One of Hope's rising star

I first received the acceptance letter into University of Toronto (U of T) two months ago. Undeniably, one of the reasons which prompted me to consider studying there is the ease of gaining admission into the Canadian university, and a relatively prestigious one. I'm also interested in its Peace and Conflict Studies programme, a course which only a handful of universitites around the world offer. And well, studying in Canada is also a much cheaper option than places such as America or the UK!

When the three of us first heard about Friends of Toronto’s potential foray into this city, our eyes bulked at the opportunity to participate in this work of uprooting and planting ourselves to bless this nation. Just talking about it whetted our appetite for adventure and dreams of studying overseas. Sadly, only two of us have the financial means to proceed and it took a while before we awoke from the reality of being unable to head on as a team. This has definitely set me back a little as the three of us are close friends who’ve served God alongside each other for the past four years.

Proverbs 16:3 beseeches us, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” No matter how great or how minor our plans are, we choose to surrender them unto God. Since God has revealed His purposes through the doors he opened and closed before the three of us, we choose to believe that “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:40)

Having been reminded in Rev 7:9 that “…there before me [John] was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language…”, it is not hard to understand why Toronto is an important city on our target board. It boasts the most ethnically diverse population in the world, making it a cultural melting pot and a hotbed for globalisation. This city was also the centre of an epic battle in the last decade over the legalisation of same-sex marriages and the decriminalisation of marijuana usage, the first of its kind in the western hemisphere. 1 Thess 2:7 speaks of the reality, “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work…” As such, Toronto is set to become a very ‘happening’ place (not that it has yet to be).

I’m looking forward to experience the very life of a Torontonian; to fully engage myself in the different social strata and cultures of this growing metropolis; to fulfill my immediate vocation of being a credible and courageous student, faithful in his studies and to the pursuit of righteousness in Christ.

By Liao Jie Xun

"Something Old, Something New" - Friends of Toronto gathering, 7 May 2010

There was something about connecting with old friends that we love. It is in understanding and knowing each other's idiosyncrasies. *grin*. Yet, with new friends, there is always something new that we love discovering.

Today, amongst the four families who were regular members of Friends of Toronto (FOT), we welcomed three new friends and a couple at Richard and Yuet Mei's place. We sat under three giant maple leaves structure which was artistically conceived and hand-made by our designer professionals, Alvin and Sophie. The signature maple leaves carried landmark pictures of Canada both past and present.

Good news always lift us up. We rejoice that three of our students who visited us during Canada Mission Night were successful accepted by the prestigious University of Toronto. Two of them were in fact well on their way to Toronto sometime this year! Halleluia! What a mighty forward team they will make! We eagerly await their testimony!

We learnt about ministering in a changing Canada, faced with increasing trends of immigrants into Canada. In year 2005, there were already 262, 236 immigrants from 213 countries! Three times as many newcomers settled in Toronto as compared to Montreal or Vancouver. Outreach Canada also highlights strategy for outreach. It was exciting to see where the opportunities were. Our hearts were more open to embracing even more cultures than we are faced with in our own country! (Presentation slides are available at Outreach Canada.)

We watched a video entitled titled From the River to the Ends of the Earth, from Acts News Network. "The documentary explores the history of revival in Canada and examines trends that suggest Canada is moving toward unprecedented spiritual revival that could impact the nation spiritually, socially and economically. It also features First Nations and Inuit spiritual leaders who affirm, through dreams and visions, their belief that the entire nation is on the verge of a powerful awakening." It deepens our burden to want to see people come to know the true Lord and Saviour. We want to be part of what God is doing, and we want to be the vessels God can use!

Last but not least, explorations are on the way. The Yeoh family with their two boys, aged six and ten years old will be making a trip to both Alberta, Calgary and Toronto on 22 May on a look-out for job opportunities. May the Lord guide them and speak to them. Please keep them in your prayers.