About

My name is Katiana. I am a German-Canadian who grew up in small-town Ontario with three younger brothers. My mother and father work in Christian ministry. I love libraries, playing violin, learning languages, and creating art. A short-term missions trip to Rwanda in my teens rewrote my life goals, and I have since been equipping myself to be better able to assist vulnerable families to improve their futures.
I am serving as a missionary with the Liebenzell Mission of Canada in Malawi, a country in south-east Africa. Currently, I am home in Canada for a while, but am eagerly awaiting the day I can return to Malawi to serve.
This blog is titled Isaiah 1:17 because that is the verse that inspires me daily to continue on this path.
"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." (NLT)
I am serving as a missionary with the Liebenzell Mission of Canada in Malawi, a country in south-east Africa. Currently, I am home in Canada for a while, but am eagerly awaiting the day I can return to Malawi to serve.
This blog is titled Isaiah 1:17 because that is the verse that inspires me daily to continue on this path.
"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." (NLT)
Education & Experience:
From August 2014 to February 2016, I taught Kindergarten and swimming lessons at the African Bible College Christian Academy in Lilongwe. The class had 18-21 students comprised of both Malawian and international children, and I served alongside a Malawian teaching assistant. Due to health concerns, I unfortunately had to return to Canada in March 2016 to recuperate.
I recently completed a Bachelors of Environmental Science at the University of Waterloo, with a major in International Development and a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. Part of the final year of my degree involved an eight-month international placement, during which I worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service of Malawi in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, facilitating the creation of a Special Needs Education Program in the camp's primary school. I also worked on an income-generating activity for vulnerable women, training the participants to be able to run the Umoja Crafts group without agency assistance. Our class of 27 INDEVOURS were dispersed around the world, change agents moulded by the teaching and life experiences we shared at the University of Waterloo and St Paul's University College, and gaining practical work experience in the field of international development, facilitated by WUSC. You can read more about the experiences of my cohort here.
Prior to university, I spent eight months studying at Bodenseehof and Capernwray, two Torchbearer Bible Schools located in Germany and England. Practical training, outreach, and discipleship grew my personal capabilities and trust in God, and the solid teaching built strong faith foundations for my future. I assisted in leading day and overnight camps for children and youth at the bible school, at churches in Germany, and at other conference centres, some of which involved teaching English as a second language, and also performed at local churches and schools as part of a worship band. I also spent some time backpacking around Central and Eastern Europe, which opened my eyes to the struggles that are present even in the more developed areas of the world.
Prior to leaving for my international placement, I worked as a lifeguard, swimming instructor, and in a supervisory role that involved creating staff trainings, at my home-town swimming pool. I also worked at Woodside Bible Fellowship for a few years, as a Worship Administrative Assistant, coordinating the planning and execution of the weekly services, and overseeing a volunteer base of over 80 people. I also spent some time managing the abuse prevention program at Woodside. In high school, I worked as a private computer tutor, as a page at the local public library, and as a childcare provider.
I have been able to work in a variety of employment sectors over the past few years, and this has allowed me to build a diverse skill-set. Some examples of the useful skills I have developed include events coordination, team management, teaching to diverse learning styles and capabilities, organization, and competency in various technologies such as sound boards, presentation software, and volunteer profile management programs. Additionally, I dedicated significant time during high school to improving my skills as a violinist, and have completed my Royal Conservatory Grade 8 Violin practical exams, as well as the Grade 2 Music Theory exam.
I recently completed a Bachelors of Environmental Science at the University of Waterloo, with a major in International Development and a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. Part of the final year of my degree involved an eight-month international placement, during which I worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service of Malawi in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, facilitating the creation of a Special Needs Education Program in the camp's primary school. I also worked on an income-generating activity for vulnerable women, training the participants to be able to run the Umoja Crafts group without agency assistance. Our class of 27 INDEVOURS were dispersed around the world, change agents moulded by the teaching and life experiences we shared at the University of Waterloo and St Paul's University College, and gaining practical work experience in the field of international development, facilitated by WUSC. You can read more about the experiences of my cohort here.
Prior to university, I spent eight months studying at Bodenseehof and Capernwray, two Torchbearer Bible Schools located in Germany and England. Practical training, outreach, and discipleship grew my personal capabilities and trust in God, and the solid teaching built strong faith foundations for my future. I assisted in leading day and overnight camps for children and youth at the bible school, at churches in Germany, and at other conference centres, some of which involved teaching English as a second language, and also performed at local churches and schools as part of a worship band. I also spent some time backpacking around Central and Eastern Europe, which opened my eyes to the struggles that are present even in the more developed areas of the world.
Prior to leaving for my international placement, I worked as a lifeguard, swimming instructor, and in a supervisory role that involved creating staff trainings, at my home-town swimming pool. I also worked at Woodside Bible Fellowship for a few years, as a Worship Administrative Assistant, coordinating the planning and execution of the weekly services, and overseeing a volunteer base of over 80 people. I also spent some time managing the abuse prevention program at Woodside. In high school, I worked as a private computer tutor, as a page at the local public library, and as a childcare provider.
I have been able to work in a variety of employment sectors over the past few years, and this has allowed me to build a diverse skill-set. Some examples of the useful skills I have developed include events coordination, team management, teaching to diverse learning styles and capabilities, organization, and competency in various technologies such as sound boards, presentation software, and volunteer profile management programs. Additionally, I dedicated significant time during high school to improving my skills as a violinist, and have completed my Royal Conservatory Grade 8 Violin practical exams, as well as the Grade 2 Music Theory exam.