Outreach Canada Blog

A personal reflection from Rick Burdett, Outreach Canada's Chief Operations Officer and a member of the LeaderSHIFT team. 

I used to say, "A suitcase is the greatest equalizer of immigrants."

We all arrived in Canada with only two suitcases. Regardless of our social, political, military, or even financial and educational status in our homeland, we arrived to start a new life.

In September 1981, my wife, our 3-year-old girl, and I arrived at Vancouver International Airport en route to Regina, Saskatchewan. We traveled thousands of miles from Manila, Philippines ...

Diaspora are those people who have dispersed or spread from their original homeland. By that definition, most of us living in Canada are diaspora, but the term is generally used to describe recent migrants, their children, and grandchildren.

People migrate to Canada willingly (for a better future) or unwillingly (to escape calamity). They may have come from a country where there are more churches and Christians than we have in Canada, or they may come from a place where they would never have met a Christian or heard about Jesus Christ.

The diaspora story in Canada is complex and full of opportunity; so let’s pray!

Have you made a new year’s resolution for 2024?

Many of us are afraid to make resolutions because we have failed too many times.

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology (University of Scranton), 45% of Americans make resolutions – only 8% achieve them. 

If your desire is to make a resolution to know God better – but you are afraid of failure – let me introduce you to a centuries-old practice full of promise that’s flexible and forgiving ...

I don’t like to run. My experience of running is that I’m short of breath, sweaty & hot, and there’s a voice in my head telling me to STOP!!!!

This past year, while praying for Muslims in Canada during Ramadan, an image popped into my mind, (a not-infrequent experience when I’m praying).

The image was of a person running along a road that stretched into the distance. They were running in a long-distance race that was called ‘Journey of Discovery’. Actually, there were quite a few runners, but they each were running alone.

I noticed that at some points in the race there were people cheering the runners on, encouraging them and spurring them to keep going. At other points in the race there were refreshment stations where the runners could receive nourishment for the next leg of the race. Sometimes people would run alongside the racers, keeping pace with them, encouraging them to keep running.

Some runners kept running strong. Some runners who were faltering were encouraged by the cheering, and the nourishment, and the companionship they received. Some runners slowed to a walk. Some stopped altogether and left the race...

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. -Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

Mental Health. Trauma-Informed. PTSD. Healing.

We’ve heard these words a lot lately – from diverse sectors of society across our country, and in relation to both Canadians and newcomers. As we think about what is going on around the world, here in this country, in our countries of origin, and the experiences we, and family members, bring with us when we settle here in Canada: How then, should we respond? As the church. As fellow neighbours. As friends reaching out. In our diaspora churches and ministries.

This article expands on the topics of heart wounds, trauma, and our response as Christians. It also offers next steps --- pointing to opportunities to experience healing groups and/or to be trained as a Trauma Healing facilitator...