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Vicar Mei Sum Lai (right) with the pastor of the Sullivan-Williamsford Lutheran Parish, the Reverend Sheilah Fletch.

 

 

 A third-year student at the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary is learning firsthand what it is like to be a pastor in a rural congregation.

Mei Sum Lai, a native of Hong Kong who has lived in Canada since 1991, is currently involved in a nine-month internship placement in the Sullivan-Williamsford Lutheran Parish. The rural parish includes the congregations of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Sullivan and St. James' Lutheran Church, Williamsford.

Vicar Mei Sum, as she is known to congregants, started work in the parish in September and since then has been assisting in worship, preaching, leading Bible study, working with the youth, visiting, attending meetings and more.

"It's been busy and I really like it," she said.

Lai and her family  - her parents, a brother and a sister - emigrated to Canada in 1991 and lived in Toronto. Six years ago, all of them returned to mainland China, except Lai.

Working since she was 12 years old, Lai's parents operated a family-owned factory in their homeland. Workers were needed in the factory and while education was important for male members of the family, the female members of the family were expected to quit school and work in the factory.

For a couple of years, Lai would study at night and eventually she found the courage to ask her parents if she could go somewhere else to work, landing herself a job in a publishing company. However, within a couple of years th e factory again needed people and Lai returned to her parents factory.

"For so many years I didn't realize how limited I was . . . what a small world I put myself in."

When she moved to Toronto, she was again able to find work in publishing company but recalls with pain her first few months in Canada.

"There was so much racism . . . it was really hard and every day that I went to work, I cried," she said.

She eventually found herself another job in another publishing company and worked there for ten years.

Two years after immigrating to Canada, Lai started a Bible study group.

"The Word of God has always been my passion," she said. "When we tasted the sweetness of the Word of God we were so enthused and wanted to share our excitement of our discovery from the scriptures with others."

Along with some group members, Lai used Bible commentary as their reference and began producing devotional cassette tapes for the seniors in their church, enabling them to further understand God's word.

"Some of them even took the tape back to mainland China," she said. "I was really excited about that, and much encouraged."

However, Lai said she suddenly realized something. "What if we misinterpreted God's word? A wrong message would be passed on, and that would harm souls."

Hesitant to continue producing the tapes until she was properly trained, Lai began asking herself where and how she could be properly equipped.

In the meantime, she began taking some independent study courses at the Moody Bible Institute.

Shortly after that, she participated in a Lutheran Confession Course conducted by Waterloo Lutheran Seminary in Toronto and from that, came both a desire and a longing to attend Seminary.

However, Lai had only a grade eight level education - certainly not enough to get her into university. Encouraged by her pastors, family and friends living in Hong Kong and Canada, Lai enrolled in an academic bridging program at the University of Toronto. After only a year, she passed the program and met all the requirements to begin her first year of university education. With that, she was able to apply to Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.

"All through this I heard God's voice saying to me: "If I've put this in your heart for so long, why don't you respond?" Concerned about having to quit her job and therefore having no money, Lai again heard God say to her: "I will be with you. I am sufficient for you."

"Everything is a blessing to me," she said, saying she has experienced "miracle after miracle" since then. She knows the inspiration and strength she needs and receives is from God and becomes teary-eyed as she talks about God' s abundant grace in her life.

Recalling her early life as not being easy, Lai said when she entered Seminary "I heard about grace and I experienced grace . . . the professors and my fellow students embraced, encouraged and appreciated me. They gave me room to express my opinion and broaden my experience, even allowing me to challenge my thinking."

Assigned by the Seminary to complete a nine-month internship placement in a rural parish, Lai is grateful for the experience. "It's a totally different world for me," she said, admitting she has never experienced anything other than big city life.

"I like it here . . . it's quiet and I am enjoying all the space."

Looking forward to a variety of new learning experiences, Lai said "I can learn from everything . . . I cannot find myself deserving God's calling. However, the passion is in me and a door has been opened. My response is only t o walk in faith of Jesus and let God lead me until the end."

She is most looking forward to working with the parish's and community's children and youth, and values opportunities to visit congregants. "I want to experience all there is and learn what it means to be a pastor."

Lai says she cherishes the friendliness and warm welcome she has received from the parish and the community. So many things have happened in my life and I can see how God has worked in my life. This is just another example of H is goodness."

Funding for the internship program is provided by the parish members who supply a parsonage for Lai to live in, as well as grant money from the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. As well, the Luthe ran Outreach Ministry in Owen Sound is partnering financially with the parish on Lai's placement.