Mission Speakers / Deputation

The Raw Carrot is a social franchise that believes that every person who WANTS to work should have the opportunity for a Hand Up (instead of just a handout) in life! The Raw Carrot partners with churches and nonprofits across Ontario to create meaningful employment for amazingly talented individuals living with disabilities and mental illness.

Elena Haskell – Elena is a valued member of The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise Headquarters and loves growing God’s work in local communities through supportive employment. Her own experiences being homeschooled and living with a brother with an intellectual disability have led to firsthand knowledge of what it’s like to be an outsider and given her a desire to be an advocate for those who are vulnerable. In pursuit of where God is leading her, Elena is completing her third year in Spiritual Formation through the Emmaus Formation Center.

Rebecca Sherbino – With an undergraduate Degree in Global Development, Peace and Justice and a Master’s Degree in International Development, Rebecca has always had a passion for working with people. Her past work in developing countries fueled a desire to pursue justice for people both overseas and at home, which resulted in community advocacy in Paris, ON. Frustrated by the lack of opportunities for work for teens and adults with mental health and learning disabilities in her church congregation, she and good friend (and co-director!) Colleen, were challenged to explore how to promote change within their local context. A late-night coffee date in May 2014 turned into a brainstorming session about the possibility of creating meaningful work for people with disabilities, and over the course of the evening, the idea of launching The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise was born.

Margaret Mullin is the Executive Director of Winnipeg Inner City Missions, which is supported through Presbyterians Sharing. She has been working in the inner city for eight years and has received a Woman of Distinction award for her work in inner city Winnipeg. Margaret is an ordained minister of The Presbyterian Church in Canada as well as a trained nurse. Ojibway and Irish/Scottish in origin, she follows both Christian and Aboriginal Traditional Spiritual ways.

Blair Bertrand serves as full-time mission staff, staying connected with the PCC’s partners in Malawi. Based in Ottawa, Ont., Blair works with the Principal of Zomba Theological College (ZTC), assisting with the development of curricula and policies of the College, coaching the Malawian PhD candidate who is a ZTC lecturer, developing the ZTC library and encouraging research and academic exchanges. At Theological Education by Extension in Malawi (TEEM), Blair assists with lay training materials, revisions to the Diploma workbooks and development of lay Bible curricula. As Blair continues to work with these inspiring partners from his home office in Canada, he will be the “living link,” maintaining these important relationships.

Joel Sherbino serves as the part-time Malawi Liaison with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Blantyre Synod. Based in Paris, Ont., Joel provides year-round support by phone and email to local chaplains and volunteers who are sharing the love of Christ with inmates in Malawian prisons. Through Bible study, worship, personal counselling and occasional distributions of medicines, sleeping mats and Bibles, this prison ministry makes a positive difference for those living in incredibly difficult circumstances. During an annual two-week visit to Malawi, Joel accompanies the team on their daily prison visits. With the blessing of the Presbytery and his congregation, Joel is a living link that fosters the relationship we share in Jesus Christ.

Paul McLean has been serving as a Bible Translation Advisor in partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and the Bible Society in Taiwan since 2012. Paul is currently working with eleven teams, one Hakka and ten indigenous: ‘Amis, Bunun, Paiwan, Pinuyumayan, Sediq-Toda, Tayal, Tsou, plus three small dialects of Ngudradrekai (Maolin, Tona and Wanshan). In August 2020, he began supporting the Tao NT revision project on Lanyu (Orchid Island) off the SE coast of Taiwan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul has maintained contact with all his teams using the internet and screen-sharing software. He looks forward to the day when travel restrictions are lifted and he can resume regularly scheduled in-person visits to Taiwan, usually four month-long visits each year.