The JIMS Project - Youth Centre, Kilkeel

A little about Chad and Christie

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Chad’s Interview

Well here are some things about me, I love coffee, my name Is Chad Peter Marsman. I am eighteen years old, I was born in Grand Rapids Michigan. I have lived in three different houses and in two different towns. I have lived around the same area all my life. I have only been out of north America once and that was this Christmas for a cruise that I went on.

I have quite a large extended family which is a lot of fun when we get together for family reunions and stuff like that. I live right next door to my grandpa and grandma on my dad’s side and we have lived there for about eight years now.

Well some things that I like to do is spend time outdoors. I like to go mountain biking, backpacking, kayaking, and hunting. I played football for a good several years in school and in a little kids league at home.

I am part of a family of five. I have one brother named Ben and he is 17 and I also have a sister named Katie, she is 14. My parents are Rod and Elizabeth. My dad installs granite countertops for a living and mom works part time and is a stay at home mom the rest of the time. I’m not really sure what I am going to do after this year.

I am going to head off to college but I am not sure where or what for. I am thinking that I will go into the engineering field whether that be architectural or industrial or mechanical, I really don’t know. I am kinda just waiting for God to point me in a direction. I could go a completely different way and it wouldn’t really bother my. I am just waiting for right now.

I am really happy to be here. I am enjoying it a lot. Meeting all the people and everything is a ton of fun. Everyone is so friendly which is nice. To be honest it was rather scary coming over here because we knew some stuff but there was a lot that we didn’t know until we got over here and it was great to be welcomed with wide open arms. Oh, there is someone that I left back home that is waiting for me and her name is Nichole Rogers. She is in the same grade as me but just a little bit younger. She is great and I really miss her but I am having a great time over here.

Christie’s Interview

Christy here! It’s the middle of my third week here in Kilkeel and time to put a little more meat on my bio. I come from Holland, Michigan, which is right on Lake Michigan, which is about as big as the Irish Sea. My family is fairly large: five kids, mum, dad, and a few dogs thrown into the mix. I’m the oldest, and have two younger sisters and two younger brothers. I like to do a bit of everything, sport (played volleyball and football in high school), music (did a lot of choirs back home, play the cello, piano, and am learning guitar), theatre (was in a few musicals at school), and then the usual reading, knitting, candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach. : )

My time so far in Kilkeel has been a challenge, but worth everything. I have been blessed by so many people around town, and especially here in Jims. God is showing himself to me in ways I never imagined, and it’s a bit scary, but very exciting. I’m looking forward to the next year to see what God has in store for all of us here!