At Tyndale St-Georges, I found where I belonged — and the love of my life

During the month of December, CBC will be working with Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre to showcase stories of people in our community who are making a difference for our "Make the Season Kind" campaign. For more stories and to learn more about this campaign, visit cbc.ca/bekindqc and make a donation here.

In January 2005 I began volunteering at Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre. I had heard of it through some of the kids I worked with at Roslyn Elementary School in Westmount, who lived in a place called Little Burgundy down the hill, just outside of downtown Montreal. 

I got there to discover a small and vibrant community I had never known about in the heart of the city. I started by volunteering in a classroom with students once a week, and I enjoyed it so much that I began working one-on-one with a student daily. The community had such a strong sense of identity that you were automatically drawn in and felt a sense of belonging. All I saw was a friendly, kind, strong, intelligent and resilient community. A place where you walk down the street and people say hello and know your name. I found like-minded people working toward a common goal with genuine intentions to serve the community in creative and innovative ways.

I have been fortunate enough to travel the world at a young age, but had not felt connected to anywhere but South Africa. I kept thinking, if not high school, then maybe it gets better in university. But I was not enjoying that experience either, until after my first year at Concordia when I found TSG. Longing to find that connection in Canada, the Tyndale community took me in under their wing. They accepted me — and as cliché as it sounds, you could say I found myself there, along with the community I connected with. A place where being yourself was encouraged and nurtured.

That fall I was asked to join the CYF team as an educator and animator. I worked for five years in that department and have been involved ever since. This team taught me the foundations of my work and helped me progress my career in community development, which meant placing an emphasis on relationship-building, meeting people's needs and supporting families in their growth. At the time, Tyndale was seen as a training centre, therefore we went through intensive training where there was a great deal invested for our personal and professional development.

During the first week of training, Steven Maxwell, the evening high school educator who had been working there almost five years, filled in for two weeks. I was taken by Steven's kindness and support in my first time leading a group of kids on my own.

Seeing him interact with students and break down difficult material was impressive, as well as the empathy that he showed. As a math student who struggled, this was the support I had once wished for. I began to look up to him and we would connect on a lot beyond work — music, sports and on the continent of Africa, where I was originally from and where he had a dream to teach.

In 2010, I was accepted into a graduate program at the University of Cape Town, while Steve was completing a teacher education program at the University of Ottawa. During a break, he came to visit me and fell in love with the country. He then joined me after completing his degree; I pursued community work and Steven lived out his dream of teaching in a township in Cape Town.

In 2017, Steven and I were visiting Montreal and had a wedding celebration, which ended up turning into a TSG reunion, an intergenerational celebration.

That year was a difficult one for me, I had been hospitalized and unable to see family or friends. Our initial wedding was in a home affairs office in Cape Town's government building, not the most romantic. People made fun of us because we insisted on not having a formal wedding but kept having mini parties everywhere to celebrate. Finally, since we could not celebrate with our North American friends and family, our parents encouraged us to have a celebration. What started out as a party for 25 people, quickly became 100 and counting. We gave speeches and had guests roast us and then ate and danced the night away.

It ended up being the best night of my life because the love in the room was palpable and helped me realise where I needed to be in my life.

When I returned from South Africa, I was excited to know that the opportunity of volunteer director came up, and I was hired! I now work with my sister-in-law and the uncle of my child and I am colleagues with Kadeem, who was in my first class I ever ran at Tyndale as an educator, when he was in Grade 5. I get to see the children I once helped teach grow up, and have their kids be part of Tyndale's programs.

In 2019, we celebrated our baby shower in similar fashion as our wedding with our Little Burgundy family at Tyndale. And now, my two initial supervisors are the godparents to our child, Miles. His middle name, Quest, was even given to us at the baby shower by a past colleague and participant. We knew his name and its meaning would suit Miles's character on his journey to greatness.

Miles was born in the NICU and I was hospitalized again in 2019. It was the overwhelming love from my Tyndale family that helped us get through, whether getting us groceries, food, visiting or watching Miles.

Even when working elsewhere, Steven and I would always make sure to stay involved in TSG, be it substituting, delivering workshops or leading field trips and even attending events, like the barbecue or a graduation. We were fortunate to have a work setting where we were encouraged to stay closely in touch with staff, youth and their families over time. Watching the development of these youth, who sometimes would be Steven's students at the EMSB, as they grow and succeed is a blessing.

Our son is now in a home daycare in Little Burgundy with Desrean and her four children, all part of the TSG family. Tyndale and the Little Burgundy community are a part of the fabric of our family. Without it there is no Miles!