Making time does not have to be something planned or official.  When you make the time spontaneously to help an aged person struggling up the stairs with heavy bags of groceries – that is precious. When as a surprise gesture to your neighbours, you cut their lawn after mowing yours – that is precious.  When you offer to babysit for a neighbour during the Covid pandemic so he can take a sick child to the pediatrician – that is precious. 

When we plan to volunteer time, that is a tremendous gift. Depending on our life stages, we don’t always have a moment to give outside the home front. Lack of time is the greatest barrier to formal volunteering. The smallest unplanned or planned acts of kindness and compassion can be lifesaving to another human being. 

Whether planned in advance, or done on a whim, we recognize and appreciate your choice to give. And we are inspired to do the same. 

None of us were prepared for the 2019 pandemic.  

Now more than ever individuals in Canada are helping each other. We are checking-in within our inner circles.  We are reaching out to complete strangers. The humanity and love expressed by individuals around the world during Covid 19 confirms my long-held belief that we are born “love sponges”.  As the pandemic challenges us, random acts of kindness prevail all over our world. 

Lockdowns, social distancing, and travel restrictions have isolated us.  School shutdowns, places of worship closures, and supply shortages have tested us. Yet, in the face of Covid challenges, people and companies worldwide come together to help the most vulnerable and those in need.

We were moved by the sight of Italian citizens performing on their balconies to bring music to the streets and to join their neighbour’s voices in song. We cheered the creativity of teachers like the ones in Florida who turned desks into Jeeps to bring joy into social distancing. We are reminded who our true heroes are as we turn from celebrity to focus on what our healthcare workers are doing for us worldwide. 

Links to feel good news stories:  

When at Trans-Continental Migration we learned of PPE shortages, we and our families, searched for medical supplies, picked them up and delivered them to first responders, senior’s residence and hospitals in need. When we had quiet time, we found ways to put our passions to good use. Our president, for example, has a culinary flare and spent time making and delivering baked goods to those whose spirits needed lifting. 

There is much to be done to address this Pandemic. We all have individual skillsets, and our goodwill whether publicized or private, it has the capacity to affect people’s lives in a positive way. What has inspired and continues to push us forward is watching individuals come together.  People and countries have joined as a community to find solutions during this crisis. Trans-Continental Migration thanks you and continues to participate in this journey. 

 

A Humanitarian Mission

In May 2018 Elda went to Haiti to help with relief efforts that are still needed after the earthquake that devastated the country. An estimated three million people were affected by the quake with a death toll estimated range from 100,000 to 160,000 people. 

During her time volunteering inside the extremely impoverished and densely populated commune Cité Soleil located in the capital Port-au-Prince, Elda provided much needed care and support to forgotten female patients at various medical facilities, and spending time with students attending a school supported by private Canadian doners. 

The school is now operational with a lunchtime consideration. 

None of us makes it on our own.  

Most, I would assume, can attribute part of their professional growth to the guidance of mentors who challenged their point of view, opened their eyes to new perspectives, and shared knowledge they could never find in books. I know I benefited from the wisdom of amazing mentors.   

I wish to honour the generosity passed on to me by my mentors with heartfelt gratitude. My mentors were my champions, my sounding boards, my listening posts.  

Thank you, Cecile Rotengberg, Nicole Cullen, Steve Wise, Chris Taylor, Maurice Brush.

 

Elda has been my mentor for 8 years

And I doubt she realizes the incredible impact she’s had on my confidence, ability and success as an immigration consultant. Aside from being one of the most generous and kind human beings I’ve ever met, she’s a brilliant legal analyst and strategist. Elda reinforces the foundational principle of legal practice. She’s taught me to thoroughly examine the law through in-depth analyses and research. She reminds me to always be prepared, to examine every issue from all angles, to anticipate problems and address them immediately. She is fearless in her advocacy, never allowing herself to be intimidated in her mission to ensure her clients are treated fairly. She has great respect for the law and unquestionable ethical principles. She is the epitome of professionalism while always remaining a grounded human being, treating everyone she encounters with respect and dignity. Elda’s methods and standards should serve as the blueprint by which all practitioners are trained.

Roxanne Jessome / Join Canada Inc.