The Autumn and New Adventures

Hello Everyone!!

I was thinking it's about time for a new blog from Tim and I. It's definitely Autumn here the leaves are blowing everywhere and we might even be getting some snow soon!! ahhhh is how I feel about that.

For Tim and I it's been quite the last couple of months. In September we went through quite a difficult time and started asking ourselves if being in canada was the right thing. We felt like we had a number of things happen to us that were saying to leave. Firstly we were told by our landlords that we had to move out, they are really wonderful but are needing to expand as their family expands. Secondly we were having some troubles with our permanent resident application and we have been trying to send it off for a year now. Thirdly Tim and I were both unhappy with our jobs so we were just really unsure about what God was saying.

To top it off, in September something happened in our lives that I won't go into, but it really knocked us down. I remember lying on my bed and crying, thinking, "God I feel like I am dying inside" and I was really unsure of how I was going to make it out of the depression I felt like I was in. To top if off, Tim was leaving to go on a vacation with his friends and I thought to myself, "this is the worst thing that could happen at this time". Two things that happened before Tim left were that we both prayed that God would make it very clear if we were to stay in Canada and that I realised that I needed to take a couple months off work to get myself into a better place. With that decided, Tim left for Vacation.

God has a funny way of making things right just when we think that we can't get any lower.

The day after Tim left for his vacation I sat down and was talking with God and all of a sudden I felt God speak to me like never before. One thing I do want to share about this is that I felt like he said that I was a dead tree, but that it was time for the tree to come back to life. I felt like God gave me a very practical way in which to do that, so I now have a drawn tree with bare branches on my wall and every time that God speaks to me I add a new leaf with the words that he has spoken to me on it. That day for me was huge. I felt all of a sudden a weight lift off and that God was pulling me out of the hole i felt like I was in.

Everything just seemed to start to fall into place from this point on. I realised that I needed to do something with my time off work so i managed to get a volunteer job with Ten Thousand Villages, this is a fair trade store in Waterloo its awesome and I am really enjoying working there. I also felt like i needed to get healthy physically so i am now running everyday and also swimming when i can get there.

Other things that started to come together were I found out a new way we could apply for Permanent residency which takes less time and is also a $1000 less, so I am happy to say that we have our papers sent off and in process!!! yeah!!!

When tim got back he had an interview for a new job at a fancy retirement home, it pays $3 more an hour, has medical benefits(things that aren't covered here like the dentist) and he only has to work till 7 at night. We were really hopeful that he would get it and he did! He started last friday.

On the house front, I got a call out of the blue from a guy who had heard that we were looking for a place to rent. He had just bought a beautiful house on 2.5 acres of land and it has two places to rent a two bedroom and a three bedroom in one of the nicest areas in Kitchener and also closer to Tim's work, so we are going to look at it this coming weekend. We are really excited about this opportunity!!

So I know that God really did answer our prayers, without any doubt we are to be here. It feels so good to be in the centre of where God wants you to be.

As the New Season has started I feel very much like Tim and I have started a new season in our lives. God literally turned our lives upside down in the best way possible, and one thing that I have learned among the many is that I actually trust God for the first time in my life and what can be better than that?

We still would appreciate your prayers: For Tim as he navigates this new job and is on a three month trial period before it becomes permanent.

For me as I take some time off until January and figure out a new role at Global Youth Network.

For this new time of growth that God is taking us both through.

It is the most unbelievable thing when you hear about a miracle, but especially when you see that its happening to you.

Thank you all for your love, care, support, prayers and friendship. we feel blessed beyond belief.

We would also love to hear from you, drop us an email or comment on the blog.

Thanks again,

lots of love to you all

Summer and Strawberries

Hello again Everyone,
Well it has been a while since I last wrote and thankfully I can say that all the snow is gone! It took a while though and what we are left with is beautiful sunshine. I hope that all of you are enjoying what the summer brings.

Tim and I have had an interesting couple of months, Tim has still been working at Casa Rugantino but has recently been struggling with the work atmosphere, so is looking for something else. Please can you pray that he finds something that he can really enjoy.

I have been working away with Global and this last May we sent out 18 teams. It was definitely a lot of work getting them all ready but they all went off without a hitch, well except for one team who weren't able to leave for a couple of days because of a bomb threat!!! Pretty crazy. They all came back safe and sound at the beginning of June though and we are always so thankful to God that everyone is brought back safe. This year we also decided to do something different. We wanted to have a time where the leaders could come and debrief their trip with us and each other so we spent a couple days with around 40 of our leaders from this year talking about their trips: what they learned, what was hard and what they have each taken away from their experience. It was an amazing time for us and them. For many people it's hard to talk about their experience abroad with friends and family when they return, so this was an awesome opportunity to talk with people that have been in their shoes and understand what it's like.
The thing that impacted me the most during this, was how the students are changed by something simple--talking to someone on the street, seeing kids playing football, having tea in a hut with a family. Relationships are the most important part of life, they give us life, they change us and make us into better people. Not only the relationships we have with people we meet in other countries but also the relationships we have with people that are around us everyday.

I had a wonderful experience with God a couple of weeks ago. I woke up one morning and realised that I had a lot of anger built up inside from some stuff that had happened to me awhile ago. God said to me, "Sharon you can't hold onto this any longer--it's making you bitter inside." I suddenly realised that I needed to let it go. I thought that once I had made that decision it would be gone, but I know that it's a process and we work through things slowly, but at least I know that it's a beginning.

In regards to getting Permanent Residence, Tim and I have finally got our act together! We had definitely been procrastinating for awhile and wondered if it was because we weren't supposed to get "landed" here, but God works everything out for good. Just as we decided to go for it, we heard that a new system called the C50 came out which fast tracks people with work permits (which we already have) so it only takes 6-9 months--yeah!! Please pray that it goes quickly.

As for the future, we are taking some vacation at the end of July and then we have Tim's parents coming which we are really looking forward to!!

We are also in big change as our director is leaving for British Columbia at the end of the month to start Global Youth Network out there. We have been transitioning slowly, but your prayers would definitely be appreciated as we adjust to this new time for Global.

Tim and I appreciate you all so much--your thoughts, prayers and encouragements to us. We couldn't be here without you.

We would love to hear from all of you as well, please keep us posted on your news.

Love Sharon and Tim.

Spring is here

Hello Everyone,
well Spring I really hope is coming, here in canada we have broken the record for the most snowfall in one winter, i think altogether we have received 400 centimetres, crazy eh!

Here are some photos of just how bad it is. We just recently had one storm that snowed us in with 40 centimetres in one day so we are earnestly praying that spring will come soon. For all you snowboarders out there it is a dream!!

I really do hope that you are all enjoying the start of spring wherever you are.

well this winter season has been a busy one for tim and I. Tim is still very busy working at the restaurant, it is quite stressful but I know he still really loves it when he continues to talk about food when he's not cooking. Hi restaurant was also just profiled on a Tv show called Grand River Living which shows the hot spots in Kitchener/waterloo so thats pretty exciting. If any of you want to come visit we'll also take you to his restaurant!

As for me I am still working away with our teams for this year, 18 teams is alot to keep a handle on especially when you are booking flights for all those people trying to make sure they all arrive back on the same day but we are finally done. When I look at where they are going I think wow its awesome where they are all going and the things that they will do.

Last month Tim and I went to Cali me for some leadership team meetings and Tim to see his family it was an awesome time, where Tim got see good r&r after the busy chrsitmas and I had a great time helping out with one of our teams down there and also getting to meet with some of the leaders in different provinces that we hadn't seen in a long time.

The Team that we took to Cali was a group of students who are team leaders this year but wanted some extra training so it was awesome to get to know them better and also see what YWAM Modesto is doing there with the homeless.

As Easter is fast approaching we again remember that we are far away from family who we miss but know that God has us in the right place.

April will be a busy time for us as we get ready for our teams leaving at the end of the month. So please keep us in your prayers.

Tim and I are also talking about what God has for us in the future so please could you pray that God would give us direction.

I guess thats the update from us for now, we hope that you all have a wonderful Easter and would love to hear from you when you have the time,

God Bless,

TIm and Sharon.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Hello All,

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and New year with your families. We can't quite believe that its already 2008, Time seems to be going so fast and the years keep whizzing by.

Tim and I had a wonderful Christmas the first one in Kitchener. We had some great friends invite us over and had an amazing Turkey dinner and played games it was awesome as the North Americans would say!!!!

We also had a wedding to go to a couple days after Christmas in Ottawa, it was great as they have so much snow in Ottawa even more than we had here. The wedding was beautiful and here is a picture of some of our community.

After that was New years and Tim and i decided to have a party at our house, it was fun to say the least and a great way to bring in the new year in our new house.

We then got back into work preparing for our leaders retreat which was from the 4th to the 6th of January. It was a great time helping to train the leaders for this years teams. We have about 18 trips going out this year so it was really exciting to see everyone come together.

We are now in our busy time and will be going full steam ahead with the the university program. Beth and I will also be teaching again in a high school which we are pretty excited about.

Tim is doing well too, he went back to work at the restaurant and is still loving it.

We are also both going to California in February, me for work and Tim to see his family.

We want to say again how much we appreciate you all and are so blessed to have your encouragement and prayers.

God Bless you all for 2008.

Love Sharon and Tim.

Hey Everyone,
Well Just wanted to keep you updated with us. Since September we have been busy with our University teams, Interviewing leaders, going to University events and deciding on where to send our teams this year. It all seems to be going really well and we are looking forward to a good year this year. I have teaching this Month which I am looking forward too and then I can't believe that it will be Christmas already, time seems to go so quickly.

This Christmas will certainley be different as It will be our first Christmas in Kitchener, so we will finally get a tree and have it at home which we are quite looking forward too, Although we will miss our families very much.

Tim's Job is going really well at the restaurant, he now works 5 nights a week, which is great for him as he loves his job.

In October we had the privilege of going to Montreal to surprise my mum for her 60th Birthday it was fun seeing the look on her face when she opended the door to the hotel room and Tim and I were standing there!! It was a really lovely couple of days especially as we won't be seeing them over christmas.

We have just learned as well that we have to redo our police checks to get landed so that was unfortunate but we are still plugging away with it all.

We would love to hear from you all.

That's it for now,
Love to you all,

Tim and Sharon.

Making up for lost time

Hi Everyone,

Well This has been a long time in coming, I am finally starting a blog to keep all of you lovely people updated on Tim and I.

I want to start right back in January as I feel it's been that long since I have written.

January was an Interesting Month for us, My friend and Coworker Beth had to move home for three Months to take care of her parents so Tim and I were left with Theresa and Dave (our director) to run Global Youth Netowk, Needless to say we were very busy sending out over 20 teams this year, our biggest year yet. We did have help from Tim's brother who came to live with us for three months and actually became my personal assistant, although I'm not sure he liked the job very much, but I certainly loved having an assistant!!

Also at the end of Februaury we decided to Move, we had been thinking about it for a while as the place we were in was very smokey and we were not having good health because of it.

An opportunity came up from a friend to move into the top part of there house which is amazing and we decided to take it. It is more expensive than the place we were renting, but in a better neighbourhood and with no smoke, a deck and a really awesome garden. We are really happy there!

In March We had three teams going out on March Break, one to do Hurricane Relief work in New Orleans, and then two teams to Mexico. All went really well.
Even though New Orleans is not in the news very much anymore, there is still so much devastation there that you can see from the picture and one of the reasons that we still believe how important it is to keep helping the people down there. March also saw Christopher Tim's brother go back to California, (we miss him alot!!)

In April we got right down to getting our trips ready for the University students, as this year was so big. The camp we usually rent for Orientation wasn't big enough to hold all of us so we even had to have people sleeping on the floor and some in Non winterized cabins, it was pretty wild. Tim and I were actually only there for a day as I was unwell for quite a while over that time and needed to take some time to recuperate.

In May we actually had to do quite a lot of crisis management for our teams as some were having difficulties. For example, one of our students didn't have a passport valid for 6 months after he returned so wasn't able to fly with his team. He had to come back to apply for a new passport and then buy another ticket!! There were also some team dynamic issues that kept us and the phones pretty busy. Also this month Beth and I were involved with Teaching on God's heart for Justice at a DTS just outside of Toronto which was really fun. I love to teach and we will actaully be going back in November teaching on the same subject for another DTS. Also in May, Tim and I were able to change the status of our Visas. This was a really big deal espscially as Tim is now able to work and got a Job pretty quickly at Casa Rugantino an Italian restaurant where he makes Pizzas, and if you know Tim then you will know that its a perfect job for him.

In June all the teams arrived back and we had a debriefing time at the airport, they all had a really great time. It's really inspiring when you hear of the stories and things that have happened while they were away. It's a privilege that we are able to make that happen. What has really encouraged me too is that these students are so on excited to help others, they care so much about the world and what happens and they do things to make a difference and many of these students are not even Christians, but have a heart to help people that are not as fortunate as themselves. One guy came back from being in India and since he has come back, has started a child sponsorship program for families in India.

I honestly feel privileged to be a part of Global and all that it does to educate people and make a difference all over the world.

In July (as it is our down time), I actually went on a girl's vacation to Europe, there were four of us and we rented a car and toured around France, Italy and Switzerland. We also went to England and I was able to spend a couple nights in the house I grew up in before my parents moved to Spain. It was a well needed rest and a good time to catch up with some of you in Liverpool.

The begining of August saw us having out first Leadership retreat for Global. This year we have really expanded and are now working in Alberta, Ontario (we have also added a few more locations in Ontario too) Quebec and hopefully this year British Columbia. It was a great time to get together and talk about how we can expand and how Global can grow and sustain itself. It's exciting to see it changing especially from where it was 5 years ago when I first came here.

In the middle of August, Tim and I also went to California to visit Tim's family as we hadn't seen them in a year. It was a really great time, Tim's mum and dad took care of us well and even took us to the Napa Valley. It's really beautiful there and obviously there's lots of wine to drink!!

Here we are now in September. Sorry to take you on a whirlwind tour of the year so far. We are excited about what Global is going to do this year, it looks as if we might have 28 teams so we are growing again which means lots of work. I also have the teaching this year in November and The Internship Program that I am in charge of.

We are both looking forward to the year and all that it holds!

We wanted to Thank you so much for all your encouragement, support and prayers, we appreciate you all!

We would love to hear from you too, please drop us a line and let us know whats going on with you all,

Thanks,

Sharon and Tim.