Site 3: South Africa

Johnny is proud to have been born and raised in Etobicoke, Toronto’s west side.  He studied Kinesiology at Wilfrid Laurier University and has great things to say about his time there.

His youth experience comes from many summers working at camp (Muskoka Woods Sports Resort) where he has been a cook, instructor, counselor, and director.  Recently labeled an avid traveler, he has been to Western Canada, Cuba, Japan, Africa, and Romania all in the last year! His passion for missions has taken him to Romania three times since 2003.

Sport is a common theme in his life as he played competitive hockey until he was 22 years of age and this past summer took up Karate.  His creative side may have forced him to release a rap album in the summer of 2006.

Returning for a second year as a Site Leader, Johnny values community and discipleship more than ever before. He will try persistently to make people laugh even if they don’t understand his jokes. Johnny thanks God for his faithfulness last year on Outtatown and is privileged to do the adventure all over again!

Dana is thrilled to be returning to Outtatown for round two as a Site Leader.  She has developed quite the interest in this program ever since she was a student in 2001/02. Originally from New Hamburg Ontario (home of the Mennonite Relief sale!), she lived in BC and recently graduated from Columbia Bible College with a BA in Church Ministries.

Along with travel and meeting new people, Dana loves good coffee, great books, and seeing new parts of the world.    

“After seeing this program as a student and now a leader I love and respect it all the more.  Outtatown is full of opportunities to learn and grow, not to mention travel and live in community.  There’s something contagious about being surrounded by people who are excited about life. I love seeing God work and move in the hearts and lives of people, changing them for the rest of their life.”

This past year Steve completed his degree in Inter-Cultural studies at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford. After three years at CBC Steve felt called to the mission field and participated in a program called TREK.  This program led Steve to spend seven months in Portugal working in a new church plant. It was an amazing experience for him as he learned God’s faithfulness first hand. While attending CBC, Steve was a member of the men’s basketball team.  Blessed with friends who also love basketball, much of his free time in the last few years has involved basketball. Steve is excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Outtatown program and is looking forward to the challenges that God is going to use to teach him new things in the upcoming year.

Peacemaking, teaching, God, creation, travel, adventure, and history are some of the things that Tessa finds exciting. She is passionate about exploring new opportunities and understanding people. Tessa loves to travel and has lived in four provinces. Winnipeg has been her home base since 1990. She graduated from CMU with a 4-year BA in Conflict Transformation Studies and an awareness of God’s call on her life to work as a peacemaker. Her university practicums provided her with amazing opportunities to encounter and appreciate diversity. During her first practicum she worked with Afghani refugees in Georgia, USA. In her second practicum, Tessa taught conflict resolution and the Biblical basis for peacemaking at the Jamaica Bible College, in Jamaica. Both of these experiences continued to nurture her passion for mentoring young adults and building community.  Tessa’s time in Jamaica strengthened her faith and helped her gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between suffering and faith. Having lived through four hurricanes and an earthquake in Jamaica, Tessa is interested to see what surprises South Africa throws her way! Upon returning from Jamaica, Tessa moved to Windsor, ON to pursue her passion of working with youth and her Bachelor of Education. She has spent the last year teaching grade five. Tessa is very excited about what God is preparing her for, and her Site, in the upcoming year and can’t wait to see what adventures and teachings await!