Cross-cultural ministry was the focus of this year’s Parent-Teen Mission Trip. Six adults and teenagers from Nova Scotia and PEI spent the week of March 12th to 19th in Toronto experiencing a taste of what it means to minister in varying and unfamiliar settings.

Orientation was led by Rob Patterson, Mission Coordinator for the eighty-four churches of Toronto Baptist Ministries (CBOQ), twenty-five of which worship in a language other than English. This set the tone for a week of service as he gave a overview of ministry in Toronto (one of most multicultural cities in the world) and helped participants understand what is required to minister and communicate the gospel cross-culturally.

The team experienced worshipping with a Polish congregation, eating a traditional Ethiopian meal, spending a day at an inner-city youth drop-in, helping in a local food bank, preparing meals at a refugee shelter, as well as a leading a children’s program with kids from the Karen tribe of Myanmar. Everyone was challenged to stretch their faith in new ways and to apply what they had learned and experienced in their home ministry settings.

This partnership was coordinated by Dale Stairs (Youth and Family Department), Peter Lohnes (First Cornwallis Baptist) and Rob Patterson (Toronto Baptist Ministries). This trip is one several regular mission experiences planned by the Youth and Family Department with the primary goal of strengthening families and local churches in Atlantic Canada.

Pictured are members of the CABC team along with some of their Toronto hosts:(left to right)
Front – Dianne Thurber, Noah Lohnes, Rob Patterson, Becky Nejrup
Back – Ruth Vallis, “Velcro,” Lowell Babour, Nathan Barbour, Ted Hawkins, Peter Lohnes.