A couple of months back I was sitting with my wife enjoying a morning cup of coffee when it dawned on me that it had been five years since the “Redeemer days.” I found myself filled with a flush of emotions:

The grief or loss at never since having found the same degree or sense of 24/7 community that was shared at Redeemer; the excitement and unity of dorm life, where I learned to interact with brothers and sisters in Christ from different walks of faith; the gratitude for great friendships that were forged, friendships that led to an 8th annual canoe trip; the hope that Redeemer would continue to be a place that shapes and forms students to live in community and to grapple with ways to live out their faith in whatever profession they find themselves in.

As an alumnus who is five years removed from Redeemer, settled into a career, and expected a first child, it’s exciting and emotional to reflect on the past. But it’s also exciting to think of Redeemer’s future and I hope that students continue to be shaped and formed by their “Redeemer days.”

Paul DeWeerd ’10 and his wife Juliana live in Clinton, ON