Countdown to Zero: ISMC’s new tech-savy website launch
T minus 9 seconds, 8, 7, 6, T minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, ingition!
All engines running, BLAST OFF!
PRAISE THE LORD!
With that dramatic countdown I declare our NEW 30TH ANNIVERSARY WEBSITE DULY LAUNCHED. You are very welcome to this new, tech-savvy, cutting-edge, interactive, social-media-wired website. Thanks and congratulations to our hard-working Communications Team and our wonderful friends at Peer Giving.
We are grateful to God for the privilege of ministering to international students for the past 30 years, and really look forward to the next 30.
As you probably can tell, when I was a little boy I was really intrigued by rocket and space shuttle launches (I still am). After years of preparing for these historic launches, the penultimate is a call to all stations approximately 72 hours before the launch proper and the final countdown actually starts at T minus 43 hours. Then T minus 27 hours, T minus 19 hours, T minus 11 hours, T minus 6 hours, T minus 3 hours, T minus 20 minutes, T minus 9 minutes. Apparently for every one of these count-down milestones, it could be either “counting or holding” depending on how well things are going or not. Eg. “T minus 3 hours and counting” or “T minus 3 hours and holding.”
According to Wikipedia, the main engine hydrogen burnoff system is activated at T minus 10 seconds, the main engine starts at T minus 6.6 seconds and at T minus 0 the Solid
Rocket Boosters ignite, explosive bolts release the boosters, the entire shuttle stack from the mobile launch platform and the vehicle lifts off the launch pad.
Just like rocket launches, this website launch too has been long in coming but we’re glad it’s finally here!
But there is something else we’re counting.
And this SECOND countdown is even more critical. Currently there are over 265,000 international students in Canada yet we barely reach 5% with unconditional love and friendship in any form. Almost 80% of them who study for as long as 4 years in Canada never even get to be invited let alone get to enter a Canadian home!
At ISMC we have a BIG dream, that in 10 years EVERY international student in Canada would’ve had the opportunity to be loved and led by us and people like you we have envisioned, excited and empowered to do so! We are counting down T minus 10 years!
We are counting down to ZERO: a time in 10 years when ZERO international students will come to Canada and not experience the love of God through His people in hospitality, hearing the good news, mentorship and intentional leadership development.
Now, I have a question for you: What will it take for us to be able to successfully COUNT TO ZERO? And what part will you play?