It has been a while!!!

Hello friends and family,
   Well it has been a while since I have written anything, so I thought I would do a short update. I can hardly believe that 2 years ago I was starting to get ready to come back to Canada. I have been back home in Canada as long as I was over in Belgium. Which is so hard to believe that all that time has passed.
   When I came back and deiced to lead the children's ministries of my church, I had no idea how much was involved, but how exciting it is to be part of this ministries. How amazing it is to touch the lives of these children. And as I look at the next 2 years I am looking forward to see how God can use me here or anywhere else He may send me or move me.
  One amazing part of being back home is being able to be part of the family, and watch my precious niece and nephew grow.

  I am grateful for all the experiences and lessons I learned while in Belgium. I would not have traded those 2 years for anything, and I have used them as I minister here back home in Canada. And as I move forward to continue learning and use what I learn as I minister.
  I have been working at a retirement home since April of 2012 and I am working there full time nights, not always easy working straight nights but I am thankful for a job, but as most of these residents are able to take care of themselves thought out the night my job is very easy. I do checks though the night on them with a few other small jobs, but I have a lot of time during the night to do things that I choose to do. So I bring things with me and I am able to prepare lessons, training sessions ect during the night. Which has been a blessing for me to be able to do that at work, as I have no idea how I would fit it all in yet I know God wants me here doing the ministry here in Welland.  
    As I look towards 2014 I am looking at doing a VBS again this coming summer at our Church. I have done so the last 2 summers and yes it is a lot of work, but the kids always enjoy it so much and I learn so much along the way as well. And although we are into Jr. Church of this year I am always looking at the next year although we are in the present year to see what is working and what needs to change. I am also part of the Awana program at our Church, which I work with the Sparkies (ages 5-7) and it is so great to see them each week and know we are influencing them though that ministry.
  On a personal note I am having surgery in January for my gallbladder, I will be off of work for 4 weeks. So I able to focus on a few things at home and ministry and see where that leads.  Well that is all for now, I will need to try to update things here more often so that I am not trying to remember everything I have done in the last year to year and half. :)
  Blessings to you all.
  

Preparing for a week of VBS!!!

 Well my friends,
    I have been home for 7 months now and I have a few part time jobs along with serving with my Church as the Children's Pastor. Some days I wounder where I will find the time to get everything done. And for most part God gives me the strength to get it all done.
  With a week and half till the start of VBS there seems to be long lists of things to be done. And as we quickly head that direction there are many things on my mind that we need to get done, but I know no matter what happens and what I may not get done or what I don't think is the way it is suppose to be God will be using it all. I am excited to be part of this yet I feel so many time so unprepared for this job, yet it is here and here I go.
  I saw this on Face book not that long ago, and so many times as I work along doing this I feel this way.

 And as I go forward, to this busy week of VBS I am so glad that we all can lean on Christ, for our strength and guidance, these Children are so precious and need to hear about the greatest gift that they could ever receive.
  I want to thank each of you in advance as you pray, for this week of VBS, I have been blessed with having a base of praying friends.

6 Months

Well I have been back to Canada 6 months. It has been an interesting journey, coming home. At times I love being back here yet at time I so miss Belgium. A piece of me will always be in Belgium. I will always think of it as my second home.
  Since coming back home to Canada I have had the OM door shut for me to work here in the Canadian office. I have a few part time/casual jobs, as a PSW although I do enjoy my work most of the time my heart is at my Church, where I am the Children's Pastor. We are doing a VBS this summer with less then 7 weeks to the start of it, there is still a lot of work ahead of us. Yet I know that it will be a great time of fun, and learning for all of us.
   As I look back at these last 6 months at home, I have been blessed to have an amazing family to help and support me in my transitional time back.  I have also been blessed with an amazing apartment. As I look around my place I am amazed at what I own and where it all come from, God has supplied beyond what I need, and for that I am grateful. I am amazed over and over again at how God supplies for everything, and beyond.    
  As I look to the future I do not know what God has in store for me, but I do know that no matter what happens he is in control and he will supply for me. 
  I want to thank each of you as you journey through with me in this life, of the unknown. We serve an amazing God, and if we let Him run our lives He will do some amazing things, as we serve Him.
  Will see what the next 6 months will be like. What amazing things God will show me. 
And although I am not out on any mission field any longer, does not mean I not mean that I don't need you on my team, I think being home can be almost harder as you do not have the same team support behind you, as you live day by day. Please if you need prayer let me know. And please pray as I get to know my neighbours, and show them God's love.  

Job Hunting!!!

Hello everyone,
  It has been awhile since I last wrote on here. So here we go, for those who have not heard. I have left OM and now is on a job search. I am Personal Support Worker(PSW) Although I did not know what was going to happen with OM and my support at the end of January, I felt that I needed to start handing out resumes, so I did and have been ever since.
   And I was getting little to no response from them, so I started sending them far and wide through out Canada, and was like okay Lord if you want me here in Welland then you need to shut these doors and open local ones. And so I waited and no response from them either.
  Now I was getting to the end of my Home assignment with OM and knew that I needed a job as the support I need for staying with OM was not coming in, so I knew God was closing that door. Yet I was not sure what the next door was for me.
   So I started to apply to just about anything out there, I figured once I was making money to live off of I could then search more into the openings that I needed to look at.
   After send out resumes to places like Tim Hortons, Dollar store etc. I decided that I needed to make a visit to the Job Gym, which is a program that runs here in Welland to help people get jobs it is a resource to those looking for work or if there are problems with your job and you need questions. The best part this is a government funded program so I do not need to pay out of pocket for this.
    So I got all the paper work started for this and signed up for a work smart work shop and next thing you know I get a job offer, yes with St. Elizabeth Home Health, which is an organization that hires, RN's RPN's and PSW's to go to peoples homes and give care to them. Although I do not know all that is initiated to this job, I will soon as the orientation is Monday afternoon. This is part-time/casual so I do not know how many hours this will be either, but one thing I do know is that I have a job and who knows what will come of it.
   I will for now stay with the job gym to see if I can get full-time employment somewhere, but this is a start and an answer to prayer. I will keep you posted in what comes next. I am also still working with my church as Children's Pastor so please pray that as I try to balance all God has blessed me with that I will stay focused on the important things in life.
  Thanks again for being part this journey with me. Your love and prayers are so much appreciated.

What is home Assignment??

 So as I have been talking with people, since I have come home to Canada from Belgium, I have come to realize that home assignment or furlough is a bit confusing for everyone and what it means.
  So I am going try to explain this to the best I know how to.
  Home Assignment (Furlough) is when a missionary returns to their home country or area  fir a tune to connect with there supporting church(es), and  there partners. And a time to build new partners as well to join there team. During this time they also share what is going on the field that they are working on.
  It also helps Missionaries take time to step back and reflect on what is happening and refocus on what God has called them to do. After a time that has been set by them and the mission organization that they work for they return to there field that they are working in.
  So what this all means for me, as I have come back from Belgium, and now in Canada. I am on home assignment (furlough) till the end of March.During this time I am planning on visiting people, groups and Churches to share about my time in Belgium and what future plans are looking like and what needs I have. At the end of this time going back to Belgium but staying here in Canada, I will be working with OM Canada in Port Colborne.
   As with any OM Missionary, I need to raise  my own support to work here with OM Canada. As OM is an faith based organisation. So as I connect with people and build this team to continue on this path God has me on at this time. Please if you are reading this please consider becoming part of this team and see how God Changes communities and countries. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me, or if you wish to be part of this team.  My email address is joanneynemajourney@gmail.com
  You each have a part of what I do because without each of you I couldn't be doing what I do.
   
  I thank God that He has put each one of you in my life.

Preparing to go back to Canada!!!

  Where has the time gone. As I sit here today, I look at the calender and see there are 2 weeks till I move out of my apartment, lots of packing and cleaning up to do. In 5 weeks I will be on a plane heading home to Canada. There so many up and downs for me these days I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends back in Canada. Yet will miss so much of Belgium and the friends that I have got here. Yet I know this is what God is calling me to do is go home and share his amazing love to the Canadians around me.
  I fly home the 15th of December. I will spend most the the time in December with family and Christmas functions. I am looking forward to seeing each one of you. If you would like to see me please contact me at joanne.ynema@om.org Most of these appointments will happen in the new year, but if you are not form the Niagara Region and will be there during the holidays I would be very happy to see you during that time if you have time. Please contact me and I will try to arrange to see you during that time. Looking forward to hearing from you.
  Thanks so much for partnering with me during this time here in Belgium and looking forward to continuing this partnership during my next 2 years as I serve in Canada.

  "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all."  Philippians 1:3-4  

Vacation Fall 2011

Time away is always nice and usually to short, last week I had some time to go to the Netherlands. I went away to a little retreat spot. Real nice. Beautiful fall weather. Great for some nice walks, and just relaxing. I went away with a family who works here with OM Belgium. 

Here are a few pictures of my time away.