Canada Eh?

Seems to be the one thing everyone says to me, "how was Canada, eh?" My family has caught me a couple of times saying "eh" in a conversation as well. However, I came back with a lot more than an accent :).

First let me say thank you so much for your prayers. We felt them at every turn, God really used us and stretched us in ways we didn't imagine. We found ourselves in the most culturally diverse city in the world (yes the world) and got to see first hand how the Christian Churches are reaching out to those around them.

We were with Churchill Meadows Christian Church (CMCC) in the Greater Toronto Area. A mega church and flagship church plant from Impact Canada. We were blessed by spending time with a Polish Church plant, sharing, listening and encouraging them. A Brazilian/Portuguese Church plant just forming - we walked thru "little Portugal" in downtown Toronto with Jose, the new Pastor and Jerry a gentleman feeling led to help them, handing out flyers, placing them in store windows, etc. Of course we stopped and had lunch in a Brazilian restaurant, so good!

We visited a Buddhist Temple, a Hindu Temple but the most memorable was our visit at a mosque with a young imam, Munir, who was very open with us and allowed us to ask any questions we had. While he explained Islam to us, we were able to ask some tough questions of him, some he admitted he did not have answers for. Please pray for him as he continues to seek the truth, as we all agreed to do as we left.

CMCC has 46 different ethnicity's/people groups represented in the congregation. We saw this as a tiny glimpse of heaven, "every tribe, tongue and nation..."

Canada has a great need for Christ. With the diversity came a huge influx of different religions and tolerance. Though the tolerance doesn't seem to extend to Christianity. We sat in a meeting with the Christian Church Pastors from the Greater Toronto area, 8 of them. (I believe 2 could not make it). 10, yes 10 Christian Churches for approximately 2.5 million people. Please do not stop praying!!

My heart remains heavy for this part of our world. As Jim Tune (pastor at CMCC and president of Impact Canada) expressed, while Canada is a first world country economically, spiritually they are a third world country.

We attended Life Groups, classes, movie night, hung close to 2000 door hangers on various homes around the church; anything we could to encourage our brothers and sisters.

Mike spoke at CMCC on our last Sunday there, and 3 people came forward to give their lives to Christ!

My life is forever changed by a small 10 day trip. My prayers are focused and numerous for the family there placing tracks in front of the train coming, as fast as they can.

My heart overflows, and there is so much more to tell. Please keep these warriors in your prayers and those they are reaching for Christ!

Liz

Time for a swim.

When you have three kids and a pool the same thing happens each year. The weather starts to warm up and they want to go swimming. This is what inevitably happens.
One kid jumps straight in, pops his head up and yells "whoa that's cold."
The second one wants to just sit near the pool minding her own business. Choosing to not even go in.
The third one puts her feet in and says it's too cold. So she says she will get in eventually, "I'm trying to get used to it first." This only serves to frustrate the dad. I say...err I mean he says, "Just go all in. You'll get used to it faster that way." "NO! It's too cold." The first kid says, "I'm fine, I'm already feeling warmer." She says, "You're lying you just want me to be cold." The dad says, "Either get in or get out." She says, "What about her? You aren't making her get in?" "That's because she never said she wanted to go swimming. Besides this is about you. You are making me cold just looking at you stand there. Seriously are you going all the way in or not?" "Yes, but not yet." "Fine." "Fine."
This goes on every year. Every stinking year. I'm getting frustrated even now. I wish she would just jump in with both feet or just sit on the side and not put me..err her dad through this.

Makes me stop and think though.
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3: 15&16
I think it's time we all "Jumped in with both feet." Don't you?

In Him,
Robert