Leaving Michigan where I did my undergraduate degree was difficult because of the intentional community I was leaving. Although excited for new faces, new stories, new experiences, and new learning I was apprehensive of what life would be like doing a one year Masters degree in Halifax. I was unsure of what sort of relationships could be built in such a short period of time, how I would balance my school work with being a part of the community, and how much I should participate in a community that I would be leaving after 9 months of studying.
As always, the Lord provided and brought me right where I was suppose to be. I was swept up in community the moment I arrived. Much of this has to do with Brad who organized opportunities for me to get to know the church community. For example, Brad organized biweekly Sunday lunches. Through eating lunch with various members of the congregation along with other students I grew to know the students and members of the congregation well. This made me feel warmly welcomed into the All Nations CRC community, which became an incredible support to me.
In addition, Brad organized events that challenged me to further discern the Lord’’s work in today’’s culture. This was something that I discussed at length during my undergraduate degree, which was at a Christian liberal arts university and something I thought I would miss. Brad encouraged using a critical mind and discernment through organizing opportunities for discussion. Examples of this include meeting at a local pub for theological discussion, a lecture series that Brad organized in the fall, and discussions based on various literary works in the summer. Each of these events created more questions about how to live the Christian life and I was challenged by Brad and the students who attended.
In summary, I was blessed by the Christian Reformed Campus Ministry in Halifax. I am now finished my degree and have decided that I feel so much a part of the community that I would like to stay.
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