TORONTO — Toronto may be only a short flight from Tennessee, but for one Tennessee WMU mission team, it became a place to reach the nations in the city.
From May 14-18, the team served in Toronto, Ontario, alongside International Mission Board missionaries Jason and Jennifer Vanover. Team members encouraged local ministry leaders, prayed through neighborhoods, and supported outreach efforts in one of the world’s most diverse urban centers.
The team included Vickie Anderson, Tennessee WMU executive director; Julie Binford of Bartlett; Melanie Hart of Sevierville; and Lee Lowe of New Johnsonville.
Anderson said Toronto was chosen because of its strategic ministry opportunities. The International Mission Board partners there with the Canadian National Baptist Convention, the North American Mission Board, and Send Relief to help plant churches and equip local ministries in evangelism and discipleship.
The Greater Toronto Area is home to about 6.5 million people, and more than half of its residents are foreign-born. More than 2 million people speak a primary language other than English, including large Chinese-, Tagalog-, and Arabic-speaking communities.
The city is also home to growing populations of people from Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, and Jewish backgrounds, as well as the largest Tibetan population outside Tibet.
For Tennessee WMU, Toronto offered a unique opportunity to engage people from around the world, including some from places where traditional missionary access is limited.
During the trip, the team participated in a variety of ministry efforts. Members helped Gospel City Church prepare for Vacation Bible School and led a prayer meeting for women.
The team also prayer walked in North York and downtown Toronto, assisted with ESL ministry, worshipped with a Persian congregation, and prayed for evangelistic opportunities surrounding the FIFA World Cup. Along the way, members had many conversations with local residents and joined the Vanovers in praying for the city and its people.
“Hosting the Tennessee WMU team was an encouragement both personally and in ministry,” said Jennifer Vanover. “Seeing women come with servant hearts, eager to pray and support local churches, reminded me of the importance of partnerships in advancing the gospel.
Toronto’s diversity provides unique opportunities to meet people from many nations and share the hope of Christ without ever leaving the city.”
Team members said the trip left a lasting impression.
Binford said the experience brought Matthew 28:19 to life. She said mission work can take many forms, from helping a small church with practical tasks to teaching English. She added that worshipping with a congregation in another language gave her a glimpse of heaven, where people from every nation will worship together.
Lowe said that after reflecting on all she saw and heard in Toronto, she kept thinking about the crowds moving quickly through the city — on sidewalks, in subway cars, and from place to place with little time to slow down.
She said the scene reminded her of Matthew 9 and the image of sheep without a shepherd, deepening her burden to pray for more laborers for the harvest.
Hart said she felt the Lord clearly leading her to be part of the trip.
She said she was moved by the many nations and people groups represented in Toronto and wants to continue praying intentionally for ministry in Canada, especially for the Vanovers and for gospel opportunities surrounding the World Cup. She also expressed gratitude for serving alongside other Tennessee WMU women.
Anderson said the trip reminded the team that global missions opportunities are not always far from home.
In Toronto, they saw firsthand how God is drawing the nations together and opening doors for gospel witness in one of North America’s most diverse cities. B&R