We are ordinary people with extraordinary plans

There are so many reasons people sponsor refugees and support the acceptance of more refugees in Canada; previous refugees want their family members to live safely and freely, faith calls us to act justly for all people, our humanity inspires us to feel compassion for all humanity, the Canadian economy needs more people, if we were in their shoes we would want them to help as we should help, to reciprocate to others what our ancestors needed when they were refugees and from there the reasons are as numerous as the people we are.

In 1990 I went to Missionsfest Vancouver for the first time and that was how it started. I was 12 going on 16... you know how it is. Anyway I was sucked in right then and there. I went every year till I moved to Manitoba and then I went every year in Manitoba. I will also say from childhood I knew compassion, through the example my parents gave and God's direction on my life, either way it all came together and I planned to be a missionary. I wanted to save the world, especially the vulnerable and voiceless from injustice in the world. Under my grad photo in my year book the caption reads"some say that one day you might find her serving oatmeal to the hungry people in Ethiopia."  Long story made shorter, I married a pastor and had a family and end up in Altona MB instead of the jungles of the worlds injustice. Yes Altona - the most peaceful, problemless place on the face of the planet.(over simplified but mostly true) Mennonites, they're so pleasant.:) About a year after moving to Altona I heard about a man who was planning to help refugees come to Altona who was part of an organization called Build A Village. I said " I will meet this man, Ray Loewen, and join this effort." and so I did. It's been about 11 years now that Build A village has been doing the local work of sponsoring and walking with newly arrived refugees. Amazing how things work out, I get to be a voice for the voiceless and create a safe haven for those who have felt injustice and I don't have to live across the seas to do it.

We are ordinary people with extraordinary plans

Sometimes we think the 'great acts' of 'saving the world' sound awesome but we quickly reason that 'that' is really for someone else, someone with more influence, qualifications, resources and more power to change things, we look to the rich and especially passionate people, someone good with words or the young and energetic. And with these thoughts we make our excuse, we pass our opportunity by and we are wrong.

We are ordinary people who act on extraordinary plans

In the case of Build a Village God seems to always show us an extraordinary plan with no present evidence to back it up, what I am saying is 'it's crazy' but we have learned from experience that 'crazy', is not so crazy with God .... and a community of mennonites. Build a Village partners with MCC to sponsor refugees every year and in the face of this national movement to respond immediately we are working on a plan again to respond. Keep an eye on the BAV facebook page for the coming details.

If you have an interested community of people or you are an individual that would like to know more about how we have sponsored refugees over the years and how it is impacting a community 10 years in, don't be shy to ask us.

Ordinary but really extraordinary.

Last night I was at a rally in Winnipeg to demonstrate my support that Canada needs to increase the number of refugees it allows into Canada. We can do better and I pray that we will as a nation. Thanks for the welcome by Canada's first nations, it was especially moving. And thanks to those that organized, shared their stories and inspirations My friend and fellow blogger Elexis shares more about the rally in her blog post.