Torreana Goodman is one of the participants from the Summer Program this year! Read about her journey with the Lord this summer in Ontario and Guatemala: 

Global Shore’s Summer Program has been a great opportunity for me to experience growth in my faith through seeing God’s movement in three very distinct Christian groups. Before taking part in the Summer Program, I had only known my Heavenly Father through the eyes and tradition of my non-denominational church in Vancouver, BC. Within the first two months of the program in Ontario, I got to participate in a wonderful small community church that was held in the Ark building every Saturday evening. In the Ark Church, I experienced an outpouring of God’s love through the church family. They are actively working and support each other and the rest of the community around them by branching out into ministry on the beach in the summer months. During the week, I was working in an asparagus packing house alongside a large group of Old Colony Mennonites. I found it fascinating learning about their church traditions, where they worship the same God as I do, but do it in a very composed manner. Over the long hours of monotonous work, I was really challenged to reach out to God to give me the strength and joy to make it through the days in the packhouse. Through the countless hours spent with the Lord over asparagus, Old Colony Mennonite culture awareness, evening Bible studies/team nights with our leaders, mentorship, and church community, I began to get a taste of just how much I did not know about who our God is. This gave me a fresh spark, in my bed of embers, to continue to seek and grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ.

With this striking desire for more of God, the team and I headed to Guatemala for the second half of our trip. Within the first week in Guatemala, I was overwhelmed by the intense passion in which the children worshipped God during morning devotionals at school, and I knew that I wanted that intensity from the Holy Spirit dwelling within me. Over the next few weeks, I saw that God was truly at work in this community. As I attended church on Wednesday evening and young adults on Saturday evenings, this passion just intensified. It was so amazing just to feel the Holy Spirit moving, sending goose bumps up my arms as we worshipped our Savior with the freedom of dancing, jumping, clapping, singing and tongues.  As the weeks dwindle away, I feel like I still have so much more to learn from the Guatemalans about our God and would love to come back again. I have learned that the more time you spend in God’s presence, the more joy God will place in your heart, even if it’s working with asparagus, clearing piles of construction rubble, or struggling over learning Spanish. So stop fretting and starting seeking Christ deeper!

– Torreana Goodman