go2learn:LEADING WITH CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

There is a great learning opportunity coming up on OCTOBER 23-24th 2009. International Teams is hosting a 2 day leadership conference on “glocal” (global and local) training for missional leaders.

DAVID LIVERMORE, will be the keynote speaker. He is a gifted communicator with a wealth of knowledge in the whole area of cultural intelligence. (If you haven’t read his book “Serving with Eyes Wide Open” you need to!)  This year he will introduce us to best practices for connecting across any cultural divide including national , ethnic, and organizational cultures.

There will also be several breakout sessions including:

• churches working together “glocally”
• embracing cultural diversity
• resourcing and fundraising missional activities
• preparing fora successful short term team
• planning for long term impact

I think it will be great learning day for all those interested in cross-cultural ministry. Please consider joining us.

For full event details and to register online visit: go2learn.iteams.ca or call International Teams Canada at 1 -800-465-7601 (toll free) . The conference is being held in Waterloo, ON. The registration deadline is October 16th and the cost is $50.

There will be a group from Hamilton going so if you are interested and need a ride let us know. Email  alisonjillwitt@gmail.com

Countdown to the Ride

IF you haven’t signed up yet- it’s not too late. The 6th annual Ride for Refugees happens here in Hamilton in just a couple weeks (Oct 3rd). The Ride for Refugees is a growing worldwide movement of people riding bikes, raising money, and advocating for refugees. Register yourself, lead a team, give generously or volunteer. Go to www.rideforrefugees.com for more info.

World Refugee Sunday

Refugee Sunday this year falls on June 22nd. This is a great time to share with your congregation about the global refugee situtation. There are some great resources available to help you do that- from bulletin inserts, to prayers, to videos. Check them out and use them to educate, and inspire your church.  http://refugeehighway.net/

Unseen Mae la: Refugee Camp blog

This is a unique blog featuring some incredible photos and reflections from people living in one of the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border.

Mae La Refugee Camp is home to over 45,000 refugees from Burma. Ethnic Karen make up 97% of the people living in Mae La.  Mae La established in 1984 is home to an entire generation of people in their 20s who have lived their whole lives in refugee camps. There are 26 schools, 5 community libraries, 24 churches, 5 mosques and 4 Buddhist monasteries inside the camp. Most of Mae La is surrounded by barbed wire and residents have restricted movement outside the camp.

 UNSEENWORLD is an innovative international arts project for workers and refugees to describe their lives through photography.

http://unseenmaela.blogspot.com/

 

Landmark Refugee Hearing

The Canadian Council for Refugees recently won in their legal challenge of the Safe Third Country Agreement at the Federal Court.  This is quite a surprise decision, and a very hopeful sign. This decision does not change the situation at the border, where the Safe Third Country Agreement will continue to apply for the time being. The final outcome is still uncertain, since of course the government is likely to be appealing the decision.

Warm Welcomes

 

Arriving in Hamilton in mid-December is not much fun for refugees. The cold weather is a big shock to the system. However, at last week’s welcome circle the warm hospitality inside the Vine seemed to help. TrueCity volunteers had the privilege of partnering with SISO to welcome 45 newly arrived government sponsored refugees from Burma, Eritrea, and Afghanistan.  With the help of 3 translators we were able to let these newcomers know how glad we are that they have come to Hamilton.

 

It is so humbling to see the joy with which the simple welcome baskets are received. One family from Afghanistan took me aside and told me how happy they were to be here, and how these gifts were so special. The gifts are very small, but they convey a significant message- you are wanted here. After years of being on the move, and living in places where they are not wanted we cannot underestimate the value of that message.

 

What a Ride!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Ride for Refugees on Oct 13th. It was a great day. No rain. Over a 100 riders in Hamilton. And thousands of dollars raised for refugee ministries here in Hamilton and around the globe. The final tally has not been made yet- but between the 3 sites (Waterloo, Brantford and Hamilton) we are over $225,000.

A big THANKS to Philpott Church for being the official hosts. They  did an amazing job.

The plan is to do it again next year. So we hope we will see even more Hamilton area churches on their bikes riding on behalf of the 30 million displaced people in our world.

Refugee Claimants: what comes after the Hearing

Please join us for a great learning opportunity.

Saturday October 27th
9:30-11:30 am
“The Vine”  corner of Vine St. & Park St. N
 Light refreshments will be served

Presenter: Jeremiah Eastman LLB Immigration Lawyer (and former lawyer with the federal department of Citizenship and Immigration)  Jeremiah is a refugee lawyer who previously worked for Immigration. His unique experiences and knowledge will make for a fascinating discussion. Together we hope to learn more about the Canadian immigration system  so that we can better serve refugees in Hamilton.To learn more about Jeremiah click on this link:
 http://www.carters.ca/lawyers/jeastman.html

Hope you can join us!

Ride for Refugees-Every Mile Matters

On October 13th  the Ride for Refugees will bring together churches and individuals with a common desire to raise awareness and resources for serving refugees. By participating in the Ride for Refugees on October 13th, you can involve your friends, family, church or social club in raising much needed  funding for the unique needs and service of refugees along the refugee highway, including refugee resettlement in Canadian  communities. Since 2004 this unique event has raised over $225,000 for refugee ministries here in Canada and around the world. This is the first year to hold the event in Hamilton. There is a great route planned starting at Flamborough CRC and finishing up at Philpott church downtown Hamilton.

Some are riding because they love cycling. Some are riding in response to the sheer mass of refugees in our world, estimated be be 35 million. It could be be that they have noticed the growing number of “new arrivals” in Hamilton and have wondered how to connect or help. Some are riding because they believe that refugees matter to God. They want to ride because Jesus was a refugee himself. 

What’s your reason??

Please join us. Go to www.rideforrefugees.com to register or to sponsor someone else. Or contact hamilton@rideforrefugees.com if you want more information.

A Warm Welcome

Last week several TrueCity church volunteers participated in a welcome gathering for the 36 new Karen people who just arrived in Hamilton the first week of July. They definitely appreciated the warm welcome. The kids enjoyed the crafts we had prepared for them, and we enjoyed the song they sang for us. Everyone enjoyed the pizza  and cake. Well, at least the cake…it might take a bit longer for them to fully acquire the taste for pizza! A special thank you to Crossfire Assembly and Sew on Fire ministries for the beautiful gift baskets that each family received. As one man was leaving he found a translator so that he could communicate his thoughts to us. “I will never forget this party. For the rest of my life I will remember this day. Thank you” he said. Wow. It doesn’t take much to make people feel welcome.