This is a story about a girl named Grace from the Seeds of Hope Summer Day Camp. It’s a simple story about how a few simple words spoken by another girl brought joy into Grace’s life:

For some reason no one gets along with Grace. She has struggled to make friends at the camp and most of the girls gang up on her. When coming home from the trip to Ontario Place, I had difficulty getting other campers to even sit on the same seat with her. Last week, the campers were randomly placed in six groups to act a skit about the ‘fruits of the spirit’. Grace happened to be in my group and we had to act out a short play about Joy. When the other campers in the group saw that they had to work with Grace, they were reluctant to join my group. Katie told me bluntly that she didn’t get along with Grace, so she wanted to join another group . Then one girl, Sarah, said, “I don’t get along with her but I am working with her and I want to make friends with her.” A few simple words that were like music to Grace’s ears. Sarah’s words changed the stance of the other campers and they all joined the team to act the play together.

It is in these small victories that we celebrate. // Benjamin Osei

An overwhelming number of youth we have been working with enrolled in various universities and colleges across the country this past fall. This is a dramatic turn-around from the early years of my time in Jane-Finch. A lot of them are from the Hoop 2 Hope program, Straight Talk and the WAVE boys and girls club. This generation of youth in Jane-Finch are now determined to do something positive with their lives despite the economic and social conditions in which they often find themselves.

Adam is one such youth. Adam is a regular member of the Hoop 2 Hope program. He was initiated in our Rite of Passage Ceremony in 2009 when he turned eighteen. Every Friday night he would ask us to drive him to a different address after the program. One day after the program, he told us to drop him at the McDonalds. After questioning him, we found out that he was homeless. A pastor that works with us took him home to spend the night and he found a youth shelter where he stayed until he completed high school. He is now pursuing his dream to become a forensic scientist at the University of Toronto. // Benjamin O

This fall, we secured a free gym space through the Toronto Catholic District School Board to start an indoor soccer outreach. This program serves a totally different demographic than much of my existing ministry. Unlike many of their peers, these sixty young people have no interest in basketball, and are mostly from South American, Asian, African and European backgrounds. I have been so impressed by their gratitude at this opportunity to be coached and to play soccer together. I am thankful for Alex, who played soccer at a high level in Ghana in his younger days, and Pastor Chinatu who are the key volunteers for this program.