Outreach Perspective | Fall 2024

Karen Hirji | Outreach Worker

The past 6 months have been some of the most interesting moments in my ministry career. In late 2023. I felt like the Lord was calling me to take a leap of faith. I didn’t fully understand what God was calling me to because my ministry at Jesse Ketchum had been going extremely well. We were hitting our capacity numbers and I was becoming comfortable with my role as an OW, the children, and their parents. As a result, I pushed the feelings away and continued to serve in the JK community. As months went by, I was feeling more of this call from God while also having external factors that confirmed it. Yet, I couldn’t quite understand why He would call me away from a ministry that was doing so well. It wasn’t until a few months into 2024 that I was presented with the opportunity to begin a new Toronto City Mission site, Don Valley Village  (known as DVV) at the host church, Don Valley Bible Chapel. I realized at that moment that I was preparing for external opportunities when God was preparing one that was still within the organization. 

The First Sonshine Day Camp at Jesse-Ketchum in 2022

The Last week of 2024 Sonshine Day Camp at Jesse-Ketchum

As time passed, after much prayer and consideration, I accepted the position at DVV and began to prepare to leave Jesse Ketchum. Within that time, I realized that I had experienced numerous emotions based on this one event. Consequently, when I was presented with the idea to write a curriculum on the different emotions people experienced in the Bible, I was more than excited to do so. 

The curriculum that we will be teaching the children in the Fall of 2024 is Emotions in the Bible where we look at all the different feelings that people had throughout scripture and what are the Biblical ways to approach them. We have found that many of our students experience big emotions and don’t always know how to handle them. Likewise, we also realize that many adults (like myself) have the same feelings as children but aren’t always aware of the Biblical ways to understand them. Our goal is to remind our leaders and children that God created us with many different emotions that we will experience throughout our lives and that God isn’t afraid of our big feelings nor does he condemn us for having them. Yet, He gives us Scripture to help us understand them and practical ways to manage them. 

The feelings of happiness, anger, sadness, fear, trust, surprise, and anticipation are all topics that we discuss in our Fall/Winter curriculum. However, I realized that these emotions are not lost on me when I think about this transition to DVV. I’ve realized that emotions can co-exist and that it is OK to accept them all as they come. I understand that I can be grateful that I’ve completed my work at JK to the best of my ability but I can also experience grief because I’m moving away from the families that I care so deeply about. I sometimes feel angry that God would call me from a site that I love but I also trust that He will fulfill His plan at DVV like He did at JK. As I’m taking steps closer to DVV, I wait in anticipation for what will happen and the families that I will meet; yet, I am surprised and in awe that the Lord would call me to another amazing opportunity to begin a new site. 

Having said that, we look at the Bible and see that the Psalmist in Psalm 136 experienced gratitude towards the Lord whereas Jesus, Mary, and Martha grieved the loss of their brother and friend, Lazarus. Jonah felt resentment towards God because He was gracious to the people of Nineveh while Job trusted God amidst his suffering. Lastly, Abraham and Sarah were surprised when the Lord finally gave them a baby, meanwhile, in Isaiah 9, Isaiah waits in anticipation for the Messiah to come. The emotions we feel are not new. They have been around since the beginning of time. Yet, sometimes we feel as though we can’t be open and honest with people and the Lord about how we feel. 

Humans are complex beings. Our experiences can bring up many different emotions at one time. Nonetheless, the Lord is not intimidated by the way we feel. He created us with emotions and even experienced them Himself when Jesus was on Earth. Consequently, our goal this semester is to remind ourselves not to shy away from the big feelings we have but to take them to Him because He is not scared of them and welcomes us as we are. Likewise, I would challenge you to look inward and begin to take note of the different emotions that you feel and remember that the Lord walks with you in them. Know that the people in the Bible also faced a variety of big emotions and the Lord was faithful to walk with them too. Therefore, learn to rest knowing Jesus can bear all the big and scary emotions in our lives because His yolk is easy and light.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

— Matthew 11:38-30

A New Thing

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

— Isaiah 43:18-19

“See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:19). This was the message from the Lord to the Babylonian Exiles. The theme of Isaiah 43 reflects God closing former things and paving the way for something new (1). In the book of Exodus, God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass. Yet, in this instance, God is going to provide by bringing water to dry land (2).

God is doing a new thing. I am both challenged and encouraged by this statement because I am a creature of habit. In the times when I ask the Lord for something or ask Him to change a situation, I find that when that change comes, I still grieve the loss of the former things. It’s interesting to me because although it is what I asked for, I still mourn the loss of what was. 

I find this thought process interesting because the Lord is so clearly providing something new, yet I still approach it with hesitation and doubt. This past season I’ve been learning a lot about surrender that leads to loving God. I’ve seen the ways that He has provided for me and has opened new doors, but each time I still struggle to take those steps. 

Yet, it is evident that the Lord knows exactly what we need at exactly the right time. In the moment of Pharaoh and the Israelites, God made a way by clearing a path through the Red Sea, yet, in Isaiah 43, He provides water for the Israelites. These two instances are explicit examples of God’s perception of our reality. He provides for His people through the manipulation of the same element based on their circumstances. 

However, in His provision, taking the next step can still be scary. As the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they could have feared the water closing in, or when God provided them with water, they could have feared that it was contaminated. Sometimes, when the Lord provides for us, taking that step can be challenging. It might even feel weird because God is so evidently providing a way- yet, we are scared to take the first step toward it. 

But we remember that it is in His nature to do new things. Therefore, if He calls us to a new job, a new school direction, or to move homes, we can trust that this new thing He is doing is good.  

As the Summer approaches, some of us may be preparing for a new job, internship, or an upcoming school year. In these new seasons, we may see God’s clear direction but still walk towards it with hesitation and caution because we love or are comfortable in the season we are in. Yet, God says, “Forget the former things”. Don’t be so caught up in the things God has done for you that you forget that there is more. We may grieve the past because we have seen how God carefully crafted those experiences or opportunities- but the beauty of our Father is that He is always calling us to more.  

 I write to you to remind you that God is big enough to hold your fears, doubts, and questions; yet, He loves you enough to not keep you where you won’t grow. Doing the new thing God has for us can be overwhelming because we rarely know what that entails. But it is in those spaces where God sees the full picture and you just have to trust Him with this, “yes”. 

And, “...forget the former things” don’t compare this situation to the past. Don’t compare the people you meet with the people you’ve met in the past. Don’t compare the situations you have had with the ones that are coming. Embrace the “new things” that God has and learn to fully trust Him in His plans.  

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(1) Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105. P. 95

(2) Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105. P. 95

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References

Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105.

God is Faithful During Valleys and Peaks of Life

We continue to teach the children how God is the best example of faithfulness. God is a faithful God. It is part of his character, He is faithful without sin. Throughout the Bible, God continues to demonstrate his faithfulness to mankind. He remains loyal, always keeping His promises to us and his love remains steadfast. God’s biggest testament to His faithfulness is Jesus. After the Fall of Creation, God promised mankind a Saviour that will bridge the gap between us and God. This Saviour will reunite us with God once again. This promise was set in the book of Genesis and was not fulfilled for thousand and thousands of years. In God’s perfect timing, He finally sent His one and only son to redeem us from death. 

Scripture reminds us God is the faithful one:

Know therefore that he Lord your God is God, keeping his covenant of live to a thousand generations of those who live him and keep his commands (Deuteronomy 7:9)

The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. (Psalm 33:4)

If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

As Christians, we are asked also to be faithful to God. A trusting relationship grows only by stepping out in faith and making the choice to trust. The ability to believe God develops most often through pure experience. As we journey in our Christian walk, being faithful and confident in God is always easy when there is no adversity. But we were never promised our faith journey will be easy because we are constantly facing adversities. Life is filled with ups and downs.

What does faithfulness look like during the valleys of life? 

It means holding onto God’s promises as we wait and continually seek Him and His Kingdom. It means remembering God’s faithfulness in our lives and remembering God will never forsake us, it means despite the circumstances in front of us, we turn our eyes to God. 

Being faithful and trusting God has to be a daily choice and sometimes never an easy choice. We are tempted to do things on our own, we are influenced by many different opinions and sometimes we forget God.

In the moments when we forget God, God continues to be there for us with His arms open wide as long we choose to go to Him. That is God being faithful. 

We are called to love others and there are moments when others fail us. They don’t meet our expectations, or they don’t seem to be on the same page as us. Or we failed our loved ones. The hurts of life, God continues to be the faithful one we can trust with all our hearts, mind and soul. 

During times of lamentations, our praises are more authentic because we made the choice to worship and praise God despite those valleys we are facing. We hope through the trials of life, we can be a testament God is working and He will be glorified.  

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

— Lamentations 3:22-23

As we continue to remind the children and youth about God’s faithfulness, we hope that we can remind them to be faithful to God too. God is our true comforter who knows our name and every thought.

Gentleness

The bible teaches “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

What do we think of when we consider the idea of gentleness? A collective misunderstanding is that gentleness is a sign of weakness or submissiveness. True gentleness, however, is just the reverse, as gentleness involves strength and self-restraint. 

Gentleness is derived from a state of humility. Someone who lacks gentleness is often prideful and annoyed and feels the need for retaliation. In order to be gentle we must not view ourselves as superior to someone else.  Instead of declaring supremacy, someone who is gentle wants to support others, even when they have been wronged. 

Gentleness is likely the least talked about fruit of the spirit. Although it is often overlooked it is one of the most significant character traits of people who desire to live in a Godly manner.  We have the propensity to pigeonhole gentle folks as weaklings.  Conversely, gentleness is actually the outcome of conveying great strength under control. In the Bible, the sturdiest people are those who dare to be gentle.  The best example of this is Jesus.  Jesus vigorously states “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am GENTLE and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

So, to be gentle or meek is to be God-wrought, Christ-shaped, and Holy Spirit-absorbed.

Further, gentleness is the inclination to accept limitations and ailments without taking out our annoyance on others. It illustrates gratitude for the tiniest service offered and acceptance for those who do not serve us well. It puts up with troublesome, irritating and frustrating people, and It speaks gently in the face of aggravation. It can be silent or calm, as composed silence is often the most articulate comeback to unkind words.

As the children at Toronto City Mission’s Kids in Community after school program learn about the Importance of building bridges, it is with much hope and prayer that they recognize that God’s gift of gentleness as described in the fruits of the spirit will be a simple pathway towards each bridge that life may lead them to. May the vital characteristics of gentleness; being God wrought, Christ shaped and Holy Spirit absorbed, lift the children to face both the difficult challenges of life as well as help them celebrate the joys of God’s grace.

“….to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
”

— Titus 3:2

Intern Perspective: My Journey to TCM

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
”

— Isaiah 6:8

My journey with TCM began during the Winter of 2021. I was contemplating what I was going to do in the summer. As a Christian, God commanded us to go and make disciples. I often wondered what that would look like in my life. That curiosity made me think about doing missions overseas. So I applied with my university fellowship to go on a short-term overseas mission trip. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, those plans had to be cancelled but I still felt God calling me to go out of my comfort zone to tell people about Jesus. 

At this point in my life, I always had Toronto City Mission (TCM) in the back of my head as my church would help the Flemingdon Park community site during Christmas time and the summer Community BBQs. I thought my opportunity to serve there as an intern that summer was over because the application period had passed. After talking to a friend who works at TCM, she informed me that they are still looking for summer interns. I excitedly and nervously applied as I didn’t know what to expect. 

For my first summer internship, I was placed in Flemingdon Park. After completing my summer internship, God has really opened my heart to the Flemingdon community. That summer experience has positively impacted my relationship with God as it was an experience that reminded me of how good God is. During the midst of my worries, anxieties, chaos, and sadness God graciously blessed me to witness His providence He had over me, the rest of the team, and the community of Flemingdon. I was able to learn how to build loving relationships with the children, youth, and their families which overall encouraged me to continue living missionally in Toronto. I wanted to return and continue serving the people God calls me to as His faithful obedient servant.

A specific moment I had where I knew I wanted to return was during the last week of camp. At times the seven weeks of camp can feel long but in the grand scheme of things it really flies by in the blink of an eye. Especially if you are building relationships with children and their families - these things take time. During the last week of camp, I noticed the children acting out more and not really listening to the leaders. One child especially was throwing a lot of tantrums and getting angry very easily at everything. When I sat down with her to have a conversation about what’s been going on. She replied with, “Why do you care? You are leaving me anyway. You’ve only been with us for two months and now you are leaving.” My heart really broke hearing those words, we had a conversation about how tough it must be to open your heart to people but just have them come and go in your life. Her behaviour was an outcry about how tired she was experiencing that. I felt right there and then God telling me that my time at Toronto City Mission is not over, that this is only the beginning. 

After returning and completing a second summer internship in 2023, I continued to feel God convicting my heart to pursue a more long-term commitment with TCM, which, through prayer and discernment, led me to embark on the year-long internship (where I am now). Upon completing my undergraduate studies in Child and Youth Care, I felt God calling me to apply what I had learned in school and support various communities impacted by poverty in Toronto. 

I was at Flemingdon Park for the majority of March Break Camp. This year, we did not have many children, which was a little discouraging at first, but I reminded myself to seize every opportunity. Since every child was a familiar face, as we had experienced Sonshine Day Camp together before, I took the time to intentionally spend more quality time with the children, as it was a smaller group. I was able to have more conversations with all the different children.

One child, in particular, slowly started reminiscing over camp last summer. She shared with me all her favourite memories, games, and activities she enjoyed. She told me that summer camp was the first place where she genuinely got to learn more about Jesus! So much so that she would go home after camp and search up the Bible verse of the day. She would read it together with her father because she learned that it is important to read the Bible. What an encouragement! God is working in ways that I didn’t even expect. He’s working through us in our program to spread the good news about Him. Praise be to Him.

I hope through my year-long internship to create a space where children can feel safe and open to learning about God. Through God’s transformational power, I aim to build loving relationships that bring hope to children and families affected by poverty.