God & Government Youth: Jolene’s story
In February 2020, I got on a plane for the very first time and flew to Canada’s capital to meet 30 other students and the ARPA staff for the God and Government Youth conference! As a student in Grade 11, I was excited for this opportunity to visit Ottawa and have a look at the Canadian government and what our role as Christians may look like in it.
When we were there, we slept in the old Ottawa jail, which has been turned into a unique hostel. With that as our base, we met at the ARPA office and spent a lot of time on Parliament Hill, which is within walking distance of the ARPA office. We prepared for and had meetings with Members of Parliament, who were quite friendly and listened to what we had to say. We attended Question Period in the House of Commons and met with a Supreme Court judge to learn about his job. We listened to presentations and took part in workshops to help us apply what we were learning. Despite the cold weather, we were able do an hour of activism on the streets of Ottawa, holding pro-life signs sharing the message that Canada has no abortion law, and we need a law.
It wasn’t all talks and meetings, though. We skated on the famous Rideau canal, crossed the bridge into Gatineau so we could say we’d been to Quebec, and found our way out of an escape room. Toward the end of the conference, we got all dressed up for a fancy banquet. The evening gave us the opportunity to listen to a keynote presentation and be inspired by recipients of ARPA’s Salt & Light award, an award recognizing Christians who have shown exceptional dedication to action in and for their communities.
I came away from GGY 2020 with a lot of new knowledge, along with some life experiences I likely wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t gone. I gained a deeper understanding of how Canadian Parliament operates, and a passion for bringing my Christian worldview into the political sphere. It was great to meet students with similar interests from across the country and know we could all go back to our separate communities to make a difference.
Now, five years later, I’m working for ARPA Canada and get to be on the organizing team bringing GGY back! If you’re in Grade 11 or 12 this year, I hope you’ll join me there from February 25-28, 2025. Get your application in today, pack a warm coat, and get ready for a fun few days you won’t soon forget!
