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This week the Community Member Spotlight falls on our dear friend and newly-minted council member, Isabela! She has been an important presence in our community and will continue to share her wisdom as AbbeyChurch grows. Please enjoy reading a little more about Isabela.

 

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm Isabela Azevedo, I have been in Canada for almost 4 years now. But I'm originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I am married to Nikka Holock, she's from Ottawa, we have been together for three years now.

 

How did you find yourself at AbbeyChurch? What continues to draw you here?

Well, when I came to Canada I was living in a remote city, which made it very hard to find a church. Besides that I came out as lesbian, and with my background I was afraid of going to a church and being rejected. Unfortunately, back in Brazil most churches are not open for anyone other than straight cis people. But Nikka knew that it was important for me to be connected to God, so a month before we moved to Victoria she researched online about churches that would have a space for me to feel safe and seen. she found AbbeyChurch, she sent me a link, I watched a service, and I knew in my heart that that was the place for me.

 

Tell us a bit about your faith journey. Was there a spiritual background to your childhood?

I started going to church when I was four. My mom took me and my sisters with her. Eventually my older sister decided that she wouldn't go anymore, and I was surprised like "is this optional?" I was probably 8 by that time, and I got to the conclusion that I actually really enjoyed going. It was important for me to realize that I was doing something because I wanted to, when you're young you usually don't choose much of what you do. However church was my choice.

When I was 16 I moved out from my parents' house to a missionary agency. When I stayed for 2 years of training, I went to Bolívia for a couple of months and helped two churches. I was part of a Bible translation project for languages that still don't have the scriptures. I had to leave, because I saw that some values from the agency were getting terribly lost. I had some troubled years in church after that, until life was so overwhelming that I decided that it was the moment to move countries as I always dreamed of, so I came to Canada. I came out as a lesbian, finally I could breathe and be my self, but I still missed church. But I would never put my self in a toxic environment with homophobic people again, so thanks be to God for AbbeyChurch, that makes me feel loved the way I am.

 

How do you fill your time? What brings you joy?

I really enjoy painting, mostly nature or little fairytale creatures. I absolutely love spending time with our cat Willow. And watching very cozy series over and over again. I love being outside, but I'm not a big fan of winter, so for now I'm mostly inside.

 

What is a cause or concern that moves you deeply, or that you are passionate about?

I'm passionate about talking to people that are living a similar situation that I had lived. Which is knowing that you are part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ but struggling to find your place in between God's people. I take every opportunity that I have to talk with someone about that, specially with Brazilians, because we share the same background. There are many things that I'm passionate about, but the one that I feel that I have more to say and help is helping people to understand that God loves them independent of what leaders in church say about it.

 

Where do you sense God is at work today - in yourself, in our community, in the world?

God is present all the time, when I was distant from Church, God was still there with me. God never left. When I kissed a girl, God didn't leave me. On my wedding day, God was there, and in my vows I thanked God before anything else, even though my wife isn't religious. God is in the peaceful moments and in the chaotic ones, and that's how it will always be.