Greetings,
My name is Tabitha Peiris, and I am a returning summer student at The Lighthouse. In September, I will be finishing up a Sociology degree at York University, and looking forward to the opportunities it brings.
My passion lies within sociology and social work with a focus in working with vulnerable populations like refugees, immigrants, and low income families. It has been by God’s grace that I have been given such an amazing opportunity to work at an organization like The Lighthouse, where I can put my passion to good work. I have been at The Lighthouse for the past two summers, and the people and programs continue to inspire me. Being in the discipline of Sociology, The Lighthouse has exposed me to the social issues and struggles of the marginalized. What I learn and observe firsthand at The Lighthouse surpasses what I can learn in lecture. At The Lighthouse, I see struggle come to life in the faces of the people we serve. The Lighthouse gets to the heart of what many only briefly hear about. The staff here is devoted to serving and empowering those who come seeking a place where they are safe to receive guidance, social assistance and God’s unconditional love.
My job here at The Lighthouse involves co-ordinating the Vietnamese family play therapy camp, assisting the Hispanic leadership training and art therapy camp, as well as assisting in the running of our food bank. Co-ordinating the Vietnamese camp is a lot of work but extremely rewarding. Most of the families that attend are quite vulnerable, so it is amazing to see the children of these families open up and respond so well to our program. Our focus with the Vietnamese camp is to inspire and invoke unity within broken families. This year we will be focusing on the theme of teamwork, and what that looks like within a family dynamic. We are so excited to see how God will move again this year, in all those involved in the camp. This year many of our volunteers are previous participants of the camps in past years. It is amazing to see what an impact the lighthouse has had on them and how that has now inspired them to give back.
I am grateful to be part of the amazing programs that The Lighthouse offers. It is clear to me that God is moving here and that lives are changing. Please continue to uphold The Lighthouse, all our staff, and volunteers in your prayers as we seek to do the will of our Father.
Blessings,
Tabitha Peiris
