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This year the Youth & Family Department of the CABC offered opportunities for families to participate in two mission trips – one to Toronto in March and another to Campobello Island in July. Although the destinations were very different, the team members experienced God at work not only in their lives, but in the lives of those touched by the mission.
- Parent-Teen Mission Trip – Four adults and four teens joined together during March Break 2012 to bring hope and encouragement to refugees and street kids in Toronto. Volunteering at Frontlines, a drop-in center in Weston, and Matthew House, a place of refuge for people fleeing violence and persecution in their homelands, opened our eyes to the plight of more vulnerable people in our own country and around the world. We met children who had to care for younger brothers and sisters, and look after the household in the absence of their parents, who played on streets where people had been gunned down, and where predators frequented – we felt blessed to live in safe neighbourhoods and with loving families. We heard the story of a young man whose brother had been kidnapped and killed, and then discovered how difficult it can be for a refugee to navigate the system here in Canada – our eyes were opened to a world we are not used to seeing. The Parent & Teen Mission trip to Toronto allowed for some fun times as well as we toured downtown Toronto and the Kensington Market, ate authentic Chinese and Ethiopian meals, and led VBS at Farmer Memorial Church.
- Island Adventure Family Mission Tour – This trip to Campobello Island offered a chance for eight families to spend a week at Edith Lank Memorial Christian Camp. During the days we divided into three ministry teams that organized a basketball camp for middle school-aged children, staffed a VBS for younger children, and worked on scraping, priming and painting one of the camp buildings. The afternoons and evenings were mostly devoted to family time, with board games, music, a campfire, whale-watching expedition, a barbecue at the beach, and other time for getting to know each other better. By the end of the week, friendships had formed that will last a lifetime!
If you are looking for a great family experience, consider one of our Convention mission trips which are held alternate years with Tidal Impact. How exciting it would be to watch your children serving beside you in God’s mission to the world!
-Rev. Marion Jamer, CABC Coordinator of Family Ministries
