When I came to Halifax last September to do a master’s degree at Dalhousie, I fully expected to spend all my time at school, finish the program, and get home. I wasn’t too concerned about making new friends; after all, I was only here for a year. All that changed when I got involved with All Nations CRC and the Dal campus ministry.
It started with “Greet the Geeks” where All Nations families host the students for lunch after church. And then came student dinners at the chaplain's house. I was reluctant at first — all this hospitality was cutting into my study time.
But something strange was happening. In the midst of what I thought would be the most stressful year of my life so far, I was making friends! All kinds of friends. younger, older, from Canada, Nigeria, China, and elsewhere. When I came to church on Sundays, I could greet people by name and chat with them. When I went to student dinners, I may have lost some study time, but I surely gained sanity and balance through the fun and fellowship. And, somewhere along the line, Halifax started to feel like home.
Now the students, along with Brad, Julie and Micah, get together to go to the beach, visit the museum, eat meals, and play board games. We pray for each other’s struggles and sympathize with school stresses. We are welcomed and loved by the people at All Nations. And God has turned my anticipated lonely and stressful year into a blessed time of community, fellowship and belonging.
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