AGGMC Spring Updates and Prayer Requests
In the video below, Georgia Macad sends greetings, and shares news and prayer requests about the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre.
Prayer requests (April 14, 2024)
For continued healing emotionally and physically for our midwife Evelyn who lost her baby in February.
For our patient Jonirose whose baby passed away this week from congenital heart disease which was diagnosed right after birth.
For Georgia as she speaks at a national midwifery conference in May - for good connections to be made to help support the training of Filipino midwives.
For improvement in the relationships between local birthing homes and the public referring hospital.
For a good end of the school year for Emmaus in Manila and Lucas and Zion locally.
Safety for Achao in his project to renovate and improve our clinic’s office.
For Georgia to be able to make it to England for her Master’s graduation ceremony in July.
Missions Support Opportunity! Alan Thorimbert, IVCF Victoria
I grew up in a low-income family that was very good at hiding its financial needs. Because my parents never spoke about money, and my sisters and I attended a private school, and our cupboards and freezers were always full, the slight cracks that hinted towards my parents’ struggles with finances never made very big waves. It wasn’t until my third year of university that my sisters alerted to me to the reality that my dad had been without a job for several years when I had been young and that finances a big pressure on my parents’ marriage. As a kid with a penchant for searching for ways into Narnia, I had been oblivious to all of this.
I think that this has often been the relationship that missionaries have towards raising support for their ministries. Fundraising and the reliance on the support of individual Christians has been a hidden shame.
My own journey with fundraising so that I can serve as a Campus Minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has not been without its difficulties. For my first two and a half years on staff, I limited my hours on campus to 2-3 days a week, so that I could focus on the networking that was required to build a consistent funding base. Thankfully during these years, I rarely felt the effects of fundraising needs on my personal finances - I rarely worried about covering rent or paying for groceries – But I did experience a kind of shame of having to communicate my limited hours to the students at SFU that I worked with. I often felt like I was only giving them half of myself. That of course was only partially true, but it was my lived experience.
Three years ago, when I made the decision to move to Victoria, I was aware that this would mean a renewed engagement in developing new support. Older staff mentors had let me know it was common to lose support when transitioning from one campus to another. What a surprise it was, that in my first month here in town, a new connection chose to make a monthly contribution of $1000/month. Neither my supervisor nor me had ever heard of such a thing. And the support and partnerships kept coming in over my first year mostly through special one-time gifts and matching grants. Before I knew it, I was entering into year of ministry fully funded – a reality I had barely hoped for.
And what a gift this past year has been. It has been such a joy to be a part of the many ways that God has been revealing himself to students at UVIC and Camosun. Not-yet-Christians are encountering Jesus, hospitality-based evangelism is thriving, and we are seeing students step into places of leadership. There is so much to be thankful for.
However, throughout 2023 I was aware that in the following year I would need new monthly and annual support, and I put time to work towards this. I saw new supporters start, but I also said goodbye to supporters who had felt called to give elsewhere. Over the last two months, the need to raise support became more pressing. This past month, in conversations wit my supervisor, we decided that I would limit my weekly hours on campus with students to 8 hours a week, to focus on raising new monthly and annual support. We made this decision out of a value to steward resources well, and not place my personal ministry account into a deficit. A good and wise decision, I think. As Josh mentioned at the Table’s recent AGM, “Vision should follow money. If we don’t have the money, we don’t do it.” It has been difficult to share with students about my limited hours, but I have appreciated the space it has given me to demonstrate what it looks like to be wise stewards of the resources God gives us to be faithful witnesses in the world. UVIC students are also seeing this as an opportunity to lead. What a different story from my first few years on staff.
Even more encouraging, in the passage five weeks I have seen God provide in abundance. Over $8800 has been given through new monthly support and special one-time gifts. This means that my monthly need for 2024 has gone down to $700/month. Praise God for this provision.
My goal over the next 2-4 months is to raise $1400 more per month through new monthly and annual donations. This is larger than my current annual need but is realistically what is needed to provide long-term sustainability. Being fully funded for one year is great, but I would like to move towards starting each year fully funded.
Over the last two years, the Table has been an incredible source of partnership, friendship and support. Here’s how you can continue to advocate and support InterVarsity and student ministry in Victoria:
1) Pray for God’s provision. I’ve begun viewing my limited campus hours and focus on fundraising as a kind of Lenten Fast. As I raise support, I am also spending time asking God to be provider for the ministry and asking God what he might have to say to me and students as I serve in a limited capacity.
2) Consider starting a small $25-$50/monthly donation. Do you know it costs roughly $37 to cover a weekly 1-1 mentorship meeting with a student? Sometimes we think small, monthly contributions don’t make a big difference, but that’s not actually true. Small, consistent donations add up.
3) Advocate: Do you have friends or know leaders in local churches who have a passion for seeing the next generation grow as faithful followers of Jesus? What could it look like to advocate to them on my behalf?
It really does take a community of students, campus ministers, and local churches to see students lives in Victoria transformed. Thank you for being a part of that community. How might God be inviting you to partner with him this year to see students encounter Jesus?
-Alan Thorimbert, AThorimbert@ivcf.ca
Alan’s personal fundraising page through IVCF can be found here.
Street Hope Victoria - March 2024 Update from Rev. Debs Moyo
Hello Table friends!
We’ve had a time of transition at Threshold Ministries. With the retirement of Jonathan Clake at the end of January, I took on the role as National Director at the start of February and was commissioned on the February 22nd. It’s privilege to serve in this way, and I’m grateful to have been offered this opportunity, although I do come to it in slight trepidation!
I had the opportunity in January to visit some of our projects and project leaders in Saint John and Moncton NB. The compassion that overflowed from Eden (Moncton Chaplaincy), Reed and David (Threshold House), for people who many may have just given up on, was humbling and also a huge challenge. They are people who have experienced the hope of Jesus and are now brining that hope to others and seeing him change lives in big and small ways. I felt convicted, how much do I believe God really changes and transforms people? Who do I believe God’s redemption extends to? Ex-offenders? Sex offenders? To what extent does God really heal and reconcile? Those who are or have been entrenched in addiction and their families?
Over the course of last year and the beginning of this one I’ve been listening to the Porter’s Gate song ‘Christ is lower still’, I’ve found the chorus to be so moving.
“Let the king descend,
Living Word made flesh,
Lift this heavy heart to your throne o God.
In his wounds I find room for all of mine
When from grace I fell, Christ was lower still.”
In the wounds of Jesus, in his death and resurrection, we find room for all of our wounds, he knows and has experienced the deepest depths of human experience, and not only that but we find forgiveness for sin. What good news to those who are living on our streets in Victora, in prisons, in dysfunctional and unsafe families.
At Street Hope Victoria we share the love of Jesus by meeting a very real need, people are hungry, cold and in need of a listening and kind ear. But we know people don’t live by bread alone. My hope and prayer for me, and for us at SHV, is that we would become even more convinced of the power of God to change lives, and that this would overflow in compassion, empathy, kindness, love and the words we share. It’s easier said than done right! So please do join me in praying this.
From L-R: Long-time SHV volunteer Barbara, Threshold Board Chair Rev. Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers, friend of SHV Normand, Tablers Eleanor and Michelle, Rev. Debs Moyo, and friend of SHV Mark.
I’m excited to see how God uses SHV and Threshold Ministries next. I hope there will be opportunities in the next coming years to expand the good work that has and is happening now, for God’s glory.
Mark and Norm, two long SHV friends performed two poems at my commissioning, so good to see people using their gifts! They speak of their experiences of Street Hope Victoria and their experiences with God.
Thank you for your partnership and continued support in this ministry! So grateful for you all!
God bless
Debs
Debs at her commissioning service with Normand, Norbert, Mark, and Barbara.
Rev. Debs Moyo was commissioned to her new role as the National Director for Threshold Ministries (Street Hope Victoria’s parent organization) in a ceremony at Church of Our Lord on February 22, 2024.
Friends of Street Hope, Normand and Mark, shared poems at Deb’s commissioning service, which you can read below.
Heaven by Normand the Poet
As you knock on the door, Jesus Christ is already there to open the door to welcome you as the prodigal son you are to the Almighty God from heaven.
A new day is your gift as a blessing of God, as the red carpet of your life is unfolding under your feet onto the destiny of yours to makes the called of your purpose onto the earth.
Suffering is a cost we have to sweat into our souls through our emotional mind and state into our existence.
It is the gold of life in which God Almighty recognises the values of sacrifice of a spiritual being for the love have for Jesus Christ.
Charity is showing, love to God for the sake of good unto yourself. Sacrifice for your neighbour by being an example as a child of God onto this earth.
Forgiveness is a pathway of love as Jesus Christ wants us to use it.
As we are going through the valley of the shadows of death onto the heartsoul as we experience compassion for the neighbour into our life.
Humility will be done onto the meekness of ourselves as we identified the Christ inside us.
God loves us so much that he gives his only son. Then through Jesus Christ as above, as we accept him, we will be saved.
Redemption is love as a key of life it is part of heaven
home sweet home with our Father in heaven.
Street Hope Victoria by Mark Idczak
What is Street Hope? Is it another mere band aid attempt to try and solve poverty?
By the grace of God in us, we go into the world.
We are to be the compassionate soul of Jesus Christ, unspeakable, as we minister to a hurting damaged world.
Love God with all your soul, mind and strength.
Love your neighbour as well.
We all live in a flawed existence with all kinds of people.
Many people that have serious problems of affliction, paralysing addiction, need our love in copious amounts.
Everyone needs and deserves to be loved.
Let us embrace the hurting people with the same love as our Lord expressed to his adversaries as he lay bound to the cross.
Jesus is there to love unconditionally, provide restoration, miraculous healing to all.
Let us follow in the master’s footsteps. Everyone needs a hero, angel.
Street Hope is here to provide hope to make everyone cope.
Jesus is our one and only hope, to pull the rope at Street Hope.
Questions about Street Hope Victoria, or want to get involved? Email Debs at deborah@thresholdministries.ca for more info!
January 2024 - Quarterly Updates
Please watch the video above to hear updates from our three missions partners! And read on below for more details on how to pray for and support these organizations.
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Center & Macad Family Update
Macad Family:
We hope and pray that you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. We have been back in the Philippines for a full year now after our furlough year in Canada. There have been quite a few changes for us – but also a lot of things that remain the same!
Emmaus (15) started boarding school in August at Faith Academy in Manila. This is an American school which was created for missionary kids in Asia. Most of the students live with their families close by, but some live in dorms with other kids whose families live in other parts of Asia. Emmaus has joined the rugby team this Fall which is a great outlet for him. Georgia has been to visit him a few times since August and the family video chats regularly.
Lucas (13) has started attending the local public high school with thousands of other local kids! He is getting back into the swing of learning Filipino again and has joined the basketball program there.
Zion (11) is back at his old school where he attended before Covid. He was remembered by all his old classmates, and this made the transition back to regular school a lot easier. He spends most of his free time playing basketball and biking with neighborhood friends.
Achao has a few different projects on the go (farming, renovations, and repairs) and he has been driving staff and visitors all over the island (Luzon) for various seminars and events.
Georgia had many opportunities this year to invest in local midwives at the clinic as well as the surrounding community. She will finish her dissertation in January and is excited to see what new opportunities her degree will open for her to advance midwifery and maternal health care in the Philippines.
The Abundant clinic staff continue to care for hundreds of women every year. Every family that comes to our clinic is prayed for and cared for like a family member. We are very blessed to be able to offer competent and compassionate midwifery care for all families, no matter what situation they are in.
Thank you for being a part of the wonderful group of supporters that makes it possible for us to be here working in the Philippines!
Love, Achao, Georgia, Emmaus, Lucas, and Zion
Our Center:
Our clinic has been busy this last quarter of 2023!
This month of November we had 30 babies born under the loving and competent care of the Abundant midwives. First time mothers attended labor and birth seminars led by Abundant staff midwives, and Georgia travelled to Manila to offer a neonatal resuscitation training for some amazing local midwives. We continue advocate for equity in maternal health care in Kalinga and for empowering of local midwives.
Thank you for your support as we share God's love in this practical way in the Philippines!
Thank you for Sponsoring and Supporting AGGMC & The Macad Family
To Support for the Center:
Please click on the yellow icon
To Support the Macad Family:
Please click on the red logo
Prayer Requests:
Thank you for praying for us!
Please pray for:
Lucas and Zion to continue adjusting back to the local school
Georgia to complete her dissertation on time! (Jan 24)
Achao's safety as he drives patients, visitors and staff.
Emmaus to have a good end to his first semester at Faith Academy.
Thank you for all your prayers and support throughout the year!!
Street Hope Victoria Reflections
“How’s that chimney of yours?” came belting out of a tent on Pandora Avenue. It was King David. This one was never a shepherd, but he used to be a stone mason. When we met about 10 years ago, he introduced himself to me as King David, and the name has stuck. At that point, Street Hope was using an RV, and people would join us in the renovated space and enjoy a cup of soup and a sandwich. One evening I was behind the sandwich counter, making countless cheese whizz, PB and J, or Nutella sandwiches to order, and King David started telling me about his life as a stone mason. At that point, my husband, Tim, and I were about to start some renovations on our house, and I asked him how hard it would be to take down a chimney. Not hard at all, apparently (which we soon learned was true), and received detailed step-by-step instructions (and a healthy dose of confidence that yes, indeed we could do it).
And so, on that recent December evening when we were spending time with some people in the Pandora community, King David’s comment was a reminder of what he had given me and who he is. He is more than a person experiencing homelessness, or a recipient of our good intentions. He is a man with significant experience that he has generously shared, and that I have benefited from. As ungainly as it may be, we are in community.
King David enjoying a letter in his Christmas bag.
Giving out the Christmas bags to our neighbours in the Pandora community is always a delight. Often, something happens that shows us that God has it covered.
Although there is a posted list of suggested items to be packed in the Christmas bags, there is usually an interesting assortment of things that people pack into them. It’s impossible for us to match the present with the person, let alone go through each bag and note the items. We do pray though that God would match the gift with the person. Well once again, this past December when we were giving out the Christmas bags, God joined in and had some fun.
“Leddiygs!” I heard, and saw something being twirled in the air. I didn’t quite get what was being shouted, so I crouched down beside a young woman who was sitting on the cold, damp sidewalk on Pandora in front of Our Place. She was twirling a dark coloured clothing item in the air while various items from a Christmas bag tumbled off her lap onto the ground. I had to ask her repeatedly what she was saying, and with a huge sigh, and exaggerated slowness she enunciated “leggings, I got leggings in my Christmas bag.”
Leggings are a very unusual item to be put in a Christmas bag; they are not on the list of suggested items, and the usual clothing items include a hat, gloves or socks. The woman plucked at the leggings she was wearing. “I only ever wear leggings and now I can take these off and wash them and wear these new ones.” She was thrilled. I saw God wink.
Thank you for Praying and Giving
Please continue to pray for SHV and the people living on Pandora especially as the days and night gets colder. Pray that through our words and actions we may be able to share the warmth and love of Jesus and they may know his great love for them. Thank you for your support!
Supporters can either e-transfer to financial thresholdminitries.ca or cheque with SHV in the comments.
If you wish to pay any other format, please click here if you’d like to support SHV!
InterVarsity Victoria: Ministry of Encounter
Snapshots of Evangelism in Victoria
Two years ago, I moved to Victoria and began praying for God to send us students who were curious and open to exploring faith. Since we started praying, there has been a steady stream of spiritually curious, non-religious students participating in our fellowships. We love them!
These students are like Cae, a student who is a practicing Wicca and got involved in our Camosun lunch and discussion group last winter. Cae dropped by our group, after hearing our meaningful and fun conversations go on in the classroom next door to us for several months while she ate her lunch alone. Now, we are Cae’s primary student community and Cae is excited to join us for scripture camp in May.
These students are also like Victor, an international student from Nigeria. Victor dropped by our Open House Dinner & Discussion Group in November with two of his friends. Now he’s a regular and already texting me to ask what “Pastor Alan” believes on this or that issue.
Students who follow Jesus in Victoria are taking notice and are recognizing that their friends are encountering God in our fellowships in Victoria. Students like Simon are making radical choices to be generous with their money by covering half of the food costs at our weekly Open House. Why? Because he wants the way he uses his money to show his love and commitment to serving as a faithful witness here in Victoria on his university campus. We’re praying for more student leaders like Simon.
Positive Public Presence at UVIC
Last spring, we hosted an Amazing Race competition on campus. Planed by five students, hosted with thirty volunteers, we were blown away by the 100 students and 30 volunteers who joined us for the event. Will you help us run a second Amazing Race event this year?
To give to our Growing Momentum Fundraising Initiative, click here!
2024 Fundraising Target
Thank you for partnering together with the witnessing communities God is planting at UVIC & Camosun College! I am anticipating a need of $1700/month for the upcoming 2024 year. Would you consider making a special gift of $1000’s or more this year?
To partner with Alan and give online, please click here!
Thank you for your constant prayerful and financial support to make this student ministry a success here in Victoria, BC!
Sponsor a Mom and Baby This Christmas! Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre
Thank you for considering a donation to our missions partner, The Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre in the Philippines! Please click here to read the latest newsletter from AGGMC, scroll to the bottom of this page for the newest vidoes, and read on below for instructions about how to sponsor pre-natal and post-natal patient care in the Philippines this Christmas!
How to sponsor:
Make a donation with a credit card through MSC Canada by using this link. All donations are tax receipt-able.
Email director@abundantgraceofgod.com and let Georgia know that you have made a donation, and which items you would like to sponsor. OR, let AGGMC direct the funds as needed.
Options for sponsorships:
Dating Ultrasound for 1 Pregnant Woman - $25.00
9 Months of Prenatal Vitamins for 1 Pregnant Woman - $25.00
Complete Prenatal Visits for 1 Pregnant Woman - $50.00
Labor and Birth care for 1 Woman and Baby - $50.00
Postpartum and Well-baby Care for 6 weeks After Birth - $50.00
Complete Course of Maternity Care for 1 mom and baby (all of the above services included) - $200.00
1-month internship for a student or newly qualified midwife - $100.00
Please feel free to reach out to Georgia at director@abundantgraceofgod.com if you have any questions.
PLUS! See the newest videos from the AGGMC YouTube Channel!
M2M SUMMER UPDATE
Happy September!
We are excited to give you an update on what our three mission outreach organizations and individuals have been up to this summer!!
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre
Writer: Georgia Macad
Transitions
These last few months have brought some changes to our family. Emmaus has officially started grade 9 at Faith Academy in Manila. This has been something we have been praying and thinking about for a long time and something Emmaus has been excited about. He is getting so grown up!
Another new transition is that we have another teenager in the house! Lucas celebrated his 13th birthday with a dozen friends at a local pool. It is so hot in Tabuk these days that the pool was like a giant hot tub ...yuck!
But the boys had fun :)
Lucas starts grade 8 at the local high school in a few weeks. Another big change for him.
Achao and I brought him to the school at the beginning of August to meet his dorm parents and get him settled in. He is in the boy's dorm with 11 other teenage boys and his dorm family.
His dorm parents are Canadian and their eldest is Emmaus' age and loves basketball as well.
She keeps sending me pictures (because Emmaus refuses to - ha!). It seems like he is having a great time and fitting in really well so far.
Zion will be going back to his old elementary school for grade 5. When we went to enroll him today, he was remembered by all his former classmates from Grade 1! (the last time he was in a local school).
That was really nice for him and will make it easier for him to accept that he needs to cut his hair short again ;).
In June, B-lyn (my staff midwife) and I had the opportunity to attend the International Confederation of Midwives Congress in Bali, Indonesia. We both found ourselves inspired by midwives from all around the world working together to make childbirth safer. I was also able to meet some of my Master's cohort from the UK in person (above).
In July our clinic received our own Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) machine and a team of trainers from a Davao-based mission to teach us how to use it. This machine has already made a huge impact in the lives of our pateints. We have dozens of stories already of how being able to provide free access to ultrasound has improved outcomes for moms and babies.
In July we also had our first staff retreat since before the pandemic. We packed up all 25 of us and drove to the closest beach with white sand that we could find :). We enjoyed our time together swimming, eating, building sandcastles and taking selfies! Our good friend Cathee Mapes joined us as our guest speaker and inspired us to continue in our mission to provide: " Always Godly and Good Maternal (and newborn) Care."
Our training of local midwives in Neonatal Resuscitation was a success. To celebrate International Day of the Midwife we trained 30 local midwives in this important skill.
This August we have begun providing prenatal care to another area in Tabuk City. Some of our clients travel a long way to see us every month and we are trying to be more accessible to them. Our partnering radiologist who provides official ultrasounds at our clinic offered us the use of one of the offices in her clinic every Monday.
We are closing in on 4000 births at our clinic. We are always honored when mothers come to us for care and especially when they bring their sisters and cousins with them! The picture above is cousins and brothers, all born at Abundant, meeting the newest member of the family.
Praise and Prayer:
Praise God for our ultrasound machine that is already making a big impact in the lives of our patients. Thank you to everyone who helped fund it!
Please pray for Emmaus as he transitions to life in a dorm and a very academic year of school. Pray for his mom too - that she wont miss him too much!
Please pray with us for sufficient funding for Emmaus' tuition and boarding fees. We are getting the 'missionary rate' which we are so thankful for! It is still a big expense for us though.
Please pray the upcoming year of school for Lucas and Zion. For positive experiences and great teachers.
Please pray for new opportunities in this next quarter to bring God's compassion and love to more families of Kalinga. We are praying about new villages to serve.
Thank you for your support everyone
To support the Macad family please click on the MSC logo above.
To support theclinic, please click on the MSC logo above.
Blessings from the Macad Family to yours!
Georgia Macad & AGGMC
director@abundantgraceofgod.com
Street Hope Victoria
Writer: Debs Moyo
Hello Table Church!
I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer!
Over the summer months at SHV we’ve met many new faces on Pandora Avenue as an increasing number of people have made it their home. Tuesday evenings are full of meeting new people and saying hello to those we’ve got to know over the summer. There have been quite a few weeks we’ve run out of food halfway down the block. Because of this we’ve started to alternate the side of the road we start on.
A group of ladies from Lighthouse Church continue to make the soup for each month. I’ll be away visiting family and friends back in the UK for October so on Saturday we made enough soup for two months!
If you’d be interested in joining us for soup making on a Saturday morning, please do send me an email.
Food for Thought….
A long time friend of SHV, Normand, he’s really our resident poet, recently wrote a poem called ‘Humility’ one of the verses says this:
“Unto Jesus Christ my saviour, I put my faith,
as he is the shepherd who is the guardian of my soul.
He has guided me through the labyrinth of life.”
We know Jesus calls us each by name. Please continue to pray for those we meet on Pandora, that they may know Jesus as their shepherd, the one who calls them, will guard them, and guide them. Also, for those who do know Jesus, that even in difficult circumstances they may share his Good News.
If you’d be interested in praying with us on a regular basis, Eleanor and I meet on Wednesday morning to prayer walk for about 30 minutes around Pandora Avenue – you’d be so welcome to join us!
Over the summer we’ve gotten to know J. He told me the other week that he’d recently reconnected with his son and is transitioning to move in with him over the next number of weeks. It’s such great news when we hear people are transitioning to becoming housed again!
Please pray for J and his son and for the peace of God to dwell in their home.
Come Volunteer With Us!
If you’d be interested in volunteering on a Tuesday evening with SHV or getting involved in any of the other ways I’ve mentioned please get in touch, I’d love to hear from you!
Thank you for all your continued support, whether prayer, time, financial, or resources. You are such a gift!
Debs moyo
deborah@thresholdministries.ca
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship: UVIC & Camosun College
Writer: Alan Thorimbert
Our Common Journey
When I was growing up, I don't remember a lot of teens around my age being very passionate about prayer. Getting any of us to pray, privately or publically, typically was a bit like pulling teeth.
And yet, isn't cultivating a spiritual life a key part of youth ministry? Or of any ministry? Last year, when I agreed to return to Pioneer to help with the Leader-in-Program, Vanessa Kordupal, one of InterVarsity's high school campus directors, confirmed this to me by telling me that a good LIT program would help teens to begin hearing and discerning how God is speaking to them.
Value & Normalcy of Boredom
First, I hosted a session early on in the program on the value and normalcy of boredom. Perhaps an odd thing to teach at summer kids camp, and yet, wow, did the session bear fruit. In the photo above, you can see students encountering God through the Ignatian practice of Examen on our trip. For a whole hour and a half, the LITs spent time in silence, walking through a self-guided Examen. When they returned, many came back with stories of how they had encountered. One LIT named it as one of the highlights of the program, due to how the space the Examen gave her the need space to process her emotions around living with the aftereffects of a concussion. Beautiful! Praise God!
LIT Out-Trip Adventures!
Over the last two years, my key concern for the LIT program at Pioneer has been to think about the spiritual formation parts of the program. This year I did two new things to help Pioneer's LITs grow in the practice of prayer.
Creating a Prayer Booklet
The second innovation this year was to create a small booklet full of written prayers and spiritual practices from the LIT program. The booklet was partially inspired by Every Moment Holy, a book of prayers I find helpful, as well as one of last year's who shared with me in December that he has lost all the spiritual practice handouts I had given him during the program. I called the booklet 'Our Common Journey' and I was not prepared for the influence it had.
A part of Pioneer's program involves, passing on the leadership of the morning devotions in the second week to the LIT's in the second week. I was amazed at how the LITs repeatedly chose to use the prayer booklet in their planning. Actually, I think the booklet was more helpful for their preparations than the handout document I reached for the LIT's to plan devotions. Repeatedly, the LIT's chose to merge their own ideas for devotions with practices and prayers from the booklet.
However, even more profound, was the ways that the booklet, helped the LIT's discover how their faith in Jesus should lead them to live undivided lives.
One of the most profound moments of prayer was on the first night of the trip when I read one of the prayers from the booklet titled, "For the First Out-trip Meal'. The prayer goes like this:
Are you ready?
looking at the thunder of the packed, frozen soup, you might not be
you might be thinking, the camp stove too small, the propane bottles too few
the hunger of your peers – too loud.
Are you ready?
a miracle is about to collapse into this community
Moroccan stew become the King’s feast
provision greeted with whales in the bay
Are you ready, Servant?
As I finished reading this prayer in front of our camp stove, I heard one of the LITs say, "Woah. That's what we're doing here." There were nods from the rest of the LITs.
Boredom and beauty! That seems to be the secret sauce for helping Gen Z grow in prayer. I hope you'll join me in praying for this year's LIT's as they serve at camp this summer.
InterVarsity At UVIC and Camosun for 2023-2024
Prayer Requests
Pray for students' curiosity towards our student fellowships and to Jesus will lead them to begin to encounter God.
Summer Bible Study - Pray that students would encounter God through the study of Ephesians.
Summer of Fun - Pray for my continued partnership with the Table Church, as we host fun gatherings for students in Victoria over the summer months.
Pray for students graduating and/or moving on to new programs
InterVarsity New Staff Training - Pray for me as I begin to prepare to lead a small group for InterVarsity's staff training for our new first-year staff.
Ways to Give
Online to Personal Fund: https://ivcf.ca/donate/athorimbert
Online to Uvic Fund: Go to https://ivcf.ca/donate/ and in the 'Select Designation' box choose the University of Victoria
Cheque mailed to InterVarsity. Please include in the memo: Alan Thorimbert - Undergraduate Campus Minister
Thank you Table Community for your constant support!
Alan Thorimbert
athorimbert@ivcf.ca
M2M QUARTERLY UPDATE: SPRING EDITION 2023
Hello friends! Welcome to the Spring Edition of the M2M Committee’s Blogpost!
Before we begin, please take some time and listen from our three partners in this video below :)
Abundant grace of god maternity clinc
We started 2023 with a wonderful visit from my sister MJ and her family who spent 2 weeks with us exploring the Philippines and meeting Achao's family in Bugnay. Don't let my mother-in-laws's face fool you - it was a great time of our two families connecting in the village :).
Prior to my family's arrival, a nurse-midwife from Holland arrived to spend 6 weeks volunteering at the clinic. She spent time training some of our newly hired midwives and also visited the Bugnay clinic where she assisted with a birth and then accompanied us on outreach to Buscalan.
After 3 years of limited travel, locally and otherwise, we have started our regular outreaches into the community again and attending clinical trainings and conferences.
The next few months will be filled with more conferences, leading local midwifery workshops in Tabuk City, hosting some International midwifery students and interns all while caring for many local families through their pregnancies.
Abundant Grace of God clinic recieves a certificate of appreciation for our partnership with Kalinga State University's midwifery program.
Some of the amazing team of midwives that run the daily operations of the clinic so well! We have 10 full-time midwives right now to keep up with all our patients.
Achao has been hard at work on multiple renovation, furniture and mechanical projects since being back!
MACAD FAMILY updates
Our family is doing well, and the kids have almost finished their year of homeschooling. All I can say about that experience is that we survived!
Some exciting news for Emmaus is that he was accepted to Faith Academy in Manila for next school year. This is an American International school that caters to missionary kids from all over the Philippines and Asia. Emmaus will be staying in a dormitory with other students and a host family.
BIG changes for all of us! Prayers greatly appreciated!
Praise & Prayer updates:
Praise:
Praise God for the support from our beloved Table community who raised $1275.00 towards a purchase an ultrasound machine to be able to offer free ultrasounds to all of our patients.
Praise God for a great time with our family when they visited in February.
Prayer:
Please pray for the final months of school for the kids and new experiences for all of them next school year.
Please pray for our first time leading a workshop for local government midwives - that good relationships will be built.
To support the Macad Family, please click on the MSC image below :)
To support the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic, please click on the MSC image below :)
Thank you for continuing to support and pray for us! Being able to live here and support the families of Kalinga is a privilege that we dont take for granted!
Street hope victoria (SHV)
At Street Hope Victoria we celebrated the risen Lord Jesus by giving out Easter bags filled with chocolate, sweets, cookies, granola bars, poems, and a book about Easter.
Thank you so much for all the goodies you gave and for all the baking that was done! Because of your generosity we were able to give out an incredible 127 Easter bags! It was wonderful to be able to share the joy of Easter in this way with people who are living their lives on Pandora Avenue.
Over the past month a few of us have been prayer walking around the city on a Wednesday morning, praying especially for those who find themselves without a home or suffering from substance abuse, or in a cycle of poverty for whatever reason.
If you’d like to join us on a Wednesday morning just let me know, or if Wednesday mornings don’t suit you, it would be great to have multiple groups throughout the week praying on the streets of our city. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, please do get in touch with me as well!
Our soup making at Street Hope Victoria has become an industrialised operation over the last couple of months! A Missional Community from Lighthouse Church is using the kitchen at COOL to make enough soup for the month. This is a great step in making SHV more sustainable for the future. We have also seen a few more people volunteering with us on a Tuesday evening which is exciting.
Thank you again, so much, for your continued prayer, time, support, and generosity! So grateful to God for you all at The Table!
Debs
Street Hope Victoria Outreach Director
deborah@thresholdministries.ca
praise & prayer updates:
A longtime Street Hope friend :)
Praise:
Praise for a successful Easter treat turnout.
Praise for the soup makers, new volunteers and making new connections with people.
Prayer:
Pray for those who received the Easter book and poems that they would be open to hearing Jesus calling them by name.
Pray for Debs and Mandla Moyo as they continue to settle into Victoria’s vibrant community.
Thank you for your constant prayers, Support and time :)
intervarsity christian fellowship university of victoria (UVIC) | Camosun college
"I don't know why I didn't expect this, but I didn't expect for people to be so welcoming. I expected people to be cliquey and awkward. But people were really kind."
"InterVarsity really values people's cultural backgrounds. Like everything seems to be done so intentionally about creating space for people from different cultural backgrounds.
"I'm really thankful Alan was so persistent in inviting me. Like it took four times, but I am thankful he didn't stop."
"People really value growing spirituality there. I don't know, but being at spring camp taught me its really important to invest in your spirituality. I'm not a Christian and I don't know where to start, but I know I want to invest."
"That was the best Bible study I've ever been to. Your application question - about success and trustworthiness - that's the exact thing I'm wrestling with. This summer I'm beginning a new job and I'm asking that exact question."
"Thank you for praying with me. God really met me there. But it was after when he did the miracle."
Talk about encountering the Creator in scripture, in community, in nature, and in prayer. These are just a few of the comments that Terri and I have received from students in Victoria who attended InterVarsity's annual spring scripture camp.
We brought 16 students and two volunteers to Pioneer Pacific Camp. Four of these students did not identify as followers of Jesus and the majority of these students had never participated in an inductive bible study.
But it's not just about the numbers. These students had beautiful and meaningful encounters with Jesus within the gospel of Luke. Through the comments above, you can see how he welcomed them with big open arms. We are excited to see how they continue to respond to his wondrous hospitality.
As you read through this newsletter, may Creator encourage you with the many ways that students continue to encounter Jesus along his way of welcome.
encounter stories
One of the highlights from this past winter semester was our Reading Break Retreat on Denman Island. Above our students can be seen enjoying a delicious Bibimbap meal. We were really intentional with modeling Kingdom hospitality through different cultural cuisines (My favorite meal was cooking a Brazilian Stroganoff Cristiano, with one of our Brazilian students).
One moment at the retreat stands out above the rest. After our first meal, as I was washing dishes, I heard one of our students from a Sikh background ask another student to tell him her story. She began sharing the story of how she first encountered God, and within minutes I watched as students began listening in and then began creating small groups of their own where they began to share similar stories.
What a marvelous moment of community and faithful witnessing! It was beautiful and sacred!
Many of these students attended our spring scripture camp with us and have begun participating our leading our summer Bible Study of Ephesians.
campus community fellowship at uvic & camosun college
This spring, we hosted a massive Amazing Race event on campus. Our hope was to increase our presence on campus, create spaces for our students to grow in influence, and build trust with their friends and peers.
The race was a lot of work, but great fun. We were incredibly thankful for the thirty volunteers who helped us run this event.
We look forward to hosting similar outreach events with our students next year.
We've been really thankful to see students stepping up to lead this semester.
One of my favorite examples of this was a prayer meeting for student movements around the world, that was hosted by one of our student leaders. What made this time so special, was the time the student leader took to reach out to leaders and members of global, student fellowships.
We prayed for students in Turkey and Iran and Ukraine and Belarus as well as the student fellowships here in British Columbia.
One of my favorite and most hilarious moments this past year was a debate that began at Camosun College during our Lunchbox Chats about whether pizza or quesadillas were better. The debate ended with one of the students exclaiming joyfully that he would make Quesadillas for us all the next week.
The next week I showed up early to set up and discovered that this non-religious student had invited three of his friends to come to help him prep food for that week. What a surprise! The day continued to get better as more of this student's friends, including one of his professors, showed up and joined in our weekly conversation while enjoying some tasty Mexican food.
Journeying With Curious Non-Religious Students - An Update -
Update on our 'Thomas Hobbes' Student - This student is still home in Bangladesh but he continues to ask me questions about following God over Whatsapp. A month ago, he asked for a few spiritual exercises to try out and I introduced him to the Examen practice. I'm excited for this student to return to Victoria in September, so he can study the Bible with our fellowship in person.
From praying with crystals to attending spring camp: Earlier this semester, a non-religious student shared with me that he often prays with crystals and sometimes feels drawn to read Genesis. I was super excited when he responded to my first invite to spring camp by joyfully exclaiming, "I think I would love that."
One of my favorite moments at spring camp occurred after the first session of musical worship at camp. I asked this student how he was finding the camp and he said, "I am so glad I'm here. I'm really loving this Jesus. Can I get a Bible? I think I need to spend like two years really figuring this Christianity thing out."
Praise the LORD! Yes! We can definitely get you a Bible. (We did, and I spent the rest of camp watching this student reading it in his free time.). Upon returning from camp, this student has committed to taking the next year to read the Bible and explore ONLY the Christian faith.
summer plans
As many of you know, summers can look a little bit different from our regular semesters. Here are a few things that I am looking forward to this summer:
Leader's-In-Training Program (July 1-15) - I'll be helping out with this leader's program for high school students again. My role will be in hosting sessions on prayer and creative engagements. Which pretty much sounds like the best roles ever.
Wedding Seasons - I have several weddings which I'm a part of this summer. Pray for me as I travel and prepare for the various roles I hold in each of the celebrations.
Summer of Fun - I'm partnering with my church, the Table, to host a series of fun gatherings for students in Victoria
Vacation - I am looking forward to time to rest and time to visit Rivendell, one of my favorite retreat centers.
partnership opportunities | praise & prayer updates:
Hey friends! Thank you so much for partnering with me financially and in prayer. It has been beautiful to watch God provide. For the 2022-23 school year, I look forward to seeing how God might use any additional funds that might come in throughout the upcoming year to empower students to be missionaries on their university campus this year. If you are considering making a special donation, I would like to encourage you to consider giving to the InterVarsity UVIC fund. I've provided the link below.
We want to also thank all our volunteers who partnered with us in our ministry throughout this past year! We enjoyed celebrating the year with you through our Volunteer Appreciation Dessert Night!
Ways To Give:
Online to Personal Fund: Click here.
Online to Uvic Fund: Click here and in the 'Select Designation' box choose the University of Victoria.
Cheque mailed to InterVarsity: InterVarsity, 1 International Boulevard,Toronto, ON M9W 6H3
Please include in the memo: Alan Thorimbert - Undergraduate Campus Minister
If you are already a monthly donor, would like to increase your regular giving, or would like to transfer your donation to another staff or campus ministry – you may also contact Donor Services at donorservices@ivcf.ca or at 1-800-668-9766
Join our Intercessory WhatsApp Group to stay up to date on a bi-weekly basis:
Are you interested in receiving a bi-weekly message about how you can be praying for students in Victoria? We'd love to invite you to partner with us in prayer by joining us on WhatsApp. Message me if you would like to join the group.
Prayer Updates:
Pray for students' curiosity towards our student fellowships and to Jesus will lead them to begin to encounter God.
Summer Bible Study - Pray that students would encounter God as student leaders host a summer Bible study of Ephesians this summer.
Summer of Fun - Pray for my continued partnership with the Table Church, as we host fun gatherings for students in Victoria over the summer months.Pray for students graduating and/or moving on to new programs
Help the AGGMC Buy a New Ultrasound Machine!
Update, Monday, May 29: We made it to our goal! Thank you so much for your support for this project - as of today we’ve raised $1,275.00 to support the purchase of an Ultrasound Machine for the AGGMC. Thank you again!
Friends, please read on below to learn about the need for a new Ultrasound System for our ministry partners at the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre. As you will read, they have already fundraised about two thirds of the money needed for this project. We would like to raise $1,000 towards this project.
You can donate by cash, cheque, or e-transfer to donors@tablechurch.ca (these are the preferred options as there are no fees!). Please ensure the memo is “AGGMC Fundraiser.” You can also donate to this project through the Table Church with a credit card by clicking here.
We will be collecting donations until May 31. Questions? Reach out to us at m2m@tablechurch.ca.
Proposal: Point of Care Ultrasound System (PCUS) for Abundant Grace of God Maternity Center, Inc.
What is the need:
The Abundant Grace of God Maternity Center has been serving the families of Kalinga, Philippines with high quality maternity care since 2007. Since opening we have cared for thousands of families and almost 4000 babies have been born safely at our facility. The staff of AGGMC have also trained dozens of local midwives and offered clinical exposure to hundreds of local midwifery students.
Prenatal care is one of the most important aspects of maternity care and is integral to women having good outcomes in pregnancy. Our goal is to see women regularly throughout their pregnancies from the time they discover they are pregnant until they give birth and then for 6 weeks postpartum.
Having access to ultrasounds in pregnancy is something that we in High Income countries (HIC) take for granted as a part of basic pregnancy care. Here in Kalinga, women need to pay for their own ultrasounds which can cost almost two day’s wage. This amount is not always feasible for the families who make only enough money to buy their daily needs.
Most of our patients can usually only manage to pay for one ultrasound in pregnancy (and sometimes not even that) they typically wait until late in pregnancy to get it done. This is because of the belief that a later ultrasound will give them more information and since they can only afford one, they prefer to wait until later on when the gender can more easily be determined.
We at AGGMC have been working at educating mothers on the importance of early ultrasounds as these are the most helpful clinically because first trimester ultrasounds can estimate a much more accurate due date. This is the most important information because it offers more insight into the health of the pregnancy as a whole. For example, we are able to tell when there may be growth restriction with the baby instead of incorrect dating, or we are able to instruct women more effectively if they are post-dates. However, even with education and advice, most of our patients are still choosing to wait until the end of pregnancy for their ultrasound. We want to do something about this.
How the ultrasound will help: Being able to purchase our own POCUS machine will enable us to offer free in-house ultrasounds to all of our patients in the first trimester which will allow us to date pregnancies more accurately so that we could give better and more informed care to our patients. We will also be able to offer free ultrasounds for baby’s positions, gender, etc, later in pregnancy. (Patients may still be required to have official ultrasound readings, or more in-depth exams if there are problems detected.)
Details on Butterfly ultrasound: The Butterfly is a point of care ultrasound which consists of a probe that we would connect to an iPad or tablet. We asked for advice from the directors of a birthing home that is similar to ours, and they recommended this brand of device as it good quality, affordable and portable. We will offer all of our patients free dating ultrasounds early in pregnancy at our clinic as well as bring the device to our clinic in Bugnay and on outreach to surrounding villages to ensure that all of our patients would benefit.
Do we know how to use this device?: We are fortunate to have connections with multiple professionals who are willing to train our staff on the use of the ultrasound – a local radiologist, a missionary doctor and a missionary ultrasound technologist.
Number of beneficiaries expected: Currently we care for approximately 600 patients a year. Since this will be a free service, we would expect that almost all 600 patients would benefit.
Cost: The cost of the device (including one-year membership to the training platform) is $3371.05USD. We would need to purchase a tablet to use with it which is estimated to cost $300USD. Total: $3671.00
Amount received to date: To date we have raised $2,000USD for the device.
Amount to raise: $1671.00
When funds are needed: Since a local missionary doctor will be returning from the US to the Philippines in May, we had a unique opportunity to order the device immediately so that it could be brought back with him. We will need to complete the payment for the device as soon as possible.
For more information on the device: https://store.butterflynetwork.com/us/en/product-flow/step-1
For more information on the project: Please contact Georgia Macad at director@abundantgraceofgod.com
Perspectives From a New Street Hope Volunteer (March, 2023)
Eleanor Protheroe has recently begun volunteering with Street Hope. I asked her to share some of her impressions. Here is what she shared.
Street Hope Surprises
I didn’t think I had any preconceived ideas about what a Tuesday evening with Street Hope would be like, but there were some surprises, so I suppose I did. The Street Hope group began with a brief prayer (no surprise) before heading out with the wagons loaded with soup, sandwiches, juice boxes, water, socks, mitts, and a few blankets. Almost forgot to mention the cookies and licorice (though personally I think black licorice is much better than red licorice but it wasn’t for me anyways). As we wandered down Pandora Avenue, we met both men and women (though a preponderance of men) ages about 20 – 70 I would guess. Some had obvious physical or mental health ailments, some appeared comatose, many were actively using, and a few appeared to be simply homeless with no obvious substance issues (but what do I know?). Surprising to me was that, even though there was drug paraphernalia everywhere, there was no foul language and no rudeness; most people were very polite, some appeared to be embarrassed, and almost everyone expressed genuine gratitude for the soup, sandwiches, drink boxes, water, socks, and gloves (cookies and licorice too). One young man asked why we were doing this, and there were many expressions of ‘You guys are the best.’ On my second night out one woman, after receiving some hot soup, asked if she could give me a hug, and we exchanged hugs. Last night I prayed with a man who was planning to go into rehab soon and simply said he needed help, not monetary help, but help to live with himself and overcome the trauma of his abuse.
I can’t help but wonder about all the other various stories of deep suffering that this homeless population is trying to escape. I do know our Heavenly Father knows them all and cares deeply; reaching out with food and drink and some socks and gloves to stave off the hunger and cold is the least that we can do.
As well, I wonder what else he wants to do through us and the giftings he has given us, to bring healing on the streets of Victoria.
Missions Update: February 2023
We are so thankful that we can begin this year with the ongoing support of the three local, national, and international missions we are committed to walking with. The enthusiastic engagement of the Table community in various initiatives that we have done over the past year has been so encouraging. Some of these initiatives included the missions panel, Easter treat bags for the Street Hope community, supplying Abundant Grace of God maternity clinic with a doppler, assisting Liz Snell with her textbook expenses or providing the Street Hope community with gift boxes. This was on top of your continued prayerful support and the annual financial commitment to each mission.
Updated information on the missions we support is HERE! Or, read on below.
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic, Philippines
The Macad Family Serving in Kalinga, Philippines
Just wanted to send a quick note to say Happy New Year to all of you who have been praying for and supporting our family and the clinic this past 2022.
We ended the year here with a fun clinic Christmas party and it was good to be all together again. If you want to see what a typical Filipino Christmas feast looks like (minus the cookies) have a look!!
Filipino Party Games
For a look at some Filipino Christmas party games look below here!
You have to get the Oreo cookie from your forehead to your mouth without touching it!
Below is a small sample of the many staff kids, and don’t think the staff didn’t stand up to the challenge, especially when prizes were involved!
Thank God with us for a new Abundant staff baby born late in November!!
Prayer and Praises
Prayer:
So, on the day of our clinic Xmas party Achao got in a car accident. It wasn't serious although the guy on the motorcycle broke his leg. Any kind of accident here is very complicated so please pray for peace and healing for all involved.
Please pray for Emmaus as he has the opportunity to attend an Outdoor Ed camp with an International school in February.
Praise:
Thank God with us for 3 new staff midwives currently in training, and 1 new social worker.
Thank God with us for a good Board of Trustees meeting in November!
To support the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Center please click here, and thank you!
To support the Macad Family please click here, and thank you!
Alan Thorimbert
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship:
Victoria | BC
Merry Christmas, Friends!
This Advent I have found myself increasingly drawn to the imagery of light found in dark places. The narratives surrounding our Creator's incarnation. in the gospels are full of this imagery. The magi following a great star. The angelic light encountered by the Shepherds. The opening chapter of John's gospel reminds us that Jesus was present as the Trinity before creation. The imagery is everywhere.
As I reflect on this past semester, I see so much of the Creator's light being made manifest in our world. Mundane and often ordinary, the light can often go unnoticed, but it is there. Vibrant and full of life. Persistent and hope-inspiring.
It is there being birthed in our UVIC Discovery Cohort as UVIC students are taking up the mantle of hospitality and are learning to hear our Creator's voice through group spiritual direction.
It is there at Camosun, just underneath the surface of the non-religious students' despair around the state of the world and deep within their yearnings for something more, something greater.
It is there in my meetings over coffee with the male students I am mentoring as they journey through the dark days of wrestling with issues of mental health and loneliness.
And most definitely, the Creator's light was present at our Christmas party in December.
I hope you'll delight in this photographic journey through the highlights of the great feast of which we ended our school year together. It was an incredible celebration, and according to our one non-religious friend from Dhaka, it was the "highlight of his semester."
I hope the pictures and stories can encourage you all as well!
Prayer Requests
January is coming to an end and we are excited to enter into February. God has been faithful in walking with us and students here in Victoria.
Here's how you can be praying for us:
Engineering students -Two UViC students have begun reaching out to students in their program. Pray for God to go with them and to grow their boldness in invitation.
Discovery Cohort-We have begun journeying through the Sanctuary Mental Health Course with students. We are thankful for thr first years and Camosun students who have joined us. Pray for God to grow our heart for those struggling with mental health on college and university campuses here in Victoria.
Reading Week Retreat-Please pray for our upcoming reading week retreat in late February. Pray that students will experience rich Kingdom community and a heart for for cultivating fellowship and hospitality on campus through practical life choices like intentional community homes
Camosun College-We are thankful for new Christian and non religious students who have joined us this semester and fro two students who have begun getting connected to local churches. Pray for students to encounter God as we gathered together for our weekly meal and discussion times.
Open House-Please pray tonight as one UVIC students hosts an open houses for his non-religious friends to come and have dinnner and meaningful conversations around life and faith. Pray for students to experiment belonging and love as we create space for them to ask questions.
Pray that God would use our students to help foster curiosity towards himself and the Bible in the hearts of the non-religious students at UVIC and Camosun College.
We are so encouraged knowing you are joining us in prayer for all the God is doing and yet to do!
Partnership Updates
Hey friends! I have been overwhelmed with the ways that God has shown his provision for myself and the campus fellowships in Victoria. There are so many stories to celebrate. Thank you for partnering with us this year and for being a part of his story of provision
As the year comes to the end, I would like to invite you to consider supporting the long-term work of InterVarsity in Victoria. We would love to be able to plant high school ministries here in town as well as plan for future staff for all the university and college campuses here in Victoria. Below are all the ways that you can continue to partner with us - including BC's Provincial Fundraiser and UVIC's Campus Fund.
Thank you for your constant support, prayers, and encouragement.
Ways to Give
To donate click: BC Gathering Momentum Fundraiser
To support Alan Thorimbert click: Online to Personal Fund
To support the Uvic Fund click: Online to Uvic Fund: Go to the 'Select Designation' box choose the University of Victoria
Cheque mailed to InterVarsity:
InterVarsity Canada
1 International Boulevard
Toronto, ON M9W 6H3
Please include in the memo: Alan Thorimbert - Undergraduate Campus Minister.
If you are already a monthly donor, would like to increase your regular giving, or would like to transfer your donation to another staff or campus ministry – you may also contact Donor Services at donorservices@ivcf.ca or at 1-800-668-9766
New outreach director!
After 12 years of being primarily volunteer led, Street Hope has a new outreach director! Deborah (Debs) Moyo moved to Canada in September 2022 to take on this role from the UK. She and her husband Mandla lived in Nottingham before this, where Debs was serving in her curacy (she is ordained in the Church of England). Both Debs and her husband love hiking, live go to content? music and being by the sea, so they are excited to live in Victoria. In a recent Street Hope newsletter, Debs writes “I am really excited to be here to join the ministry of Street Hope Victoria (SHV) and share the love of Jesus in such a practical way. I am really impressed and encouraged by the team’s heart for the people in their city who find themselves without the basic necessities of food or homes for whatever reason. It is amazing how they have found new ways to adapt and carry on through COVID and they are using carts and going up and down Pandora instead of using the RV.”
Street Hope Outreach Director’s First ImpressioN
Debs recently shared some of her first impressions about being out with the Street Hope community in a recent Street Hope newsletter.
She writes –
It is clear SHV has built a sense of community over the years, welcoming and being welcomed in return by the people who live on Pandora. As we take the carts up and down the street, there is a real sense of mutual hospitality. We are welcomed into their space, as they share conversation with us, maybe they share something of their life with us, as we share something of ours and then also food for with them. This is something that has really struck me!
Norm is a poet and has a God-given gift for creative writi ng. I shared with Norm that every time I have to write a sermon it is only by the grace of God I have anything to say on a Sunday morning! The words just do not naturally flow for me.
Norm straight away asked if he could pray for me. Something I hadn’t expected. He placed his hand on my shoulder and asked God to give me the words I needed and that they would flow from my mouth.
This is something I’ve been told Norm wouldn’t have done a couple of years ago. I felt so blessed by Norm’s prayer, and that he would even offer to pray for me after only meeting me two times. Something many long-term Christians wouldn’t even offer to someone they’d known for a long time!
Debs with her husband Mandla!
Picture: Norm
Christmas 2022 Gift Boxes
A big thank you for your generosity towards the Street Hope community at Christmas. Close to 200 shoeboxes packed full of useful items such as toiletries, warm clothing, snacks and cards were given out over two evenings (other churches and individuals also contributed boxes).
The recipients really appreciated the gifts that showed them that they are cared for, loved and accepted. Many people commented that this was the only gift they were receiving, and someone even said it's the only gift he's received in years. One young man was speechless. He said to me that he couldn't express how much this meant to him.
Ways to Get Involved
Pray. The people on the street need healing, nurturing relationships, stable shelter, protection from the hazards of life on the street, and the transformation that comes through knowing God’s love and power in their lives. Please pray for Debs, as she transitions into the role as Outreach Director, that she will develop meaningful relationships with the Street Hope community, make good connections with other agencies in town, and for wisdom in running Street Hope Victoria. Contact Tim Hardy if you want to be on an email list of prayer requests.
Make some soup. Street Hope’s amazing soup lady (Barbara from COOL) always appreciates buckets of frozen home-made soup and can provide recipes for Street Hope favourites. Contact Debs if you would like to make some soup. deborah@thresholdministries.ca
Join the outreach team. Contact Debs if you would be interested in helping out on Tuesday evenings, on a regular or fill-in basis.
Easter Treats. Bring Easter treats or homemade cookies to COOL before March 25th, and they will be given out on Easter to our Street Hope friends.
Financial donations can be made through the Table Church or through this link. Select “Street Hope Victoria” from the list of funds.
Thank you for your support!
Missions Update: September 2022
We’re well into our second year supporting local, national, and international charities. We are looking forward to engaging our Table community in missions over the coming months! Look out for the M2M team at Big Table meals and during the services this Fall and Winter to learn more about our partner organizations and how to support and pray for them.
The M2M committee is Michelle Hardy, Naomi Yeker, Lisa Rempel, Eric Klassen, Sonja Klassen, Sarah Rathjen, and Emily Charter. Please feel free to reach out to any of them, or email m2m@tablechurch.ca if you have any questions or ideas.
Missed any information on our three partner organizations? You can find their profiles HERE! Or, read on below to find their updates, prayer requests, and ways to get involved for the Fall.
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic, Philippines
Georgia and two of her sons in transit back to their home in the Philippines.
Family and Clinic Update from Georgia (September 2, 2022):
We arrived back in the Philippines on August 30 after a fairly uneventful and suprisingly comfortable flight! We were thankful that we were all vaccinated which made our arrival into the Philippines much easier - no testing and no quarantines!
We were all a little shocked with how hot it was when we got off the plane in Tuguegarao. It was like walking into an oven!
The clinic staff welcomed us back so warmly and the kid's friends have all been by to catch up and to pick up their "pasalubong" (a Filipino word for gifts given by people returning from another place).
Now the work begins to enter into some "new sustainable rythyms of life" for our family. This was a prayer spoken over us by a dear friend and has stayed with me over these past months of preparing to return.
I will update soon on how life unfolds for us back in Kalinga, but I wanted to get some pictures out and to let everyone know that we are here safely.
Big hug,
Georgia
Georgia is back in the clinic with staff, patients, and babies!
Praise and Prayer Requests:
Thank you for praying and giving so that we could fly back to the Philippines with all of our belongings. Thank you to MSC!
We are thankful for our last few months in Canada which were wonderful.
Please pray as we begin homeschooling for the first time. We need to find a full-time tutor to assist us, as Georgia is also continuing her studies and she and Achao are working full-time at the clinic.
A grandmother brings in a new baby for vaccinations while mom rests at home.
Ways to be involved:
To support the Macad Family or the Clinic, please see their M2M profile page for more information about making a donation.
Reach out to Sarah Rathjen, our Table representative for AGGMC, if you have any questions.
Street Hope, Victoria
Some friends gathering on a Tuesday evening for soup and conversation.
Updates:
After taking the month of August off, volunteers are starting back out on the street (along Pandora) on Tuesday evenings, connecting with people and delivering food, clothing and other forms of love.
The new Street Hope coordinator arrives from England at the end of September, which we are very excited about!
Prayer Requests:
For healing and freedom from addiction from those that are suffering. We often get asked by folks for us to pray for them about this. In particular, please pray for Amber* and Sarah* (*not their real names) and their families.
For more volunteers to help out one Tuesday a month
Volunteers passing out soup and other needed essentials.
Ways to be involved:
More Tuesday evening volunteers are needed in a variety of roles. A commitment once per week or once per month would be helpful. Please reach out to victoria@streethope.org if you are interested in volunteering!
Reach out to Michelle or Tim Hardy, our Table representative for Street Hope, if you have any questions.
Alan Thorimbert, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
It’s back to school time on Victoria campuses!
Updates:
Alan and the IVCF team have lots of new events for students to take part in this school year at UVic! Some highlights include Tuesday afternoon hangouts at the quad, evening Bible studies either for those who are new to Christianity or for those who are more mature and want to grow deeper, and formal mentorship opportunities with individual students.
Alan is also working with Pastor Josh to start “Lunch Box Chats,” a weekly event for students at Camosun campus to have meaningful discussions on life and faith over a mid-day meal.
Praise and Prayer Requests:
That Alan would be able to focus on what’s in front of him, and not be distracted by everything else that’s going on.
For Alan’s upcoming trip to Prince George, where he will be attending a camp and teaching students how to lead Bible studies.
For Alan’s mental and emotional health
Ways to be involved:
Host A Meal – Invite a first year student or international student (or a few) over to your house for a meal.
Alan is looking for someone with a car to spend a few hours doing driving practice with him so that he can get his driver’s license.
Alan’s funding is currently about $300/month short - please consider making a monthly donation to close this gap on his expenses!
Reach out to Alan at athorimbert@ivcf.ca, or to Sonja or Eric Klassen, our Table representative for Alan, if you have any questions or would like to get involved!
Missions Update: June 2022
“Mission in the Modern World” Panel Discussion
We have had a busy year working with our missions partners locally, nationally, and internationally! We are so grateful to God for these connections, and we hope to keep growing our support and impact over the coming years. Some highlights from 2022 so far:
We held a panel event on World Missions in the Modern Age, featuring panelists from each of our partner ministries.
We collected donations and assembled Easter treat bags for Street Hope to distribute to our friends experiencing homelessness in downtown Victoria.
We raised over $2,000 to buy medical equipment and other supplies for the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic.
Please read on for updates about our three missions partners, as well as ways to get involved in the summer. Plus: an introduction to our newest missions partner!
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Clinic, Philippines
The Macad Family during their visit to Victoria.
Family and Clinic Update from Georgia (May 16, 2022): It's hard to believe that we have been in Canada for almost 10 months and we are already preparing to return to the Philippines. We want to thank you for continuing to support us during our furlough, as it has been a much needed time for our family. Spending time with family and friends, celebrating birthdays together, family gatherings and just hanging out with cousins has been the biggest joy for us.
Unfortunately we were never able to get a work permit for Achao and so he has probably had the most challenging time on furlough. He is looking forward to getting back home and being busy again. I, (Georgia) am still working part time as well as studying for my Masters in Midwifery online. I will be going to Ottawa this month for a 1-week placement at a birth center which I am very excited and nervous about.
A mother and baby after a safe delivery in Kalinga this Spring.
The clinic and the staff continue to do well in our absence but are also very excited for our return. We are so proud of them for all that they have accomplished while we have been away and will continue to look for ways to sustain this local leadership when we return.
We plan to return to the Philippines this summer, however this will be a challenge as the prices for flights have doubled since the Philippines have opened their borders again. Please pray with us for wisdom and provision in our plans to return.
Thank you everyone and I will write again once more before we leave!
Big hug,
Georgia
Praise:
The clinic has been able to start up our labor and delivery classes again after 2 years without them due to COVID restrictions. They have been a great opportunity to bring encouragement and peace to the mothers preparing for the births of their babies.
Prayer requests:
For provision to purchase our plane tickets soon. We are looking at around $7500 for 5 one-way flights.
For our last few months in Canada, that we would be comforted saying good-bye to family and friends.
For a smooth transition back to life in the Philippines and for wisdom as we return to full-time ministry.
For our decision about what to do with school for the kids when we return.
For the clinic staff as they prepare for the yearly accreditations for various government offices. Each requires different reports, and the AGGMC office staff is doing them all on their own for the first time.
For the midwives, that they will be refreshed during these slow clinic times and will feel ready to face the busier months ahead.
For missionary Julie as she adjusts back to life in the Philippines.
Please pray for all of our patients that they would always feel God’s love and care for them at our clinic.
Ways to be involved:
The Macad family is especially in need of funds for their return flights to the Philippines now that their furlough is coming to an end. Please consider supporting the Macad Family as they return to the clinic.
We are excited to have the Macad Family visit us in Victoria one more time before they leave for the Philippines - please join us at our Big Table gathering on Sunday, July 3 to pray for the Macad family and celebrate them together.
Liz Snell, L’Abri Canada
Praise:
A house full of people including two little kids (they actually had to turn a few people away)
Great conversations and life and vibrancy within L’Abri right now
New people coming out to Friday night lectures almost every week
Prayer Requests:
For the young man who came to ask questions about Christianity earlier this term
For Liz, as she prepares for her last season as a worker of L’abri, before she transitions into school in the fall
For a new worker to “replace” Liz after she leaves
For helpers for the fall
For our hearts to be open to those who are coming in the summer, as restrictions ease
For students, specifically for the second half of June and July
For the work of L’Abri Canada to remain a voice and a presence in Canada
Ways to be involved:
Take part in L’Abri’s Friday night lecture series. You can find out more on their website - https://www.canadianlabri.org/resources
Tell your friends and family about L’Abri’s ministry
As Liz transitions from work to full-time study, and in appreciation of the role that she has played in our community over many years, we would like to bless her with a textbook fund! Donations can be e-transferred to Naomi at nlhyeker@gmail.com, who will collect the funds and pass them on to Liz. Please include the memo “Liz” in your e-transfer.
Street Hope, Victoria
A resident receiving an Easter treat bag in April.
Praise:
Thankful for the committed group of volunteers that are coming out on Tuesday evenings.
Thankful for the ongoing relationships with the folks we spend time with, for meaningful connections and opportunities to encourage and support them
Prayer Requests:
That the new coordinator would be able to get here soon, and for a smooth transition for her into her new role
For healing and transformation in the lives of the people we spend time with, that they would be freed from addiction
The Krzymowski Family volunteering on a Tuesday evening.
Ways to be involved:
More volunteers will be needed in a variety of roles in September (food prep, driving the RV, helping to serve in the RV). A commitment once/week or once/month would be helpful
Financial support will be needed for the new coordinator when she arrives
And Introducing…
Alan Thorimbert, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Alan Thorimbert is as a Campus Minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) at the University of Victoria.
Alan’s faith was highly influenced through his involvement and service within the InterVarsity Fellowship while a student at Queen’s university. After graduating from Queens, Alan interned with InterVarsity at Simon Fraser University where he served for six years. Recently, Alan moved to Victoria to help replant the fellowship at the University of Victoria and he hopes to see new communities start up at more universities, colleges and high schools on Vancouver Island.
He loves helping students be friends on mission together and helping them steward values for scripture, prayer and lifelong discipleship. It’s his joy to keep in mind both local and global perspectives, and to be able to work in partnership with all parts of the body of Christ.
UVic Students at an IVCF event.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) is a national organization that seeks to build witnessing communities where students can be transformed into fully committed followers of Jesus in all their ethnic diversity. You can find out more about IVCF by clicking here.
Praise:
This year, many of the new students we connected with were in their final year in university. In May, we hosted a small commissioning gathering for ten students to prepare them to enter the workplace.
Prayer:
Summer Slowpitch (sports team) with UVIC students - This summer, we've been gather a number of new Christian and non-religious students to be a part of a slowpitch team in Victoria. Pray that the Holy Spirit will use this space to birth many opportunities for witnessing.
Graduate Book Study - Please pray as one of our graduating study leads a summer discussion group of Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline for graduating and upper year students.
Students with summer jobs and summer classes - Pray that students will see their places of work as places where they can partner with God as missionaries in those new contexts. Pray that they have eyes and years to see how God is present in their work.
Summer Family Group - Please pray for students as they explore the gospel of Mark together.
Ways to be involved:
Pray With Us – Pray for students struggling with mental health and increasingly stressful workloads. Pray for God’s shalom to be made manifest in high schools and universities. If you would like to pray for students in Victoria, we would love to have you join our Intercessor WhatsApp Group where we provide brief updates every two weeks.
Create a Care Package – We love providing care packages for students at the beginning of semesters and during exam seasons. If you would like to commit to making care packages for students full of treats and baked goods, please contact Alan at athorimbert@ivcf.ca
Host A Meal – We’d love to provide students new to Victoria with an opportunity to have a home-cooked meal at the beginning of September’s to help them connect with local communities. If this would be something your family would be interested in, please contact Alan at athorimbert@ivcf.ca
Please see Alan’s M2M profile page to find out more information, including how to get in touch with Alan and keep connected on social media!
Missions Updates: February 2022
Thank you for partnering with us in supporting three ministries in 2021! As we go into 2022, we plan to give updates about our missions partners to our community every couple of months, including prayer points and ways to be involved. Thoughts or questions? Get in touch with us at m2m@tablechurch.ca.
Street Hope, Victoria
Praise:
The weather has been cold and wet over the last few months, so although tough on those living on the streets, we are grateful that it hasn’t rained on Tuesday nights when we have been out. This makes it significantly easier - it is hard to keep supplies in the wagons dry when it is raining, and dry socks are a much-appreciated part of our inventory. There have been nights when it was raining almost right up until we arrived on Pandora, and then appeared to miraculously stop.
The new coordinator, who is immigrating from the UK, completed an important part of the process, and her husband has recently got a new job in which he can work from Canada. They both had COVID over Christmas, like so many others, but had no adverse effects.
We have not seen a big impact of COVID on the street population.
We saw one of our friends recently for the first time in a while. We had been told that he had had an overdose, so we were glad to see him alive and seeming healthy.
Petition:
Pray for the timely completion of the immigration process for the new coordinator and for her and her husband as they prepare to move and look for accommodation in a notoriously difficult housing market.
Mark, a long time friend of Street Hope is beginning a 3 month job training program and asked for prayer. Pray that he will be able to manage the demands of the program and that it will be a positive experience.
Ways to be involved:
Donate towards Easter bags with treats and a poem/card
Bake cookies (bag them in ziplock baggies 3-4/bag)
Commit to volunteering on Tuesday evenings (regularly or on-call to fill in when the team is short-handed)
Liz Snell, L’Abri, Canada
L'Abri has been hit hard by the Omicron surge, with Canadians finding it very hard to travel. They've started out the term with just their helper from last term, who has returned to spend spring with them. They're thankful for his presence; he's very handy and is fixing everything! A few short-term guests have signed up for this term, and some full-term ones for summer. L'Abri continues to welcome people to their Friday talks and gives thanks for a supportive local community.
Financially, they continue to stay afloat despite few students, but it does create pressure. Pray with them for wisdom in how to spread the word about L'Abri to other people, especially locals, without the use of advertising, which is against L'Abri's founding faith principles. Pray for encouragement despite two years of low student numbers and uncertainty. Also pray for a worker to replace Liz, who will be leaving in the fall to pursue her MA in counselling.
Prayer Requests:
For encouragement to keep persevering despite low numbers or no students, as Covid keeps us roadblocked
For wisdom in how to get the word out (without advertising) to people who might benefit, especially locals
And for provision for another worker, hopefully by Fall.
Ways to be involved:
Take part in L’Abri’s Friday night lecture series. You can find out more on their website - https://www.canadianlabri.org/resources
Tell your friends and family about L’Abri’s ministry
Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre, and the Macad Family, Philippines
Clinic update: The clinic is getting busier all the time and staff are getting fewer. The clinic has lost 3 midwives recently for various reasons and another will be going on maternity leave in March. Remaining staff have been stretched thin and there is the worry of people experiencing burn out. Georgia is going to have to talk to her staff about limiting the number of patients the clinic enrolls, which is a hard topic to discuss as no one ever wants to turn anyone away.
Thankfully, clinic staff have been healthy and they haven’t had to close since September last year. Meanwhile, the local government hospital has stopped taking patients unless they are critical because most of the staff are positive for COVID. Omicron has been hitting the province hard.
The Macad Family
Family update: The Macad boys seem to be adjusting well to life in Canada and are enjoying basketball and even school a little! They have been talking about missing the Philippines lately for the first time, though (the cold, rainy days make them wish they could be outside playing in the sun!). Achao is still waiting to hear about a new application for a work permit and is studying for his drivers knowledge test. The transition to Canada has probably been the most difficult for him, but he keeps going. Georgia is loving her master’s course and says it is exactly what she was needing for this time. The content and conversations are challenging, but it seems like God has been preparing her for this for some time and she is excited to see where she might be led through all of it – perhaps in less of a leadership role and in more of a consulting/advocacy role in the clinic.
Prayer requests:
Comfort for the midwife who suffered her third miscarriage last year. Strength as she starts back to work next month.
A safe and good birth at the clinic for staff midwife Melody who is due in March
Wisdom in making big decisions regarding limiting patient numbers
Good health and protection for all of the remaining staff
Praise God that our missionary midwife Julie (from Abbotsford) has finally been given a travel ban exemption document and will be going to help at the clinic by March
Ways to be involved:
The clinic needs a new Doppler (a machine used to monitor the baby’s heartbeat during labour) which costs about $700. Stay tuned for an upcoming initiative to help provide this clinic with needed medical equipment!
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