Who We Are

We are Steve and Jo and our adventure is one of serving God. 

We met in high school and were married in 2004. We both joined the workforce, Steve as a salesman with Future Shop and I as a hair stylist at a small shop. 

After purchasing our first home Steve felt the call to missions. It took me a while longer to give my idea of the perfect life up to the call of the Lord and even though it was a struggle I decided to trust God and trust my husband. 

Our first mission experience together was a six month short term missions program called Trek through MB Mission in 2009 that took us to Zaporozhye, Ukraine for three and a half months. In that time we fell in love with Ukraine and knew in our hearts when we left that God wanted us back here. 

Upon returning home Steve started working as a Youth Pastor at a church in our city, I returned to hairstyling and our first son Dezmond was born. Ukraine was still in our hearts but we weren't exactly sure how or when we would return.

In early 2011 we spent six months in Mijas, Spain at the G42 Leadership Academy where we started to fully understand what God was calling us to. We were trained, prepared and gained a lifelong community that would back us up wherever we were. It was there that we fully grasped who He has made us to be and the life of purpose we were meant to live out.

Throughout the end of 2011 and most of 2012 we were at home in Canada, preparing for our move to Ukraine. Steve began working as the Ball Hockey Director for Youth for Christ to gain more experience in a youth leadership role and I resumed hairstyling from home while taking care of Dezmond.  In February son number two - August, was born. We sold our house in the spring and started the process of getting rid of all our things. We also secured a partnership with Youth for Christ to send us on our way. 

It took until the end of 2012 before we returned to Zaporozhye on a permanent basis. We spent November 2012 in Spain reconnecting with G42 staff and making some amazing new connections with the interns of the Academy at that time. We will forever love that season of relaxation, preparation and being built up for missionary service. 

We have been in Zaporozhye since December, 2012 and are taking opportunities and making connections wherever we can. We have connected with Young Life - an organization common in the USA and Canada that specializes in youth ministry. We are also connected with New Hope Center, an organization started by John Wiens who we served here in Zaporozhye in 2009. New Hope Center is now run completely by Ukrainians and we partner with them when we can. We have connections with Hope for Each, an organization started by fellow Canadians, Garry and Teresa Verhoog who live in Nicolaipolia just north of Zaporozhye. They operate a dairy farm and trade school for graduated orphans. We are also extremely excited to partner in the future with our dear American friend Jessica who has purchased land south of Zaporozhye and will be building a house in 2018 to foster children and give them hope in Christ for their futures. 

We have taken Isaiah 30:21 as the verse for our journey and we know it to be true for our family: 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

A lot of times on our journey we haven't known which way to go but when we put one foot in front of the other in obedience to God, He confirms us and shows how much He loves us. 

This blog is the story of our life serving the Lord and we hope that our journey will inspire you to step out into the plans that He has for you as well.