The King's Connection Magazine Volume 23 Number 3//Spring 2013 | Page 22

Featured article

Micah Challenge Ignites
Alumna’s Passion for
International Development
L

ooking back on her time at King’s,
alumna Stacey Brandsma
(‘12, B.Sc.) doesn’t just think of exams,
labs, reports and essay, she also
fondly remembers grabbing a coffee
at the Level, playing cards with fellow
students and getting through those long
winter months by playing in the snow.
Brandsma hasn’t had to endure the long
winter hours studying, starting this past
January she was stationed in Cambodia
interning with WorldRenew (formerly
CRCWC).

Working with WorldRenew on
development initiatives, Brandsma
assisted in a sustainable agriculture
and food security project that aimed to
train farmers in methods which would
improve their food security and heal
soil previously damaged by traditional
methods. “This internship turned out
to be the perfect culmination of my
studies, which holistically connected
my biological science degree with my
certificate in Micah Studies,” says Stacey.
“My love of human empowerment and

20 /// The King’s Connection /// Spring 2013

my love of soil merged perfectly.”
As a self-described timid first-year
student, Brandsma signed up for lots of
student clubs to meet new people and
get involved in the King’s community.
The Micah Action and Awareness
Student Society (MASS), the student
chapter of the Micah Centre, quickly
caught her attention. Getting involved
with MASS sparked her interest in
international development and she was
enticed by a semester abroad in Belize,
studying international development and
environmental sustainability.
Brandsma added a Micah Certificate - a
program offered concurrent with any
degree at King’s - to her course of study
and through this had the opportunity to
learn about global issues in and outside
the classroom. In her final year at King’s,
she travelled to Mexico to learn about the
inequalities that exist in that country.
Her recent work in Cambodia also
included surveying the economic
situations of villagers to determine if their

annual income is sufficient to meet their
needs, and if not, how much more would
be required. The project also involved
developing models for marketing crops
to local businesses and consumers.
Brandsma values the experience she
gained immersing herself in another
culture. She notes, “I experienced
Cambodian life by getting down on my
hands and knees, planting legumes
with the Khmer people. I soaked up
the culture and loved every minute of it.
Thanks to the Micah Centre, I have been
able to grow in my desire for justice both
internationally and locally.”

About the Micah Centre
The Micah Centre is an interdisciplinary
initiative that seeks to foster greater
understanding and action among
students, faculty and the community at
large around issues of global poverty,
peacemaking and social justice. The
Micah Centre responds to the global
Micah Challenge: “To do justice, to love
mercy and to walk humbly with your
God.” Micah 6:8

The Micah Action & Awareness Student
Society (MASS) is the student chapter
of the Micah Centre at King’s. Members
of MASS have hosted faith and
development conferences, participated
in urban renewal and ministry programs
across the country, led chapel services,
collected food for inner city residents,
held an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign,
and lobbied the civic government to
establish a local day of Millennium
Development Goals awareness.

In addition to hosting the Interdisciplinary
Studies Conference each semester,
and focusing on Justice themes in the
Winter, the Micah Centre organizes
the annual Honduras Water Project,
as well as other service-learning field
courses in development and internship
opportunities. ?

“This whirlwind of a journey has been
continually supported and nurtured
by my King’s family. I am grateful for
the abounding love that was shown
to me. Without this inspiration and
encouragement, I would not be where I
am today. I am on a path that frightens
and excites me daily, but I wouldn’t have
it any other way.” ?

The King’s Connection /// Spring 2013 /// 21