A New Chapter with World Renew

As I begin my journey as the new Executive Director of World Renew Canada, it is an honour to connect with our church community as we join together in God's calling to pursue justice and mercy for a world longing for hope. My pathway to better understand this calling started from my upbringing and youth in the Christian Reformed Church where I was able to form an early personal understanding of our Biblical mandate “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This calling set me on a three-decade long path starting in a village in Tanzania and spanning many different opportunities across Africa with World Renew, and later with several other organizations.

As I have walked this journey with men and women in Africa and around the world, I have grown in my understanding and conviction of the importance of gender justice and equity as a foundation and imperative for all social and community development. I have seen that the negative impact of gender-based violence and inequality prevents individuals, families and communities from moving forward economically and socially. I have also witnessed the positive impact of communities that have committed to wiping out gender-based violence; providing opportunities for girls and women and their families to realize their full potential and renew hope for the future.

At World Renew, we have the privilege of reflecting Christ's love in tangible ways. One opportunity that I would like to invite you to join is our 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence launch event. This global virtual gathering will take place on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM EST. World Renew’s 2025 theme, “Advocates of Dignity and Hope”, invites us to raise awareness about gender-based violence, mobilize communities to recognize and prevent harm, advocate for justice, and act towards ending violence. You can register here for the event.

To help your church promote and engage with the campaign, we have created:

• A Presentation Slide with the event details to share during this Sunday’s service (Canada // United States)
• A Worship Guide for your church to use for a service during the 16 Days of Activism campaign (Sunday, November 30, or Sunday, December 7)

Thank you for walking this journey with World Renew. Together, let's imagine how God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) to bring lasting impact around the world.