunteer Retreat

Our Spring Retreat was a brief get-away from the daily routine that our volunteers face every day. Some are in inner-city ministries and enjoyed the fresh air at the Liebenzell Centre. Others are in remote camp locations and appreciated getting a few days to hang out with their German compatriots. The mood was relaxed and the food was good! On Tuesday afternoon, we walked next door to help a neighbor, Ross, collect sap from his maple trees. Later, he had us help him in the process of boiling it down to maple syrup, filtering it, and bottling it. Along the way we got to sample it right from the pan and as "maple ice", dripped onto snow for a super, snowball treat! All of us went home with a sample of pure, Canadian maple syrup, made fresh from our own hand. Take a look at the video below.

On Wednesday morning, we gathered around one last time as a group to discuss some of the challenges that will be faced during the last few months of ministry and the inevitable return home. "Culture shock" is a very real challenge, not just when going to a new culture, but also returning to your own. Being away for a whole year introduces changes to life style, thought processes, and habits. It can be quite distressing to return home and wonder why everything seems so "different". We introduced some tools and tips to help these young people adapt to their life back in Germany when they return in July. 

We also taught about building a R-A-F-T to ease the transition of saying good-bye. These were tips that were very helpful to us after experiencing many moves during our time serving in Spain. In short, the R-A-F-T is four words to help guide our transition:

• R-Reconcile. Any disagreements with co-workers and friends must be reconciled before leaving. Distance is an enemy when it comes to trying to rebuild friendships.
• A- Affirmation. Good closure involves affirming the relationships built during the time together.
• F- Farewell. It is important to find time to say good-bye to each person before leaving.
• T- Think Destination. Avoid the depression of leaving by thinking of the future and the many new activities you will have at your new destination.

Donna prepared wonderful meals and Gregg did much of the driving to pick up the volunteers from their ministry sites then return them afterwards.
There are still several months remaining before the volunteers finish their service here in Canada. However, this was the last opportunity we had to bring all of them together at the same time before holidays and vacation travels fill their calendars.
Thanks for your continued prayers for these young people. They have done an awesome job representing Christ in the places of ministry throughout Ontario, Canada!

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.

Special Guest from Germany

We are honored this week to host Joachim Jenny, Youth In Mission coordinator for Liebenzell Germany. He is an important part of our Volunteer Year Toronto team as he is responsible for recruitment and selection of all volunteers that come to Canada. I have spoken with him frequently in recent months as we look to fill the spots for next year's ministry positions. During his visit here to Ontario we will be visiting all the different ministry locations so he gets a better idea of the work in each location. As a result, he will be even better prepared to match up volunteer candidates with the appropriate ministry. It is part of our commitment to serving our ministry partners with the best prepared, most competent young people during a one-year internship. Thanks for your prayers as we make some important decisions for the future.