I have been silent this past month. It has been a whirlwind of jumping back into the office work life, Christmas holidays and vacation. I also have been taking time to reflect on all I have learned these past three months working at iTeams Canada & being abroad.
Both experiences of being away in the D.R. and Guatemala were filled with many moments where my horizons were broadened, my knowledge on transformational development was grown, and finding a deepening in my relationship with God.
I wanted to write blog to give an update for those of you who have been following along the journey; for those of you who have been joining me in financially supporting the projects iTeams works alongside (through donating to my fundraiser campaign); and for those of you who have spent time lifting me up in prayer and encouraging me along the way.
Traveling for work and working abroad for two months in an International Development (InDev) role was a major adjustment for me. But man oh man, was this such a great opportunity for me to see what working in InDev abroad looks like and can be like. Having the ability to work & live alongside local leaders in the D.R. and Guatemala was something I still can’t fully put into words.
I was living amongst the local leaders, within a community, was apart of life ministry ministries, had the ability to grow in my communication, research, and relational skills, and was able to improve in my second language skills - nothing like not having an option to communicate in English, makes you remember all those Spanish classes a lot faster!
Since being home, Kelsey (my fellow Forge Intern) and I have been back in the International Teams Canada office working on a whole lot of other papers/essays/reports! For some, this seems taxing and not fun… but for us, we LOVE it! It has given us a lot of opportunity to process what we witnessed and learned while we were abroad.
I have had the opportunity over the holiday season to reflect on the incredible opportunity I had, and am still having through working for International Teams Canada. Being home has definitely been difficult at times, but its nothing compared to the good that comes from difficult moments and the learning opportunities I have had.
I am so thankful to say that because of this job and experience working with local leaders, I have grown so much! I came home feeling like a new person. God has been constantly revealing to me who He is, who He calls me to be, and the purpose He has for me in each season and pace of life He sets for me.
Even more so, I have been able to reflect on the work that iTeams is doing – the transformation that they are helping to facilitate around the world. Since returning home & working on all the reports for our time in the D.R. and Guatemala, I have been in awe of what God is doing through local leaders like Cristian & Felix in the D.R. and Hilmar in Guatemala.
God places huge vision on our lives and we get to take steps of action in faith each day towards those visions. Vision and calling is sometimes so much bigger than we can comprehend at first, but as we each take steps of faith towards the calling God has for us, He works through us!
One of the most impactful realizations I had was a simple one, yet a big one. Each of us have the same calling in life. That may seem odd to you but I believe, we each have the same calling and we have all been given it in God’s Word...
to love God and show God’s love to others.
I have had the privilege of hearing Cristian & Hilmar both speak of that calling on their lives and how it is the heart of ministry they are working in. That is one of the key aspects of Transformational Development too: to show others the Love of God and see their lives transformed!
I want to invite you to take some time and read back on the programs & blogs from my time away, you’re invited into these visions for lives and communities being transformed by the power of God through programs around the world.
Even more so - I want to invite you can be apart of the change from where you are sitting right now. I encourage you, to keep living generously. Ask yourself what you can give today – be it $10 (which can actually give a meal to a family) to $50 (which can provide a water purification system) to $100 (which can add to classes, people's homes, and more!).
We still have $5,400 to raise before February 28th!
I encourage you to donate here.
I am participating in this as well. In this season, I am choosing to live generously and I have been able to witness the blessings that can come from a donation of $20 or $200! Any donations go directly to support the programs I was able to visit and the others that iTeams Canada supports! It’s a New Year, so why not choose to start the new year off by being generous in whatever way that means for you, and help to add velocity to someone’s life around the world!
Thanks again for reading through my thoughts & reflections, supporting me in prayer & supporting iTeams financially & helping me reach my goal of raising $10,000!
Love you all!
-- Shantelle
give.iteams.ca/forgeshantelle