Preparing for a Global Perspective

CCS students Kristie Pilling and Jenni Krall will be accompanying CCS Principal Marcie Gibson (and many other diaconal folks from Canada) to Moshi, Tanzania this summer for the 2025 DIAKONIA World Federation Assembly. This international gathering of deacons, deaconesses, and diaconal ministers from around the world will be part of the Global Perspectives Experience (GPE) component of Kristie and Jenni’s diaconal training at the Centre for Christian Studies. They will also be travelling to other sites in the area to engage with people and expand their understanding of the context.

“As part of my studies, I see this as a chance to gain a global perspective,” says Jenni. “One where I can listen deeply, learn from others, and be challenged to reimagine what it means to do church differently.”

“Words cannot express my excitement!” says Kristie. “Although I have a list of things I want to learn, I am prepared to expect the unexpected, to just roll with it, let it happen and just BE.”

Preparing for the experience, however, has required months of preparation for Kristie and Jenni, involving meetings via Zoom with other diaconal peoples, applying for visitor visas, seeking out funding (Thank you to the DUCC Kaufman fund!), several vaccinations, emailing back and forth with travel agents, reading the pre-trip articles on the CCS Moodle, researching weather, culture, food, dangers of all creepy crawly sorts, and forming tentative learning plans. And now, in a few short weeks they will land in Moshi, Tanzania for the Diaconal World Federation Assembly.

Moshi is a town in northern Tanzania at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, known for its coffee farms and busy, colourful streets. According to the local organizers of the Diakonia conference, Moshi is a safe place, and there is no stress in Moshi, only pole pole, which is pronounced “polay polay” and means slowly, slowly in Swahili.

That said, Kristie admits that she’s a bit worried about her gluten allergy (she is Celiac) and the ounces upon ounces of water that she drinks each day and not having access to clean water, and then the many bathroom breaks needed! As she thinks ahead to this international gathering she is also worried about language barriers, of not feeling theologically smart enough to have deep conversations where she feels like she is able to contribute, of being naive. “Well, maybe it’s my adult children that are mostly afraid of my naivety and therefore my safety.”

“But I’m excited, so unbelievably excited to experience a world on the other side of the world. A world I have only ever read about and seen movies about. I’m excited to make connections with other diaconal folk from across the globe, to spend time with my mentor, Jen Dresser, fellow student, Jenni Krall, Principal Marcie Gibson, and Companion of the Centre, Marlene Britton, and with the Maasai peoples.  I’m curious about other types of connections that involve environmental concerns, colonization, power and privilege. And I’m excited to come home and share my experiences with others; to be a bridge to a place many people will never see and to share about the lives of people they will never meet.”

Jenni feels honoured to be taking this journey alongside a handful of fellow DUCCs. “I’m deeply grateful for the financial support, prayers, and encouragement that have made it possible for me to take part in such an incredible opportunity,” she says. “I look forward to coming back and sharing the impact and learnings of this experience with the wider community as we navigate what it means to be church.”

The theme of the World Assembly is “Dancing the Faith, Drumming up Hope.” CCS is hopeful, and confident, that this Global Perspectives Experience will be a time of deep and expansive learning for Kristie and Jenni that will enrich their understanding of diaconal ministry.

“Let’s go!” says Kristie.