Jocky’s Story
I have been serving on the Adam House team at Grace for the past two and a half years. Adam House is a refugee shelter near Dufferin and Bloor. It provides not only shelter to refugees for up to four months in a city where accommodation is hard to come by, but also immigration and settlement services for them. Before I started going to Adam House as a volunteer, I was invited to visit several times by a fellow Grace Toronto member, Timothy, who is also a leader of the volunteer team. I always felt that I did not have enough time or energy to serve others. At the same time, I was saddened by the news about the refugee crisis in the Middle East at that time. Eventually, I decided to go and see what was going on in December 2016 and have been part of the team until I leave Toronto in September. The main involvement of our team is to spend one Friday evening every month with the current and past residents at Adam House, playing games, chatting and sharing a meal or a snack together. I especially love to play Dutch Blitz with the residents because it is a very simple game to explain, and at the same time very tactile and competitive. I was also involved with the annual Scotiabank Marathon Charity Challenge, where I ran my first (and probably last) half marathon to raise money for the shelter. Equally fun was to spend every other Saturday morning training with residents and volunteers who were also participating in the race. After the practice we also had a great time eating brunch together.
The goal for our team is to eventually form deep and meaningful friendships with the residents, ideally to keep in contact with them even after they move out. Also, some residents do not know Christ, and it is a great opportunity for us to be good witnesses and share the good news with them. The challenge for me is that I am a bit of an introvert; coming to Adam House after a full day of work makes it somewhat difficult for me to socialize with the residents. As a graduate student, I often felt that I had to spend all my time in the lab and work on my research; if I didn’t, I wouldn’t achieve what I want in life. Through serving in Adam House, I was able to find joy and fulfilment that was not found in work. With better time management and organization, I realized that sparing a few days a month is not actually too taxing. I really encourage everyone to start serving in any capacity they can.
The reward of serving people and God is much larger than what you think you need to give up. For those who are struggling to take the first step, I suggest that you prayerfully consider who are you most concerned for in the city and what are your abilities and skills. Look at the different ministries that the Grace Centre for Mercy and Justice (GCMJ) is partnered with and go to one and see if you like it. For those that cannot commit to serve on a regular basis, you can also find out what particular needs different ministries have through GCMJ. For Adam House, hygiene kits that include items such as toothpaste and shower gel or helping a resident move are always appreciated. It will also be great if you can sponsor the marathon team this year (see link under Affiliate Needs).
I truly believe that serving at Adam House has been a blessing. I have seen God work in wonderful ways. His care for the refugees and the love and dedication of the staff and volunteers that are clearly from the Holy Spirit has been a massive encouragement.
Affiliate Needs
Our affiliate partners often have needs that you can help meet including prayer support.
ADAM HOUSE
Next Friday social on Sept. 20, 7 pm
Sponsor marathon runners: tinyurl.com/yy4w29lx
PREGNANCY CARE CENTRE
Participate or sponsor riders to raise campus outreach funds: pccfriends.ca/event/ride-for-the-pcc
Annual fundraising dinner (Rosemarie has tickets): pccfriends.ca/event/dinner2019
SQUADS
Join sports program for elementary kids, Thursday evenings.
Join youth choir leadership team, starting in October.
For more information contact: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca