EMI Canada Newsletter - Christmas 2018 by Engineering Ministries International

CANADA

NEWS WINTER 2018

EMI team on Mary’s Home property

THE JOURNEY TO MARY’S HOME Even when God gives a vision, the journey to see it become reality can be long, indirect, and fraught with setbacks. So in this season of Advent, when learning to wait on God’s timing is a key lesson, we feature the story of Austin Omobhude and Mary’s Home. Austin grew up in Nigeria and had become successful in business. However, years earlier, God had given Austin a vision of helping needy and abandoned children. Mary’s Home (named after Austin’s mother) would be where vulnerable children could grow up in a loving, Christ-centered, family environment. With no idea how to begin such a venture, Austin wondered how God would make real this vision that lay upon his heart. In Spring 2015, Austin met EMI Canada Executive Director, Greg Young. When Greg urged Austin to establish a charitable organization and explained that EMI exists to provide professional design for such visions, Austin knew he had found a key partner in EMI. For two years, EMI Canada teams planned to carry out the project but were thwarted, initially by security concerns and later by visa-related challenges. In September 2018, a joint EMI Canada/EMI Senegal team of local and international design professionals finally arrived to work alongside Austin and his local team to bring the vision of Mary’s Home closer to reality. The modest property, purchased many years before, was laid out to house up to 50 orphaned and vulnerable children, along with their houseparents, in family-style apartments. This compact form saves space on the property for gardens and play areas. If additional land is purchased, through partnership with local churches, Mary’s Home may also provide primary education for these and other community children. Through the Fall of 2018, EMI staff, interns, and volunteers worked hard to complete a report and design drawings. The goal is for Mary’s Home to open its doors to the children of Irrua, Nigeria later in 2019, making real the vision God had given Austin many years ago. Thank you for your partnership with EMI and contributing to making this vision a reality.

Rendering of Mary’s Home

THIS FALL AT EMI CANADA It’s been a busy fall in the EMI Canada office! Staff attended the EMI Directors’ Conference in the UK and the EMI Network Conference in Oregon; we sent project teams to Rwanda and Nigeria; and two of our annual fundraisers took place. In September, an EMI Canada team master planned a new ministry center for HOPEthiopia/Rwanda just outside the Rwandan capital of Kigali. This center will host vocational training for men and women, and be the administrative hub for ministry efforts throughout Rwanda. Also in September, an EMI Canada/EMI Senegal team travelled to Irrua, Nigeria to design Mary’s Home. This facility will house up to 50 vulnerable children and their house-parents, providing a loving family environment. Read about Mary’s Home and its founder, Austin, in our lead story. The Ride for Refuge, our annual fundraising bike and walk, took place across Canada in late September. Forty-six participants represented EMI Canada in Montreal, Toronto, Waterloo, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, and the UK. The $17,000 raised by 230 donors exceeded our fundraising goal! A big thank you to all Team EMI participants, donors, and team captains! In November, EMI friends and supporters in Calgary attended our EMI Dessert Evening & Silent Auction. Our theme was Hope by Design, emphasizing how the hope of the gospel is delivered through the rigor and intentionality of good design. Guests heard from ministry representatives and volunteers, and participated in a silent auction. Many thanks to the generous guests, volunteers, and donors that made this event possible!

CONTINUE YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH EMI CANADA We give thanks to God for your partnership this year. Every dollar contributed, every volunteer hour served, and every prayer offered up has helped EMI Canada advance the Kingdom of God through good design. As we approach the end of 2018, we need your continued partnership to launch us into 2019. In a few days, you will receive our year-end appeal for $35,000 toward the EMI Fund - Canada. This fund powers our programs so we can send out project teams, equip young design professionals, and develop internal staff capacity. Please prayerfully consider a year-end donation that will launch us strongly into 2019.

SAVE THE DATE: January 18-20 Missions Fest Vancouver February 1-3 Missionfest Manitoba (Winnipeg) February 22-24 Missions Fest Alberta (Edmonton) March 29-31 Jesus to the Nations (Halifax)

WAYS TO PARNTER WITH EMI CANADA GIVE Visit emiworld.org/give to learn more about giving options.

GO Visit emiworld.org/trips to learn about project trip opportunities.

PRAY Visit emiworld.org/pray to subscribe to EMI’s prayer calander.