I was born and raised in South Africa and felt called to ordained ministry at the age of 16. After a formative year of service working with youth through creative ministry, I attended the University of Pretoria and finished my theological studies in 2006 with my BTh and MDiv degrees. In 2008 I received my BA (Hons) in Ancient Languages and Cultures. While in university I was tutoring first year students and, in that class, met my future wife, Celèste. She finished her BTh and MDiv in 2008 and then received her PhD in New Testament Feminist Studies in 2019. I served with three different congregations in South Africa before God called us to come to Canada to serve in the United Church of Canada. As part of my vocational journey, I received a call to serve at St. Andrew’s United Church in New Richmond, Quebec. I arrived in Canada in September 2020. Celèste joined me in February 2021 - in the middle of a blizzard! Our “furry family” – cats Thomas, Chucky and Nobby - made the journey from South Africa and have now been joined by Spider and Scully and our dog Martouf. During our time in New Richmond, we began the process of becoming Permanent Residents and ultimately Canadian citizens. Unfortunately, early in 2025 we began to realize that Quebec’s secularisation and French language rules would not allow us to do this. On a Thursday afternoon in October the axe fell – we would have to leave. And then - Friday morning, I received an email: “We heard you may be moving. Would you like to come to Portland…”