Things are the same, and yet so different

By Michelle, Outreach Worker

Michelle with Eden

Michelle back at work

After a whole year of being away, I am excited to be back! For those who do not know, I was away on my maternity leave this past year, spending my days with a delightful little human named Eden. As grateful as I am for the opportunity to spend the year with my daughter, I missed my Toronto City Mission family.

When I returned to KIC in St. James Town last week, the kids greeted me with big hugs and could not wait to catch me up on their recent adventures and achievements. “Michelle, I am in grade two, and I’m good at basketball now!”, exclaimed one of the boys. “Michelle! I’m a TLC now!”, reported one of the grade eight girls.

The thing that surprised me most was that in one year so much had changed, and yet so much had not. One year is a long time to be away from work, and as my colleagues and the kids shared stories of the past year, I realized that I had missed a lot. There are so many new faces for me to get to know, and the children I do know are taller and more confident. At the same time, the atmosphere has not changed. My colleagues still have the same passion, and the community still has the same joy.

In many ways, the same is true of me. I am the same person, but God is doing a new thing in my life. As I return to ministry in this season of my life, I have decided to come back part-time. I have also discerned a change in my focus. Rather than just focusing on St. James Town, I have sensed that God wants to use my gifts in other places as well. Specifically, I will be spending more time with the teachers and women in our Role Model Moms program. Since becoming a mom, I have a newfound respect for these women, and I want to be part of the team that cheers them on. I will also be supporting TCM behind-the-scenes, using my gifts of apostleship and creativity to encourage and build up the wider team.

It will take a bit of time for me to get used to these changes in my role, but I am excited to witness God working in and through my life in new ways.