Our Journey of Faith and Calling in Canada
After twenty-two years of living as immigrants and serving the Lord across different nations and cultures, my family finally became Canadian citizens. This was far more than a legal milestone for us; it was a deeply emotional moment that represented years of faith, sacrifice, adjustment, perseverance, and above all, God’s faithfulness.
The journey began on March 15, 2015, when I left my wife, Nancy, and our four young children to come to Vancouver, BC. What we thought would be a short season eventually became a three-year separation from my family. I came to Canada to pursue a specialized course of study with two goals in mind: to obtain a Canadian education and to transition into my calling as a preacher and pastor in this nation, something the Lord had spoken to me about years earlier.
Arriving in British Columbia was overwhelming. The culture, pace of life, and time difference were all new to me. Yet I carried a deep confidence that the God who had called me had also opened this door.
I began my internship at Vancouver General Hospital while studying at Vancouver School of Theology. At the same time, I worked three additional jobs to support my family back in Zambia, whose livelihood depended on me. For three years, my life became a cycle of school, work, ministry preparation, and very little sleep. Looking back, only God can explain how He sustained me physically, emotionally, and spiritually through that season.
After completing my studies, I applied for a Post-Graduation Work Permit so I could formally begin working in Canada. What I believed was a straightforward case, since I had graduated from a qualifying institution, unexpectedly turned into a major legal battle. My application was denied, and I was instructed to leave Canada and pursue my appeal from my country of origin. This was not an option. Working alongside a Christian immigration lawyer in British Columbia who had become concerned about what appeared to be bias against theology graduates, I made the difficult decision to sue the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). By God’s grace, we won the case, and I was granted a renewable three-year work permit.
Soon afterward, four ministry opportunities opened for me in British Columbia. However, after much prayer and fasting, I sensed the Lord leading me to Alberta, where I accepted the position of Lead Pastor at Claresholm Pentecostal Assembly in Claresholm, AB, a church I have now served for eight years.
Three months later, after three years of separation, my family joined me from Zambia. We have witnessed God’s faithfulness repeatedly, both in our family life and in ministry.
Shortly after arriving in Claresholm, our community became the only one in Alberta selected to participate in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), a special immigration pathway designed to attract skilled workers to rural communities. The program came with a limited three-year window. By God’s grace, our family became the first in the province to receive Permanent Residence through that program. That milestone opened the pathway to Canadian citizenship, which we officially received on October 30, 2023.
We inherited a congregation which had dwindled to approximately thirteen faithful, elderly believers who had been without a pastor for nearly four years. At one point, the ABNWT District had even considered closing the church.
Around that same time, our former District Superintendent, Gary Taitinger, launched a District-wide revitalization vision focused on strengthening and renewing PAOC churches across Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Through Discovery Journey processes, coaching, cohorts, and leadership connections, we received tremendous support and guidance.
Coming from an African ministry context, I needed to learn how to contextualize ministry within Canadian culture. These revitalization initiatives became invaluable in helping me grow as a pastor in Canada.
Together with our congregation, we embraced a new vision of becoming a church with a strong invitational culture and a heart for outreach. We strengthened volunteer development, created welcoming environments for newcomers, and intentionally engaged our community.
Over the last four years, we have witnessed remarkable evidence of God’s faithfulness and renewal. What was once a congregation of 13 people has grown into a church family of 126 people who now call Claresholm Pentecostal Assembly their home church. During that same period, 84 people have decided to follow Jesus Christ, and we have celebrated 21 water baptisms, after the church had gone 4 years without a single recorded salvation or baptism before we arrived in 2018.
Looking back, becoming Canadian citizens was not simply about receiving passports. It was about witnessing God faithfully guide our family into a new nation while preserving the same calling He placed on our lives many years ago.
Joachim Chisanga was born and raised in Zambia. He graduated from Trans-Africa Christian University, Kitwe, Zambia, in 1999. In 2000, Joachim immigrated to Botswana and served as an assistant pastor for Soul Winning Ministries in Palapye. He graduated from VST with a MAPPL in 2017. Joachim is currently the lead pastor of Claresholm Pentecostal Assembly. He has also served with distinction on the ABNWT District Lead Team. He is married to Nancy, and they have four children.