Wednesday, August 30, 2017

her body lie face down in the small space between the toilet and the wall where she strategically placed herself in hopes that no one would notice her. on the change table above her lay 3/4 of a bottle of vodka, house keys, and a ball cap, and on the floor directly below that, her cell phone, which, as we could tell from looking at her lock screen, was being blown up with phone calls and texts from her concerned parents and friends.

it took me all of two seconds to realize what was happening here; this young girl - no older than 19 - tried to end her life in a stall where i work, and my heart sank as low as the ground she placed herself on as i watched two of my managers try to wake her up.

thankfully, thanks to a concerned customer, quick thinking staff, and educated paramedics, there was a happy ending this particular story, but that isn't always the case.

according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages 10 and 24 and accounts for 24 percent of all deaths among 15-24 year olds in our nation.

that's twenty-four percent too many.

i remember the pressures that came with being a teenager quite well. the longing to fit in and peer pressure and depression. the pressures of balancing homework and a social life, and let's not even mention the infamous 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' question that had the ability to send you into panic mode.

and yet, youth have it much harder now than i ever did. the pressure to fit in has increased tenfold. drugs and alcohol are more accessible than ever before. the pressures of being in a relationship has changed, and social media, quite frankly, has changed everything; the amount of followers you have (as well as the amount of likes you get) is what determines your worth.

it doesn't, of course, but that's what they believe.

for over 65 years, Youth Unlimited has been imparting God’s love, truth, and hope to young people from all walks of life regardless of race, faith, economic levels, or cultural background.

we believe that an individual’s life is shaped by a number of facets that influence who they are as a whole: physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual, and aim to develop each of these areas through relationships so that every youth may reach their full potential. lucky for me, i get to be a part of this exciting organization as the project serve toronto program lead.

for those of you who don't know, we, at project Serve, organize and facilitate local and international service projects, providing youth with a life-changing experience as they encounter and serve those living on the margins of their communities. here, we provide pre-trip training that is designed to enrich students’ understanding of poverty and injustice, as well as introduce them to the culture in which they will be immersed. through their experience with project serve, youth will be inspired to find ways to serve as catalysts for change in their own community when they return home.

our vision? transformed youth transforming their city.

i wholeheartedly believe that the few things that helped me get through my teenage years (mentorship (someone who believed in me) and opportunities to give back) can help the youth of today, too, and i believe that it's my duty to give back myself and do what i can to help them navigate their way through this difficult season of their life.

but, i cant do this alone.

youth unlimited requires each of their staff to fundraise their salary - something, i'll have you know, i am very uncomfortable with - and as i type this, i am sitting at the 13% mark (and grateful for every single penny, and every single ounce of encouragement and support behind it!), but i cant start working at full capacity until i reach 40%.

Would YOU consider being an integral part of my team by supporting me prayerfully and/or financially? would you consider praying for me continually? sending a cheque (what are we? 85?), arranging direct deposit, making a quick phone call into out office or donating online at www.canadahelps.org? (search for Youth Unlimited (Toronto YFC) and then click my name when it asks if you want to "Apply your donation to a specific fund"). all donations are tax receiptable.

of course, if you have any questions about the above, youth unlimited, or my role in it, i would be happy to arrange a skype or phone call, or even better, a coffee or lunch date. as busy as i am, my calendar will always make room for YOU.

whether you are able to give or not (i know how difficult it can to be able to make ends meet), let's do what we can to help the young people of today feel valued and accepted, because, one, they are, and two, the world will be a much better place when they believe it!

Thursday, August 24, 2017

fall is my favourite.

the pretty colours and crisp air. thanksgiving. pumpkin spice lattes. (my mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

of course, there's a freshness to this time of year, too. for some, the start of a new school year. for others, a fresh start and new beginning, and for me, a time to step into my new role at the church in regent park.

come on a quick trip to the past with me to the summer of 2011. i was amidst a car full of people participating in a tour of toronto when we drove through regent park, toronto's oldest public housing project. known mostly for poverty and crime (especially) back then, i was intrigued, and thanks to the salvation army, i was able to get to know that community a bit better that summer.

but, even still, i never expected to play a small role in seeing it develop years later. (what you are a part of is always bigger than the role you play.)

now fast forward to the summer of 2016. i don't know how to say this other than the way i am about to say it, but i couldn't, for the life of me, get regent park out of my heart; i kept thinking about it and praying about it, reading up on it and brainstorming ways in which i could get involved it the community there somehow.

a few months later, i reconnected with an old friend, who, unbeknownst to me at the time, just so happened to be a part of a church plant there!

needless to say, a few weeks later, i headed to Toronto to check things out.

i remember walking into the community centre for the first time as if it were yesterday. there, hundreds of people were seated (and in line) for a home cooked meal, and some, for clothes.

i was directed to pastor jake, the community dinner leader, and got to learn about his heart for the community. i met countless others, too, who have lived there and/or have been coming to the dinners for quite some time. so many people. so many stories.

i looked around and saw people of different cultures and race, backgrounds and class.

in one chair, a new immigrant sat. in another, a woman born in toronto.

some had jobs, others didn't.

one man wore a dress shirt. another, a ripped (or shall i say 'holy?) one.

and my absolute fave, an intoxicated man sitting at the back of the voluntary post-dinner service who decided to stand up in the middle of the message and serenade us with the best rendition of O Canada that i've heard in a very long time.

but here's what stood out to me the most.

the pastor (my friend i mentioned above) didn't try and stop him and neither did anyone else; this particular anthem singer, hilarious 'interruption' and all, was welcome at the church in regent park. i was welcome at the church of regent park, and it took me all of five minutes to see how well i fit in there and how quickly i felt at ... home.

nine months later, i can honestly say that my heart has only grown bigger and bigger and more in love with regent park. what started with a small seed being planted in my heart during a tour of toronto in the summer of 2011 has blossomed into so much more, only i was oblivious to just how significant this very seed was back then.

you see, a few weeks a go, pastor jake announced his resignation as the community dinner co-ordinator and i was asked to fill the position.

i am both excited and honoured to report that as of september 16th, i will be giving leadership to the several churches and volunteers who so generously give of their time each week to make sure that that our friends in regent park are fed physically, emotionally and spiritually, as well as leading a mid-week life group in the core of their community starting a week later.

so ... here's to a new season, friends. a season of purpose and growth, full hearts and rich (in the best way possible) lives. the best is yet to come!

ps. for those of you asking, i still hold both my 'project serve Toronto team lead' position with youth unlimited (still in the fundraising stage - more on that later) and my guest experience leader role with mcdonalds here in brampton, which i plan on keeping until i move closer to regent park.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

picture this.

you and your friends are sitting at the dinner table enjoying a full course meal. caesar salad with all the fixings. pasta oozing with sauce that has been simmered for the perfect amount of time. succulent garlic bread. and warm (yes, warm) cookies and ice cream to top it all off.

but, there's a catch.

on the floor next to you is another group of people. they're eating dinner, too. only they're not eating a full course meal; they're eating half a bowl of rice with their hands, and washing it down with a cup of tap water.

seems weird, doesn't it? that you would be sitting at a table eating a home cooked meal while others are sitting on the floor next to you eating rice?

welcome to the poverty meal; an activity that my co-leader and i ran last week with a group of students from scarborough.

even though i was considered 'rich' that night (a meal i couldn't seem to enjoy, by the way), the debrief was hard for me. listening to how the group felt sitting on the floor, eating rice, and even worse than that, the divide they felt because of some of our comments (the other leader and i were told to say certain things, though we got carried away). it was hard to see that their feelings were hurt. in fact, it angered me. it angered me that i have plenty (something i am equally as grateful for) and that others don't.

sure, it was only an activity - the ones who pulled a 'P' out of the hat got to go back to eating whatever they wanted the next day - but for some, this isn't an activity, it's their reality.

even still, i've thought about this meal every time i have eaten since. it's helped me portion my food better, think about the money i spend on it, and caused me to feel sick to my stomach when i threw half of my meal away the other day because i was full and it wasn't 'saveable'.

i have more questions than answers as i type this.

is educating youth about poverty through youth unlimited or handing out water through operation hydration enough? is helping run a community dinner every Saturday in regent park helping? will a bridge between the rich and the poor ever be built like i believe God intended? and the biggest question of all, what more can i do?

admittedly, i've become numb to a lot of things happening in the world today. ashamedly, most things don't affect me or surprise me as i scroll my twitter feed anymore.

the event in Charlottesville, however, was different. i felt angry and heavy hearted, and still do.

but again, what can i do? is posting a facebook status necessary or even helpful? is doing a heart check and making sure i hold no prejudice of my own, along with praying or promoting peace and inclusivity in my own life, enough?

truthfully, i'm at a loss for words (and actions).

what can i do? what can we do?