Promise Partners from WITNESS event

UrbanPromise Toronto (UPT) has a WITNESS-Multiply the Impact-#UPT20years campaign...where each of us missionaries have a goal to raise at least two Promise Partners per quarter plus two more from the WITNESS event. A Promise Partner is basically a monthly/quarterly/annually prayer and financial supporter. Not only does it provide stable funding for children/youth and their families/community to grow holistically in After School Program and seasonal camps but it also provides us missionaries with the freedom to spend less time on fundraising, and more time on reaching those people in Toronto Community Housing with the love of Jesus.

On the night of the event, it was great to see Sarah Somer, a friend who Shawn James (UPT Executive Director) and I have known for a long time through another friend. She is married to Ryan Somer who I first and last met in the same gymnasium aka The Peoples Church's Founder's Hall a couple of years ago. Sarah had a few friends with her who were from our alma mater of Tyndale University College & Seminary too. She had told everybody that she already decided to become a Promise Partner then wanted me to share furthermore about UPT to her friends. Through that, they all found out what an actual Promise Partner is, the urgent need of one plus the multiplying effect that person has. The couple then decided to support both Shawn and myself, praise God!

In our next Leadership Team meeting at the head office, I also found out that a friend who I've known for even longer had also decided to become my Promise Partner. Sarah McNeil who is married to one of our board members Mike McNeil surprised me with their monthly financial support. It is so good to know, through Mike, that the board of UPT really catches the vision and mission and truly supports us in this way. I've known Sarah since the Children Ministry of Churchill Heights Baptist Church (now Morningstar Christian Fellowship) when she was in Pioneer Girls and I was in Christian Service Brigade's Stockade. We even served on missions trips together both locally and globally especially in Chihuahua, Mexico. I have always wanted others to encounter a type of supportive friendship from myself where it isn't dependent by levels of intimacy, time, space and obligation...we are friends and I am blessed to experience this on the receiving end.

I confess, there were times where I wasn't sure if God still wanted me to stay with UPT. I always knew that when God gives us a vision, He also gives us the provision. It hadn't come for a while (financially)...until now; I was doing my best to persevere, stay faithful, be obedient and committed until all doors have closed and another new one opens up. After years of building trust and clarity, our organization continued to scale upwards in financial sustainability. Now I feel the drought is passing as new added missionaries even joined our team. This has relieved me to focus intentionally on raising more people. I praise God for these new Promise Partners, His Love and support that I've experienced through these new supporters is only going to overflow to those who God has called us to love and serve.

If you would like to learn more on how you can directly #MultiplyTheImpact, please go to my home page and support me.