Greetings! My name is Jarrell Lemos, and this is my dear wife Leanna and our two children, Jaslyn (2.5) and Jethro (9m). As we reflect upon our journey to this point, we cannot help but recount the unfailing faithfulness of our God.

Both Leanna and I spent most of our lives in the most obscure (yet beautiful) part of Australia, the little island of Tasmania. I grew up in one of the more rural areas of Tassie where I was raised with my siblings by my hardworking Mum. We moved around a bit, getting a taste of both country and urban life. My Dad, stepmother and brother lived on the other side of the country (WA), and we visited them frequently.

It was when I moved to the city for secondary schooling that the Lord, in his grace, changed my life. As a young teen, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, yet as I searched for meaning I felt increasingly confronted with the emptiness of a worldly life. Yet a light shone in the darkness and I met some godly young people at school. And they didn’t seem too fazed by the existentially deep and sometimes hostile questions I threw at them.

They encouraged me to read the Bible and after learning the gospel, I eventually came to a crossroads. I was 17 when the Lord rescued me from my sin and I became a Christian. Shortly after, I joined the Reformed (FRCA) Church in Launceston. I am forever grateful for the people in the church community and my friends, whom God used to shape me.

It is there that I came to be impressed by this shy yet godly young lady. I had to move, and we tried a long-distance relationship at first but I couldn’t keep away. We were married in June of 2021. We both attended University, and my appetite for ministry heightened through my involvement in evangelism on my campus. The problem was that I was studying engineering. Was the ministry for me? I didn’t know much about writing essays and studying languages. Yet some very persistent people kept telling me that I might have different gifts, and I’m glad I finally listened. I prepared for seminary doing my undergraduate as a philosophy major (BA).

Change can be intimidating. But with the support of our church, family and friends, we made the move from tiny Tassie to Ontario. Who knew that by the end of our 4 years we would be blessed in countless ways, including our two precious children! We were warmly embraced and soon felt at home at our new Church family in Ancaster Canadian Reformed Church. They showed us the ropes of Canadian life and all its treats such as bass fishing and Costco.

My time at seminary has been remarkable. I’ll admit that more times than I can count, learning felt like I was trying to drink out of a fire hose. But I can’t thank God enough for the way he has been renewing my mind and heart with the help of my friends, colleagues and professors. I praise God regularly for my education here.

My PTP internships have been especially formative. I had an opportunity to shadow Pastor Jeff Poort at Guelph (Living Word), and undergo a preaching internship with Pastor Steve Vandervelde at Owen Sound CanRC. These men fostered within me a love for God’s Word and service in His Kingdom. I was also blessed by an urban mission internship in Grand Rapids with Pastor Adrian Crum (OPC).

It’s an exciting time for us as we consider the future in dependence on the Lord. I hope to undertake my preparatory exam this coming June and become eligible for call. Though there are a lot of unknowns, we are excited to see what our God has in store for us. Whatever that may be, may he receive the glory forever.