CSM Toronto Update

My second week of official hosting was with a group from Michigan. They came from a small farming community and I was able to help them experience driving in the big city. Our ministry site for the week was Church of The Redeemer, a soup kitchen based out of a church. It is a challenging site because the point person changes each day and they all have very different ways of getting things done. However, we were able to enjoy each new point person and adjust fairly easily.
Halfway through the week we divided our team and half of us went to the Good Shepherd Centre. They were short-staffed and needed our help making the beds for their shelter each day. I was very excited because it is one of my favourite ministry sites. It was particularly good because it allowed for the students to engage in conversation with the clients at the drop-in breakfast they serve. Each day I was able to watch as the students opened up more to those less-fortunate than themselves.
On our last day we participated in “Operation Hydration” which is an activity where the students take a case of water and distribute it to people in the community. Dehydration is a serious threat during the summer months and we try to provide it to anyone in need while striking up conversations with them. One of the parks we were visiting was having an Art Show in support of local artists who use a nearby church facility to practice their skill. We were able to spend time connecting with the artists themselves and they made amazing bargains with us for their work. It was great to watch the kindness of the artists and our team members. They were truly impacted by the people they met.
Another day our team had the chance to go out and meet the needs of someone on the streets during our “$2 of Kindness” ministry. My group came across a man without any shoes on a blistering hot day and was able to provide a man with a pair of shoes for his feet. Others were able to buy socks, cold drinks and even small groceries.
CSM Toronto has been quite the experience so far and it is so rewarding to watch as each group comes in and experiences similar situations in different ways. God is constantly changing circumstances around me and I love being able to watch the process.

-Robin, CSM Toronto Summer 2007 City Host