hero

One of my fondest memories in elementary school in the UK is when a couple called Brian and Sue used to visit us on a regular basis to give assemblies and presentations . They weren’t particularly financially ‘rolling in it’ and nor would they have been deemed ‘professional’ by the professionals themselves. But the one element to them that I remember the most was their charisma, and their ability to get themselves etched into my memory, even as I enter my early twenties.

It was memories of wonderful people like that, that were 100% driven by a passion for what they wanted to do, that drove me to join a British youth and schools missions group that plants themselves into an area for a year or more, and works to connect the local school with the local church.

I’ve grown up always wanting to make a difference. It seems to be a part of my make up, and I remember as a kid, on a few occasions, taking friends and family down to my local duck pond to pick litter. And then as I grew older, I joined the school council, I got involved in as much as I could as a teen at high school, and then one summer, I suddenly found myself becoming a Christian and joining a local church in my home town.

Since then, I’ve found my passion for wanting to make a difference explode. Being a girl, I guess people expect you to play with dolls and talk about horses and boys. Which I did, no doubt (and continue to do….), but there was and still is, something inside of me that leapt and explodes into life when I watch Superman, X-Men, Spiderman or even a Bruce Lee movie. I love the idea of fighting for justice-being a warrior. I’m passionate about the concept of being a hero-and after a long time of thinking; I truly believe that it’s not for personal gain. I totally, 100% believe that it is just who I am. Whether you believe it or not, you are created for a purpose. Whether that is to head up a family, start a world changing business, start a city changing charity, or whatever. My purpose, I have discovered, is to work with people-to try and make a difference.

That’s why I moved to Vancouver with this charity. For a start, I wanted to see a new part of the world and then I realised the actuality of what I was embarking on when I first stepped into a school January of 2005. I met amazing children, wonderful and passionate Grade One students in a school downtown and all I did was make bead key chains with them as a helper in a lunch club. But it was incredible. Then as the year went on I was able to volunteer at a funded reading program where I worked with the same class twice a week helping with one-to-one reading. I was privileged to experience these beautiful six year olds grow in their ability to read. That was it I was totally pumped and fuelled and again, this year I have fallen in love with twenty incredible, mind blowing six year olds, who I have the joy of working with three mornings a week.

I know I’m doing it-I know that I am living the life that God has created for me, and it is so exciting.

I’d love to challenge you-find that thing that gets you totally fired up inside, it can be anything! And do it. Get out there and live the life you are called live -whether or not you believe in God.
You will be amazing.