The staff and students are now oriented.

Bonjour everyone!

This past week has been VERY busy. After getting to Montreal on April 30th, I joined in on the last day of staff orientation. Specifically I am in charge of planning outreach events and developing evangelism strategies for the campuses we will be working on. When I got here, I had done some research, had a lot of ideas but no real concrete plans yet and to be honest, there was some confusion about certain aspects of my role. It was nice during staff orientation to present my ideas and get some feedback and also to clarify a bit where there was confusion. 

Also, during the staff orientation we had dinner at some of the Quebec staffs' house and boy, it was delicious :) A nice way to start off my time here!

The staff team is so great. I definitely feel surrounded by people who love the Quebecois and who inspire me to seek to develop a heart for them as well. The team is 4 full time staff and 4 interns.

The next day (May 1) the students came in the afternoon! 

It was so funny being on this end of the project and seeing students come rather than being a student going. But also, it's so exciting. There are 12 students total from all over Canada. In fact, many of them have really really cool backgrounds, fields of study and have very unique ministries (ex. Africa, France, Saskatchewan, Alberta etc). The first day we chilled out, had some dinner and got to find out a little bit about everyone. I'd say that on day two, that's when the real orientation began. Throughout this week there have been A LOT of seminars on evangelism, how to begin conversations with people, introduction to inductive Bible study and I taught a seminar with another intern on the idea of soul cravings and testimony development. We also had some super interesting talks on Quebec's history and particularly their history with the Catholic Church. Needless to say, it's not the best. More so than I actually thought. There is a lot of hurt here and it trickles through the generations. But, despite the small population of Christians, there is a passionate community of believers here that deeply care for the Quebecois and want to see their people become a Christ-centered community, erasing the hurt that has colored many people's perception of religion in general.

There has also been a lot of fun :) The three women interns planned a girls' night with salad, pjs and a purity talk ;) Sounds cheesey eh? It was. And despite the fulfillment of so many Christian stereotypes in one night, it was so fun. So much bonding :)
The students today did a photo scavenger hunt on Saturday all over the city. I was a station at McGill!

James McGill

McGill is GORGEOUS!

I made the teams either find a nickel from my birth year (1991!) or ask 10 people 3 questions (What is your biggest fear? Favorite animal? Favorite color?). It was great. Especially before teams started to come because it was such a nice day! I had my Bible with me and so I got to read some Colossians in the nice sun on the grass! I think I may have even got a tan :)

Something really stuck out to me during my reading. Specifically, Colossians 2:6-15. where it says:

⁶ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwellsbodily, ¹⁰ and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[b] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

In 6-7, I felt like that was really directed at me. I have been very busy this week and felt a little overwhelmed at points. But... I need to continually 'walk in him' now, just as I did when I first received Christ- with thanksgiving and really, just rooted and growing in Christ. I guess I just got reminded of what is really important. It's not getting all the tasks done, but rather being rooted and growing in Christ.

In 8-15 I just felt like, based on what I have learned about Quebec, these verses represent what has happened. There has been hurts, corruption and false philosophies here that has captured many people, and they've moved in opposition to Christ. Yet, Christ has already loved them. He has already paid for their sins, as He has mine. He has eternally disarmed those rulers and authorities that have taken people captive now. He has already made a way for freedom. Cool that I get to be a part of telling people about that- freedom, hope, joy, peace, justice and love.

Next we all climbed Mt. Royal and saw the lovely view of Montreal! So nice! Then we journeyed to the big huge cross on the top and prayed for the city. It was really cool because our project director gave a bit of history of the cross beforehand. It was put there after a large flood in Montreal by the founder of the city. It was a sign of hope, real hope. Now, it a relic of the past and for many, a symbol of hurt and a negative experiences. How cool would it be if in the future its past meaning was restored.

Following our trek up the mountain we did what all good Montreal (jk only tourists) do... We went to poutine. And I did what all good Non-montrealers do: I got montreal smoked meat atop my poutine. Two bucket list items in one! It was so good.

Sunday is our day off. Church. Grocery shopping. Relaxing. And... continued planning for the outreaches. There is a lot of things in the works and it will definitely be cool to see some of them pan out in the future! Definitely need to take some time tomorrow to really relax though. It has been a very good but tiring week. Lots of adjusting, planning, running around doing things, talking, running, climbing, etc. 

Next week is our first on campus! I will be leading a team with another intern (David) on McGill campus. 

Pray as Y'Read Prayer Requests:

1. Being that next week is our first week on campus, please pray that the Holy Spirit will give me (and others)courage, boldness, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and some great conversations. Also, that these conversations would be with people that would become great friends and we could hang out with again.

2. Team unity. There are a lot of different personalities here and we will be working in very small campus teams. Please pray that we all can continue to grow together as a group.

3. Please pray for my personal walk with God. This week has been very busy, draining, and I have been getting an abnormal amount of headaches. I really need to draw my strength from God, be refreshed by Him and to 'walk in him'. I do not want the joy of evangelism to be robbed from me by the overwhelming feeling that can from all the things that I need to 'do' as an intern.