I attended Cedars from preschool to grade twelve and while I had many great experiences, two of them have been crucial in leading me to pursuing the work I do today.

In grade eleven, I had the privilege of going on YWAM which introduced me to poverty in a way I’d never known. I also took the Leadership 11 class and was introduced to life in the inner city of Prince George. I soon realized that the poverty I saw in Vancouver wasn’t too different from what I saw in downtown Prince George. This led me to volunteering weekly with a ministry called the Zechariah House. The Zechariah House was focused on interacting with kids in the VLA through outdoor activities, art, and music. This continued to fuel my desire to work with at-risk kids.

After graduation I took the Social Service Worker and Criminology programs at CNC. I worked in a high-risk group home for nine months before taking on a job with Youth for Christ Prince George. My job is focused on creating programs for kids in the inner city to be a part of, as well as being present and available to talk with. Currently, we have two sports programs on Tuesday afternoons and have a youth basketball team in the works for Thursday evenings. My husband and I were also given the opportunity to go on YWAM as chaperones this year and I saw again the power that trip has on shifting students’ view on the world.

It can be very easy for kids who’ve grown up in a Christian family and a Christian school not to see the hurt in our city. Through YWAM and Leadership 11, Cedars provided me, and continues to provide students, with a glimpse of life outside the walls of the school. And what blessing that is.

– Gera Warren (neé de Fauw)