ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE TEAM 2007
Barry Whatley (Teacher Representative)
Contact: bwhatley@rmcmail.ca
Barry is super outgoing, joyful, competitive and obviously fun loving! He has six kids (all boys!) and a lovely wife. He is the head of the Intercultural Studies program at Rocky Mountain College . Even though Barry has his career well under way, he'd love to be a professional golfer as well as a spiritual mentor/leader. Barry loves investing in students both at home (in Calgary) and overseas. He loves poetry and just having great friendships with people. Barry is excited to come back to Montreal because it's one of his favourite places in the world!
Melissa Bartel (Team Leader)
Contact: mkbartel@hotmail.com
Melissa is very bubbly and always happy (people in Montreal probably remember her crazy personality too!). She always has a smile on her face. She has two brothers and one sister and they all live in Calgary. She just switched her major at Rocky to Intercultural Studies, because her trip to Ukraine last year taught her a lot about missions and now that's what she's passionate about. Melissa wants to be an urban missionary when she's done school, as well as be a wife, a mom, and the president! (Just kidding...) Right now, Melissa is a waitress at a 5-star steakhouse in downtown Calgary. On top of leading the Montreal team, she's going to return to being a Sunday School teacher and continue to work hard at school. She's passionate about Jesus and loves people. Melissa also loves to sing and write poetry. She's also passionate about what she knows God wants her to do with her life, which is missions. She's really scared to step into the mission field, but she knows that God is going to be watching out for her. She can't wait to go back to Montreal to see everyone again. She's excited to assist the La Clef team and for our opportunity to mutually encourage each other and grow together.
Justin Westberg (Team Leader)
Contact: woundedcheesy85@hotmail.com
Justin loves to have a good time. He's also very passionate about youth and helps lead the youth at his church. People love his outgoing personality and his passion for youth. If you couldn't guess already, he's in the Youth Leadership program at Rocky; he's also framing houses part-time. He wants to be a Youth Pastor when he's done school and raise a family. Justin has a beautiful girlfriend named Tatiana. Justin also loves all sports. He's already been on the volleyball team this year, and is currently on Rocky's basketball team. He loved Montreal so much last year that he's very excited to come back and be encouraged and learn from the people there.
Ashlee Dutton
Contact: ashlee.dutton@rmcmail.ca
Ashlee is 21 years old. She loves people and is always happy and friendly; she's also one of the most adventurous people you'll ever meet – she loves trying new things! She has a family in Calgary that consists of her mom and her brother Kris. Currently, Ashlee is in the Counselling Psychology program at Rocky. She doesn't know exactly where that's going to lead her, but she's excited for the career God will lead her to! Ashlee doesn't have a lot of time to work because she's so involved at school (did we mention she's the Yearbook Editor as well?!) but, in the summer, she works out at camp, which she loves. One thing you'll discover about Ashlee is that she's kind of random, but it's hilarious. She says that snowmen are her favourite animal. Trust us, we tried to convince her that they're not animals, so maybe when we're in Montreal you can help us out with that! Ashlee's really excited for Montreal because she wants to experience the spiritual situation there and to use her gift of encouragement the way God wants her to there. She also hopes to learn new ways of how she can serve God.
Frederick Narooz
Contact: fnarooz@gmail.com
Most people call him Freddy. He's loud, but a lot of fun! Some people might say that Freddy's kind of obnoxious, but we just think he's great! He has an amazing family, which includes his parents and his sister, Violin; they all grew up in Jordan, in the Middle East. Freddy is also in the Youth Leadership program at Rocky and hopes to use that to become a Youth Pastor some day. Currently, Freddy's an interim youth pastor at a Baptist church in Calgary. He also loves playing drums and is amazing at it. Freddy's excited for Montreal because he wants to somehow impact people there through the talents and gifts God has given him…
Wade Giesbrecht
Contact: wadegiesbrecht@gmail.com
Wade is a great guy to hang out with! He's funny and kind-hearted. He is now happily married to Jen (see below). Back at home in British Columbia, Wade has his parents and two twin brothers. He is in the Pastoral Leadership program at school. Wade, despite his future career wants to be someone who enjoys life, is always willing to learn and is devoted to God and God's people. Currently, Wade is an electrician, while attending school and leading a small group there. He was raised on a farm in northern BC and spent four falls in the mountains guiding hunters. Wade is also an incredible hockey player and is on the men's team at Rocky. Wade is excited to go to Quebec to learn about life there and see new things!
Jen Giesbrecht (née Lavigne)
Contact: jengiesbrecht@gmail.com
Jen is awesome! She's super funny, out-going and friendly. Sometimes she gets a little bit loud, but that's what we love about her! She is now married to Wade, and Jen also has a family back in BC. Her dad is a pastor, her mom is a school teacher and her brother is 18 and currently doing YWAM in Australia. She is in the Music program at Rocky, majoring in piano and voice. When she is done school, she wants to raise a family and be a music teacher. Currently, Jen is teaching preschool one morning a week, is a small group leader and is the Alto section leader of Rocky Mountain College's choir (which is amazing, by the way!). She loves singing, dancing and playing piano. She hates anything maple (even though she's born and raised Canadian!). Her maiden name is Lavigne, but she promises that she has no relation to the famous Avril Lavigne. Jen's very excited for Montreal because it'll be the furthest east in Canada she's been so far and she's excited to meet the Christians there and learn from them.
Ty Stingel
Contact: tystingel@hotmail.com
Ty is so awesome. He has a HUGE heart and just genuinely loves people. He's kind, easy-going, respectful and tons of fun to be around. Ty has two loving parents and a sister who live in Ponoka, Alberta. He is taking a BA in Intercultural Studies at Rocky to prepare him for his future, in which he hopes to be a hospital chaplain overseas somewhere. Ty is currently on the Student Union at Rocky Mountain College serving as the Treasurer. He's passionate about sports ministry and his home church in Lacombe, Alberta. Ty has written his own book and is a great speaker; he also loves poetry and music. He already has an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies from a different Bible College. Ty is pumped to share the gospel of Christ to young people in Quebec who are searching for answers to lifeès questions.
Jodi Schenk
Contact: allthatscrazy@hotmail.com
Jodi is very outgoing and loves laughing a lot. She's easygoing, friendly and loves people. She's from Edmonton , Alberta and is a HUGE Oilers fan (Caleb, are you reading this?)! Her parents, brother and sister still live there. She is also in the Youth Leadership program at Rocky Mountain College and hopes to eventually be a Youth Leader at a church somewhere or work with young people overseas. She's in Jen's section in the choir and plays on the school's futsal (similar to indoor soccer) team. Currently, she's working at a clothing store and hopes to be involved leading youth at a local church very soon. She's excited for Montreal because she wants to show the love of Jesus through the way she treats people there and the words she speaks. She also wants to discover what God is doing and to see the potential for what He will do there in the future.
May Lee Chau
Contact: maychau@gmail.com
May Lee is super excited to be coming back to Montreal, after practically begging Barry for a chance to go on this year's team! She is from Calgary and has just graduated with a degree in Intercultural Studies from Rocky Mountain College . She is currently in a Masters program in the same field and hopes to be finished (very) soon! May Lee is a Sunday school teacher and is helping with a missions course called Perspectives at her church. She loves her church and is thrilled to be serving there. She is looking forward to seeing all of her friends in Montreal again and to seeing the great things that God has been doing in their lives and ministry. Her plans are to return to Montreal this summer and to wait on God for the rest of His perfect timing!
Aaron Havens
Contact: aaronhavens@hotmail.com
Aaron is great! He has a huge passion for spreading the love of Jesus throughout the world through missions. Aaron was born and raised in Ontario and is now in the Intercultural Studies program at Rocky. Everybody loves Aaron, he's very outgoing and loves camping and hanging out with friends. He's excited to feel a passion for the lost in Quebec and is excited to meet more French-speaking people whom he can bless through our time in Montreal.
Michelle Triomphe
Contact: michelle713@hotmail.com
People describe Michelle as quiet and sweet. We also get to experience her gift of encouragement on a regular basis. She genuinely cares for people, and loves the Lord with her whole heart. She's in the Spiritual Theology major at Rocky and isn't quite sure how she's going to use that when she's done. She is currently working at Costco, but hopes to somehow work with youth later on. Michelle is very close with her mom and her brother, with whom she loves to have fun. Michelle is excited to come back to Montreal and see everybody from the La Clef team again!