The Vancouver area keeps becoming more familiar the more we learn and see. As a team, we have done a little exploring but more digging into ministry, which is hard to define here.
Kasey ChinnA main goal of ours is still starting something new in the City Centre of Richmond, which is a somewhat difficult undertaking, and it’s hard to know where to begin.
We have toured several temples—Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist—to understand the culture that surrounds us. Despite the ornate buildings, it only amounts to empty religion without experiencing the fullness of Christ. People constantly are striving to earn their way without knowing Jesus has paid their debt for them.
We are trying to be regular faces at places to get to know people. At coffee shops and businesses, we have begun to be recognized and make friends. Common points of interest are conversations about the World Cup and using sports such as Frisbee and basketball to interact with people. Personally, physical activity is pretty out of my element, but I’m trying to sacrifice my own comfort for the sake of getting to know people and share the gospel.
Block party
We are partnering with are Brad and Rhonda, a couple trying to plant a church in Steveston, which is part of Richmond. They had a big cookout and block party with burgers, popcorn, snow cones and a bounce house, and it was a great success. At least a hundred people showed up to their house, which presented opportunities to meet people, have conversations, and bring people together.
The youth group that meets on Sunday nights is going well. Grade 7 up to university students gather together and play games, hear some of the Bible, and break into small groups and discuss. Most of these go pretty well, but my group is the youngest girls, which proves to be a challenge for having any conversation as they are pretty reluctant to give any input.
Pray
Please continue in prayer for the friendships we have begun, that we would be able to have spiritual conversations and keep investing in these people. Pray for the people who attended the cookout in Steveston, that their hearts would be open to truth and that Brad and Rhonda would be encouraged and be able to connect with them. Pray for the youth group, that the kids would actually get something out of it that would make an impact on their lives. Pray that God will grant us direction in our endeavors here.
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Kasey Chinn, a student at the University of Texas at Dallas, is serving with Go Now Missions in Vancouver, Canada.
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