Site 2: South Africa

Myrielle Tremblay

Myrielle was born and raised in Quebec, which explains why she speaks English with a little French accent. She had the opportunity to learn English by working at Christian Camps in Ontario for many summers.

After completing her CEGEP (which is sort of a college before university in Quebec) she wanted to take a year to spend some time learning more about God. She ended up going to Summit College, a Bible School with Outdoor Adventure programs in Ontario. She did one year as a student and then God gave her the opportunity to do another one as an intern. After Summit College, she ended up going even further West (instead of going back home) to complete a Bachelor degree in Recreation Leadership at Providence College in Manitoba.

Myrielle may be only 5' 3", but she loves to play just about every sport. Her favorites include: soccer, basketball, hockey, snowboarding, white water kayaking, waterskiing, climbing, running, and rugby. She also likes to spend her quiet time reading. Her favorite place to be is in the wilderness where she feels God's presence the most. She loves chocolates, traveling, playing cards and watching her favorite hockey team - the Montréal Canadians.

Last year God gave her the opportunity to become a Site Leader on the South Africa site. She had an amazing year. This summer she went back to Québec city to be with her family, but she is very exited to come back for another year of amazing adventure with a community that will soon become a second family!

Rafael Duerksen

As a Swiss who grew up in Paraguay and now lives in Canada, Rafael likes to kid about his lack of identity. Truth is, however, that Rafael loves being multicultural - enjoying the many benefits of having friends all over the world. He is very excited about the upcoming years as he cannot wait to see and experience new things and add to the list of places he calls home.

Besides travelling and wandering through the world, Rafael loves spending his time reading, playing frisbee and being outdoors. He loves spending quality time with people and having good conversations and discussions.

Rafael graduated from Canadian Mennonite University in 2008, where he studied Biblical and Theological Studies. In addition to being involved in youth and children’s ministry at his home church over the last 4 years, he has been involved in several short-term mission and service assignments in North America, Paraguay, Switzerland and Germany, most recently spending 7 months in Berlin Germany.

Rafael is very excited to be returning to Outtatown for the second year, although he is fully enjoying the summer, travelling, relaxing and of course cheering for South Africa in the World Cup.

Sandy Town

Seven years ago, if you had asked Sandy what her life would look like today, she would not have said that she’d be travelling to South Africa as an Outtatown Site Leader. In fact, many of the turns her life has taken were unexpected. But if you ask Sandy what she thinks of where she is now, she’ll tell you that her life rocks her socks off!

Sports and being active were a huge part of Sandy’s life growing up as the oldest of 4 girls in Orillia, ON. And while she just loves swimming, skiing, volleyball, track and field, canoeing, ultimate Frisbee and hiking, her absolute favourite activity is reading. Although, her desire to read in trees only lasted until she was attacked by a mother bird protecting her nest. Sandy’s other hobbies include singing, learning guitar, dancing in the rain and chatting with friends over a cup of tea.

Sandy studied liberal arts at the University of Waterloo (UW). However, in the middle of her studies, took a year off to participate in the Leadership Development Program (Prosàgo) at Medeba Adventure Learning Centre in Ontario; an experience that changed her life. Through the year’s adventures, classes and community God slowly showed her a different path for her life. After this year Sandy returned to UW to complete her degree. This was followed by a year in Germany learning the language and working as an English Language Assistant.

If you were to ask Sandy what she thinks are the most important things in the world, she’d tell you: God, Family, Friends and Laughter. And she’s perfected the last one – you’ll often hear her laughing before you see her coming around a corner.

Steve Klassen

Steve is a born and raised southern Manitoba boy who continually tries to escape the land of mosquitoes and cold winters, but God keeps calling him back. After high school, Steve spent a year working in Edmonton before returning to embark on the adventure and year of a lifetime that was Outtatown South Africa back in 2003/04. After Outtatown he headed off to the Maritimes for a year of school in New Brunswick and then came back to CMU to continue his studies completing a Bachelor of Church Ministries degree.

After graduation in 2007 he took on a youth pastor position for 2 ½ years in the small town of Altona, Manitoba where he grew in his leadership, maturity and passion for working with young people. He loves the Lord and is continually amazed at how God provides and answers prayers and not always in the way you expect. He is looking forward to giving back to a program that has meant so much to him and to see things from a leadership perspective this time around.

Over the course of this past year Steve has enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer in Haiti and travel around Mexico, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia and is excited about the chance to go back to South Africa.

Whether it’s working at camp, going hiking, relaxing at the cabin, camping with friends or climbing a mountain, Steve is re-energized when surrounded by God’s amazing, beautiful and diverse creation. He enjoys most any sport but is particularly fond of ultimate Frisbee, playing & coaching baseball and his lifelong passion…golf.

To find Steve in a hurry, just look for the nearest 7-11, golf course, or any TV that is broadcasting a Pittsburgh Penguins or Green Bay Packers game.