Weeks 7/8: 2016 in Review

2016 is a year that many, I am sure, will be happy to leave behind. World events this year showed that we are indeed in turbulent times. There were times when I was tempted to despair. Even now, when a beautiful, sparkling young woman from my home church suddenly passed away, despair seems like the only rational option. 

But when I look back on my year, I am optimistic about the world. I have hope. I see God working in my life and in the lives of others. I see God's kingdom coming. I see people working faithfully for the kind of world they want to live in.

This year I finished my Master's degree. I spent the first part of the year completing my final project, which was on agritourism as a rural development strategy in Nova Scotia. My studies gave me hope that there are still some who care about rural areas, who care about the land, and who are working for its benefit. Amidst school closures, poor infrastructure and other barriers, there are those working for the good of the small and remote places in my beloved provinces. And this gives me great hope.

This year I spent a lot of time with the students of YWAM Truro's Discipleship Training School. This gave me hope, to see young people faithfully serving Jesus and following him to, as the DTS was aptly named, the ends of the Earth. I loved joining these ones for their weekly community night and volunteering with the refugee sponsorship initiative.


This year I continued working with a group of people in the Truro area to bring a Syrian refugee family there. I learned a lot that I would have never known without being part of this project. I got to meet a lot of people who are also welcoming newcomers, and I got to attend my first Eid celebration. I have hope for my country of Canada, as I feel like I am learning what is essentially Canadian: the joyful welcoming of the newcomer

I took a trip with my sister to Scotland and England this year. This is a trip we had been saving up for since I had my first job in high school! And there are moments from that trip, like bicycling on the moors in the Peak District, going to a Pentecost service at Christchurch Cathedral in Oxford, or watching Les Miserables in the West End of London, that I will treasure forever. Not to mention all the memories I made with Mary, who is the best traveling companion. This trip gave me hope, especially the visit to Christchurch Cathedral. You know we really experienced the Holy Spirit there that day. It made me think of the different churches I have been to all over the world: from the little white chapel at Malagash to a country church in Mozambique. God is global, and not restricted by service styles or buildings or languages.

This picture is an accurate depiction of my general feeling on that trip to the UK!

I saw some good friends get married this year. Weddings are always an occasion for hope. Because what faith these ones have, to plunge into lifelong commitment to another, all because of this faith they have that love can withstand all that life may throw their way.

I got really into The Bachelor and The Bachelorette for the first time ever. This was probably one of the things this year that robbed me of hope actually.

I got to hang out with some awesome teenagers as part of the youth group at my church. This gives me hope for the future. I am thankful for young people who do not just go to church because they have to, but go because they want to. These kids are not afraid of thinking of deep questions, and addressing tensions of their faith. They are not afraid of welcoming many people into their community. The youth are not only the church of the future, but they are really the church of today.

I am officially THE WORST at selfies

I spent a lot of time at camp this summer. The ways this gave me hope are countless. I got to see kids who never knew Jesus get to know him. I got to see staff work well together, displaying what a healthy Christian community is. I got to see volunteers develop leadership skills. If you ever lack hope, visit a Bible camp. There you will find hope and faith and love, in spades.

My favourite photo of the year

I got to preach at my church this year. This gives me hope for the church. The power of the patriarchy is no match for the power of the Gospel :)

I read a bunch of good books this year, many of which gave me hope. I think the best book I read this year was Alistair MacLeod's No Great Mischief. "All of us are better when we're loved." Also I read all of the Harry Potter books for the first time.

I played a lot of Monopoly, frisbee and tennis with a now-nine-year old boy. Of course this gave me a lot of hope, as spending time with children tends to do.

I was a part of organizing Colchester Local Food Week, the first event of its kind in good old Truro. That was so good! I have a hope for a community where people have access to nutritious food, and where people at all stages of the food system make a decent living.


More life highlights:
Camping at Fundy National Park.
The new library in Truro opened.
Lots of hikes, bike rides, rock climbing, and even snowshoeing.
Trivia nights at the Nook and Cranny.
I made my own kombucha

Finally, I am now in Kenya, where I get to do meaningful work as part of a great team. I am writing this on my phone now actually, in a cafe in Diani Beach, where I am spending the Christmas holiday. When I began the year I could have never predicted that I would finish it lounging on the shores of the Indian Ocean. But I have hope, because God does have a plan. I am certain that I am meant to be in Kenya at this time. I am certain that he has a plan for the people with whom I work here, people who live and die in the shadow of Mount Kenya. God is good, and his mercies endure forever.