What can you do in 2 days?

I recently spent a weekend photographing a mission event in Toronto’s St. Jamestown district where Mennonite Brethren have joined with the Salvation Army and other groups to plant a “614” church.

Congregations from Niagara, Ajax, Kitchener, and even Ottawa and Montreal sent groups to participate in a two-day period of community service working with the fledgling church.

Enjoying the St. Jamestown festival

Saturday began with an encouragement to the volunteers from Phil Serez of MBMS International to “risk jumping into the river which is God’s church” and from associate pastor Tara Bishop to “rebuild, restore, and renew” (Isaiah 61:4 – the reference gives the church its name).

The day was spent cleaning up garbage around the many high rises, replanting a rooftop garden, and playing various sports with neighbourhood kids, followed by a free barbeque at the community centre.

I found myself wondering, what kind of impact could our small group of Christians have on this community in just two days? We were approximately 150 volunteers of varying ages, but the community of St. Jamestown houses some 30,000 people in a square city block. It’s a mostly Muslim, immigrant community.

Since my assignment kept me in the role of an observer, I decided to ask some of the people serving how they felt about their impact.

Jesse, 11, from Ajax, said he never felt afraid and enjoyed playing soccer with the kids in St. Jamestown. After a long day of serving hot dogs at the festival, Maegan, Michelle, and Rene of Gateway Christian Fellowship in St. Catharines said they found people very friendly and eager to talk about where they were from and about their community.

“This is a place where all worlds come together. How can you not be impacted by God?” said Raleigh from St. Catharines.

Listening to the debriefing discussion, I realized that the biggest impact of two days’ service was quite possibly on the volunteers. All the groups were excited about how much more God can do through us when we let go of our human limitations. “When you offer God’s love, people do respond,” said Adam from Waterloo. “People desperately need God’s love!”

“St. Jamestown will be affected, but so will our churches as we go back and tell of our experience,” added Gerry Dyck, Ontario’s Board of Church Extension chair.

The weekend finished with an emotional worship service. Pastor Kevin Moore challenged all of us with, “Wherever you are, there are hurting people. The only way someone will know Christ loves them is through someone who loves him.”

What kind of impact could our small group of Christians have on this community in just two days? The possibilities are limitless!

Nancy Boese is a member of Fairview MB Church, St. Catharines, Ont.