Bitter-Sweet

Well, the summer is just about over and the Toronto section of it will be done for me on Sunday the 15th. I've finished working with the youth for the summer here at Keele Street Christian Church and I've had a great summer with them. But leaving this place is a bitter-sweet experience, hence the title, because mixed with the excitement of going home to see my family who I haven't seen since the beginning of May, and my beautiful girlfriend Jacquelyn who visited me about half way through my term here, are the added emotions of leaving loved ones behind yet again. (That had to be the longest sentence ever) It was a hard decision to make when I was thinking about coming here to Toronto in the first place. I was scared of the big city and of the feeling of being completely out of my element. And I certainly did not want to leave my loved ones that far away. But I felt God tugging me in this direction and even though it was scary I knew He had something for me here. And He certainly has. My summer here has been an amazing learning and growing experience and I wouldn't trade the memories of this summer for the world. I have been continually impressed with the youth, as well as the congregation. The warm and inviting people that they are shine Christ through and through. The biggest thing that has impressed me about the youth here at Keele, is how they love each other. They are truly following Christ's example in that. And they love and support I have received from them has meant everything in the success of my ministry here. If they have learned half as much from me as I have learned from them, I have been more than successful in this venture. To them I say thank-you and I love you all. I'll always be your Uncle Ben.

The other half of this equation that has made this summer such a great learning and growing experience is the Pastor here and his family. Grant has acted as a mentor to me over the past 14 weeks and I have learned a tremendous amount from him. Watching him in action here at Keele and seeing how he shepherds his flock is truly an amazing thing. I have learned so much about ministry from him. The church here at Keele is truly lucky to have a man of God like Grant at the helm. I will miss him and his family as I go.

And finally the congregation here has been a blessing to me as well. They have supported me in everything I have done here and that means the world to me. Its not just the youth who affectionately call me "Uncle Ben." And I have even found room and board at the home of Stephen and Beth Knox. They opened their home to me, a stranger to them and have treated me like family. I feel very much a part of the church family here at Keele and have been made to feel that way from the first week. So thank-you Keele street for everything and should our paths cross again in a working environment, I look forward to that day because I know what I'm getting in to... One of the warmest, most loving congregations I have ever seen. God bless.

Uncle Ben