IVEP US Newsletter, Winter 2018

Winter 2018

Welcome

IVEPers at mid-year conference, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, February 2018.

I’m currently waiting at the airport for a flight that has now been delayed several times. On the way here, my train to the airport was delayed, my boarding pass, which I electronically registered for, didn’t appear in my phone’s inbox and my bursting to the seams carry-on bag was chosen for the random inspection. By the time I made it to the flight board and saw that after all of this I would not be leaving on time I felt like the world was against me. All these disastrous emotions are welling up inside of me, and while I feel all of it I know that this is all just a sequence of coincidences and at the end of the day the world won’t end, even if my flight is ultimately canceled. Traveling alone, I think, makes the emotions a bit heavier.

I can’t help but think of the much longer much more in-depth journey that each of you have been on this year. Whether you are a host, partner or IVEP participant I’m sure there have been days where you too have felt like everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. And yet, I am so cognizant of how much I would be missing if I had never signed up for the journey. Who doesn’t benefit from having a traveling tale or two to share with friends.

Blessing to each one of you as you face each day as it comes. I already feel better about my current situation. Sharing the challenges with others really does lighten the load.

Blessings on the journey,

Kathryn Deckert

Participant insight: IVEP has been a great blessing to me

Dadung Bot Peter, standing in front of the Christmas tree at his host family's house in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Dadung Bot Peter, from Nigeria, writes about some of his IVEP experiences as an administrative assistant at Village Green Thrift Store in Saskatoon, SK. He talks about his appreciation for the volunteers he works with and their interest in his home country of Nigeria. He also talks about his new experiences with Canadian cooking and the deceptive winter sun. Read his full story here:

Host insight: the goodness of God

Ilacir Piano stands between Paula and John Stoltzfus (back left and right). Their kids (front left to right), Lilianna, Isaac, and Elaina are with them, enjoying a trip to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.

John and Paula Stoltzfus are currently hosting Ilacir Piano Junior from Brazil. Hosting was something they both had always wanted to do, but the "right" time never materialized. Despite their reservations, they finally said yes when the need arose. John says, "I don't claim to always know how God's Spirit arranges encounters in our lives, yet I consider the opportunity for our family to know Ilacir Piano at this time in our respective lives as an experience of the goodness of God. Read more about John's hosting experience here:

Partner insight: welcoming Julia to her role

IVEPer Juliar Khair, centre, from Palestine with Ruth Plett, left, and her coworker Alejandro Strange at Sam's Place.

Ruth Plett, works with IVEPer Julia Khair from Palestine at Sam's Place, a cafe and used bookstore in Winnipeg. Ruth talks about key elements that make for a successful IVEP placement. She explains how Julia brings a wealth of gifts and experience that work well with youth and other volunteers. Julia's narrative from Palestine offers a particular insight to those who hear her stories this year. Read Ruth's story here:

Alumni insight: writing to preserve language and culture

Nobubele Nhlope from Zimbabwe stands holding her book which she co-wrote in her first language, Ndebele. On the left is her photo taken when she was an IVEPer in 2011.

Nobubele Nhlope was an IVEPer from 2011-2012 and spent her time working at Lutheran Children and Family Services in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Since then she's been back in Zimbabwe. Find out more about her story.

Coming Up:

IVEP Year-end Conference:July 12-17, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Pray For:

IVEPers who are concerned about difficult things that are happening in their families, their home countries and/or their host communities.
All people in the IVEP network to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.