Andrew & Amie Reimer

Community Ministries Manager

Inner City Youth Alive

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Andrew & Amie Reimer

Community Ministry: In my new role as Community Ministries Manager, I meet regularly with our community ministers, Terry, Harvey, Rosemary and Carissa. I’ve been moved and inspired to hear about the ways they are walking with adults in our community who face isolation, trauma, addiction and many other challenges. God is using this ministry to bring justice, hope and spiritual renewal to many individuals and families!

A woman we’ve been supporting recently experienced the heartbreak of having her children, including her infant son, apprehended by Child and Family Services. A crisis like this can lead to deeper despair and addiction—or, as in her case, it can become a turning point toward healing.

During the difficult weeks while she waited alone in her house to enter a residential treatment program, Rosemary and Carissa supported her with visits, messages, care, and prayer. She held on and entered treatment several months ago.

Others have also come around her, including a trusted person in her life who stepped forward to care for her baby. We’re grateful for the ways God has been showing His care for this mother and for how she is recognizing His work through the people surrounding her. Please continue praying for this mom and her children.

Community Discipleship: This September the Youth Discipleship group was relaunched. We’ve been excited to have some new teens join the group this fall, as they all learn what it means to grow in faith as part of a community. Every Monday, after eating supper together they go around the circle sharing how they are feeling that day, and why. Next, they have a time of worship, followed by a learning time. This year they are doing the Youth Alpha series, which includes good discussion questions that have led to meaningful sharing. Every month the teens look forward to the day they visit and play games with elders at an Indigenous seniors residence here in the community. During the rest of the week John and Jenny meet with these youth for 1 on 1 mentorship and small group gatherings.

One teen recently shared how she has been praying for her father, who is incarcerated, and how God has been answering her prayers. She was so thankful and encouraged when her dad told her he has begun attending Bible studies in prison. Jesus is meeting youth in the real situations and concerns of their lives! Continue praying for the Youth Discipleship group.

Healing Circle and Broken Walls: In October, nine of our staff and six friends from the community together attended a 3-day “Inenimowin Healing Circle” in Winnipeg. Inenimowin is Cree for, “the feeling we have in our hearts.” This event was led by Ray Aldred, Linda and Rick Martin, Christian leaders, who shared from their own stories, from mental health resources, and from the Bible about trauma, grief, forgiveness, identity and healing. It was good to hear many of the men in the circle share vulnerably about their painful stories and some glimmers of hope, healing and growth that they are finding. 

On September 29 we were blessed to have Jonathan Maracle spend a day with us at ICYA. Jonathan is an Indigenous musician and ministry leader from southern Ontario. He and his band Broken Walls travel around North America and the world sharing the beauty of Indigenous music and culture and the gospel of Jesus. He led a teaching time with our staff, and then we hosted a concert especially for our community. We were very encouraged by the concert turnout and thankful that so many youth and adults from the North End could hear Jonathan, who, through his music and storytelling has such a heartfelt way of inviting people draw near to our Creator with their pain and step into their God-

given identities.

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This article was originally published in Recorder vol 63, No. 1