In 2004, CCO’s summer mission project, Impact Canada, came to my hometown, Halifax. Having had a powerful experience of Christ earlier that summer, Impact was just what I needed. My faith was strengthened and secured, and when I heard about Impact 2009 in Saskatoon, I knew I wanted to help others have a similar experience.

I was accepted to the mission, and in early May 2009, I flew to Saskatoon. Inside of me, however, was this lingering doubt that I could really be an effective missionary of Jesus, especially on a one-on-one basis. I felt like I lacked the gifts I needed to proclaim the Gospel to one person at a time. I could even remember asking my Parish Team on Impact to pray for me regarding this doubt, on the very first Sunday at Holy Spirit Parish in Saskatoon.

But things changed when I met Colin, a parishioner that I had heard a bit about. He was coming out of a rough stage in his life, with a lot of problems that I had never even imagined dealing with. A friend told me that all he needed was a good role model, but I remember thinking, Yeah, but that’s not me. How could I help Colin know Christ? I didn’t think much of it, but I began to see Colin often. He was coming to all the Cornerstone youth events that Impact organized, and he participated in the Discovery faith study I lead at my parish. Colin’s honesty surprised me, and his earnest search to know God in a deeper and more personal way was made very clear to me. Slowly I realized that through our weekly study, Cornerstone, and impromptu spiritual conversations, Colin was beginning to know God in a way much more profound than I could imagine. I remember wondering if I ever had the depth of faith that Colin had!

As I left Saskatoon at the end of Impact, I could rest assured in two things; first, that Colin was in a very different and very secure place than when I arrived in Saskatchewan, and second, that I could be used to effect change in someone’s life, and have them turn to God and grow closer to him.

Matt Vaughan is a fourth year political science student at Dalhousie University. He currently serves as President of the CCO Halifax Student Leadership Team. He is leading a CCO faith study on campus.