Great Weekend for Mercy Canada!!!

Good things take time, but great things take more time… that seems to sum up the journey for Mercy to be established in the nation of Canada. John and Helen Burns, television co-hosts and founders of Relate Church in Surrey (Vancouver area), put their hands up over 7 years ago for Mercy to be established in Canada.

Me with Pastors John and Helen Burns of Relate Church
and Mercy Canada Board Members

The seven year waiting period involved taking their time to find the right piece of property, as well as opening the home debt free. The decision to take a longer period of time also involved the decision to take in more than 20 girls at a time rather than a much smaller number. Because John and Helen Burns made the decision to make room in their already busy lives to help even more people, others have come alongside to make it all possible. Pictured right/left with me are: Executive Director of Program Operations, Margaret Troquille; Executive Director of Mercy Canada, Nicola Bartel; me and Co-Pastor of Relate Church and Mercy Canada Board Member, Helen Burns.

Those decisions and the desire to choose best over good all culminated this past weekend in a major time of thanksgiving and celebration. I thought you might enjoy seeing some highlights from the weekend in Vancouver, including our Mercy Gala on Friday evening at The Vancouver Club.

Two young women from Canada who graduated from Mercy in the US came to tell their personal stories, and to help celebrate this great milestone.

Me with two Mercy graduates from Canada, Andrea (left) and Natasha (right), who shared their stories at Friday night’s Mercy Gala in Vancouver

People were so touched as they told of all they had to overcome, and are now in university preparing to be able to help others with the same problems they themselves have been through. It was such a great evening!

On Saturday afternoon, even though it was raining, we had a great turnout for the Grand Dedication and ribbon cutting for this new facility.

Cutting the ribbon after the prayer of dedication and
declaration over the Mercy Canada home and property.

Thanks to all the brave people who came out to be a part of this event, in spite of the weather! Nothing could dampen the mood of the people who have prayed and worked and believed for this for so long.

Me braving the rain!

Guests at Mercy Canada Grand Dedication

I then had the opportunity to speak at 3 different church services on Saturday and Sunday, and the weekend culminated with a special meeting on Monday with our Mercy Ministries Canada staff. I was joined by John and Helen Burns, and also Lindsay Willis, who is one our International Board Members. It was a great weekend! More details to come later this week when we post a web story with more pictures.