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March 4 2026 – At the Shared Table: Holding Generosity, Dignity, and Responsibility Together
When a Luxury Car Pulls Into the Meal Line Serving at our take‑out community meal is usually a place where compassion feels straightforward. We prepare food with the intention of easing someone’s burden—someone facing financial strain, food insecurity, or a difficult season of life. Most days, the line reflects that intention clearly. But recently, a… Continue reading
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Feb 25 2026 – Seeing One Another Clearly: Gratitude, Encounter, and Our Shared Responsibility
I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the City of Richmond for its continued support of charitable and community outreach work. Over the years, the city’s partnership has enabled many organizations, volunteers, and community groups to serve those facing poverty, housing insecurity, and social isolation. This support is more than financial—it… Continue reading
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Feb 10 2026 – They Did Not Dream of This
I spent part of my day at the drop‑in centre, helping an elderly Chinese‑speaking man fill out an application for supportive housing. The form was long and clinical, full of questions that would be difficult for anyone to answer, let alone someone who has lived through years of instability. We worked through it slowly, line… Continue reading
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Nov 21, 2025 – After the Sleep Out: One Night, Many Lessons
Last night, I joined Covenant House’s Sleep Out: Executive Edition. For one night, I lay outside with only a sleeping bag and layers of clothing between me and the cold. The weather was mercifully chilly, but fortunately, no rain. Still, the ground was hard, the night was long, and the cold crept in despite my… Continue reading
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November 19, 2025 – A Glimpse of Grace Outside the Drop-In
Yesterday, I walked toward the drop-in center with no agenda but presence. I simply wanted to say hello, to introduce myself to those gathered outside, many of whom live with homelessness and substance use. I didn’t come with answers or solutions. I came with a greeting, a name, and a collar. One young woman looked… Continue reading
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October 17, 2025 – Two Weeks of Listening: Stories That Stay With Me
These past two weeks have been filled with quiet, powerful moments and encounters that didn’t ask for headlines, only presence. I’ve had conversations that left me humbled, heartbroken, and deeply grateful. At a community event, a young woman avoided eye contact and spoke softly. “I don’t really talk to people,” she said. That was all.… Continue reading
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September 23, 2025 – A Tuesday Evening of Listening and Grace
Tonight I returned to our Tuesday community meal, a space that continues to reveal the quiet beauty of presence and the deep ache of unmet needs. Though the meal is served as take-out, what we’re building is unmistakably a community. As long as there is conversation, hospitality, and welcome, there is connection. And tonight, that… Continue reading
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August 14, 2025 – 🏡 Breaking Bread, Building Bridges: A Conversation on Housing and Hope
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with someone I’ll call E—a man whose story and heart left a deep impression on me. We first met a few weeks ago in the premier’s office. E is a Christian and a successful businessman, but what truly defines him is his unwavering commitment to community. For… Continue reading
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May 8, 2025 – “Have You Seen My Son?”: A Parent’s Love Through the Years
In 1994, a young man battling addiction left Toronto and came to Vancouver in search of drugs. Since then, his parents have not seen or heard from him. Thirty years have passed. Thirty years of silence, uncertainty, and wondering. They have lived each day with questions in their hearts. Is he still alive? Is he… Continue reading
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April 24, 2025 – An Afternoon in the DTES: Beyond Headlines, Embracing Humanity
This afternoon, I had the profound experience of sharing a glimpse into Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) with a journalist seeking to understand the complex realities of homelessness and addiction. Often portrayed through a lens of fear and despair, the DTES revealed a different narrative as we walked the streets of Hastings – one woven with… Continue reading