Country Spotlight: Canada

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In Matthew 28, Jesus tasks his followers to go out and make disciples of all nations in the Great Commission.  The Jesus Storybook says it like this, “When at last they reached the top of the highest hill near Jerusalem, Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Go everywhere and tell everyone the happy news!’”  We have aspired to do just that and Young Life is now including teens with disabilities in over 40 countries!  It is our pleasure to amplify these stories and highlight the work of God throughout the world from Peru to Bulgaria to Mozambique and more. 


Today we highlight: Canada


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All over the world, COVID-19 has altered how we do ministry, but it has not stopped!  


Kathy Dubbeldam shares here a story of God’s faithfulness in starting ministry after years of hope:


Two years ago Cheyleah and I met as Abbotsford's first Capernaum leaders.  We prayed together, studied Scripture and learned the strategies of how to lead teens with disabilities in Young Life.  Everything was in place except for one minor detail -  we didn't know any teens.  We trusted that God would provide and we prayed for the harvest, but we didn't know anyone.  We even wandered the local mall together, praying that God would lead us to teens in Abbotsford. Honestly, we knew we probably wouldn't meet anyone at the mall that afternoon, but we wanted to try something crazy and it totally went as we expected.  It was awkward. We prayed while we walked for like 15 minutes and we went home with a strange experience to tell.  But I can also promise you this, something felt faithful about that day.  


Fast forward to a Friday night (when Covid guidelines allowed for in-person interaction), when  Cheyleah came over and together we drove to pick up Stella to go the Abbotsford WyldLife bowling event.  We had so much fun.  A few of the girls knew Stella and were so welcoming when we arrived.  Chey had a blast and having Stella there made it so much more fun.  When Stella would go to bowl she would turn around and say, “Everybody cheer for Stella!”  Which we, of course, all did!  But then she would also get us cheering for everybody else who was bowling.  I threw a lot of gutter balls (haha) but she still cheered her heart out for me.  It was a blast.


After we dropped Stella off, Chey and I had a moment.  It was so special to be able to reflect back to that strange mall day where we did something we felt called to but never saw the fruit ... until that night.  I was reminded again of God's timing in all of this.  You see Chey's schedule has finally changed, after two years, and she suddenly has a lot of free time on her hands.  She wouldn't have been able to lead if this would have come up even a year ago, but now, she has the time, the energy and still has the passion.  Today I praise God for His perfect timing, for Chey's faithfulness and the encouragement of seeing a prayer answered from two years ago.  And I sure hope you have a Stella cheering you on in life these days!  Everybody cheer for Stella!





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