My husband and I are not traditional missionaries. In our decades of work in Canada and around the world, we have never properly fit in any box. We have perpetually struggled to bridge the gap between what is ‘ministry’ and what is ‘vocation.’ We started young. We spent our university years learning how to evangelize…
One of the best things about Christian Courier (in my biased view) is that you’ll come across Canadian artists you’ve never heard of before. Chances are you first heard of poet Andrew Lafleche and photographer Karene-Isabelle Jean-Baptiste right here, with us. We don’t want your engagement with these brilliant creators to end there. That’s why, at the end of the year,…
“Can I tell you something?” When you hear words like that, do you feel nervous? Intrigued? What about when you think of saying those words? That question can be the precursor to a holy and hard confession. In a previous article, I argued that God can take what is broken and make it beautiful (“What…
This summer was rough for my family. We gathered up all of our belongings and moved to a new province, leaving our friends, our communities, and the ocean air behind us. Not surprisingly, our children are extra emotional, and, if I’m being truthful, my spouse and I are also more emotional than usual. As much…
I bought new shoes recently. They are unlike any shoes I’ve ever bought before. They are sleek and streamlined on top, rugged with aggressive tread on the bottom, and they have high-tech elastic “speed laces” with a quick-action toggle and a nifty secret pocket on the tongue in which to hide it. The only thing…
Canadian artist Josh Tiessen’s series Streams in the Wasteland, from which these two images are taken, explores the themes of wild animals inhabiting abandoned spaces. The title for the series, painted from 2015 to 2021 and first shown at Jonathan Levine Projects in Jersey City, NJ, is taken from Isaiah 43:20-22: “The wild animals honour…
My family and I are currently nomadic. Living on others’ couches, trailers, and mattresses, we are in transition. Originally from Vancouver, having lived overseas in East Africa for five years, we are now alighting temporarily in Ontario. It’s been painful and beautiful and confusing. We never intended to be nomadic. But even when we had a home, I…
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) is an agreement that was made effective in 2004 between the United States and Canada, recognizing each other as safe countries for refugees. Further, it states that refugee claimants must make their claim in the first safe country they arrive in, Canada or the United States. This effectively deems…
They’ve traveled thousands of kilometres, on journeys that sometimes take years. They are fleeing upheaval and conflict such as war, persecution or sexual violence. They come from countries such as Nigeria, Haiti or Columbia. And, since March 25, 2023, when the Canadian government closed the crossing at Roxham Road, refugees arriving at the rural Quebec…
Two months ago, I saw the post on Facebook about a missing woman. The name was vaguely familiar, and she was from my hometown, Kenora. I waited a couple of days before sharing the post on my page. She was still missing and there was no information about where in Winnipeg she might be. Then…
“What do [you Indians] want?” This was the question a church official asked a group of Indigenous ministers, working in Indigenous communities, over 20 years ago. There was some frustration behind the question since there were a myriad of complaints about unfair treatment of Indigenous ministers. Back in the 90s when this question was posed,…
It has been said that no person ever rises above their view of God. Whom we worship and what we worship is irrevocably tied to who we become. Worship predicts identity. Within the uncertain, unsteady forecasts of our daily lives, a new vision of God can grant us a new vision of hope. We must…
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