"And who is my neighbour?"
by David Chow, Pastor at Killarney Park MB Church
Making friends with others includes learning about another's
background, taking an interest in their story and perhaps spending
more time listening than sharing.
This past summer, my family had the chance to make new friends.
We met up with fellow campers and travelers on a journey that would
take us through some of the ancient forests of Vancouver Island,
to an ancient people now living in Alert Bay.
The trip to Port McNeil was actually pretty fun. Along with a ferry
ride came the excitement that we were going to be meeting new friends,
seeing new sights, and enjoying God's creation.
As families congregated at a campsite in Campbell River, we had
the chance to connect, get our bearings, and meet our traveling
companions for the week. Walking through a forest that was planted
by Conscientious Objectors from wars long past, we were given some
pointers regarding forestry. Some of the issues were: how
does one keep a forest sustainable? How does one plan for
the future? What does it mean to be a steward of the environment?
It was really amazing to see just how much a forest can be
used recreationally, educationally, and used to even grow food for
a family! Seeing how one can work with the land, and live off the
land, while still giving to the local and broader economy was very
eye-opening for a city-slicker like me.
The core of the time was spent connecting with people representing
the 'N a m g is First Nation. We were met by one of their elders,
a local artist, Dave Jacobson. He took time off to show us his work
studio / home, and tour us around Alert Bay. Dave is a living repository
of his people's history and continues to teach others through the
creation of his art. Masks, canoes, bowls, cedar boxes, oars, and
puppets were just a few of the pieces he shared with us as we learned
about his people and some of the issues they faced.
One memory was very vivid for me was while in Alert Bay, we saw
an old, dilapidated red brick building covered in peeling paint.
It reminded me of a prison or jail. Dave told me it was a closed-down
residential school. "Notice the white has a hard time sticking to
the red?" he asked, as he pointed to the flaking paint. We learned
from personal testimony of some of the horrors that happened there.
Margaret shared with us over a campfire. As a child, she was not
allowed to speak her mother tongue, and for fear of having their
child punished, her parents stopped teaching her their language.
Margaret was forced to learn English as her first language. The
school is now a historical site.
As we headed toward the tallest totem pole in the world, we also
passed what looked like a brand new hospital. Decorated with cedar
to reflect the community, it was one of the outstanding buildings
in the tiny village. "That's our new addictions clinic," Dave shared.
It was good to know that care was being taken to help his people,
but also very sobering to know that their community was plagued
with substance abuse.
Highlights included visiting the U'mista Cultural Centre. U'mista
loosely means "to return the treasures." The Cultural Centre
holds a vast and growing collection of masks and artifacts that
are being returned from distant museums all over the world. We were
also able to take in some cultural dance performances - from the
oldest members of the band who were singing, to the youngest (a
three year-old) who was dancing, we enjoyed being hosted by a people
rich in culture with a very strong sense of community.
What a sight to see as we witnessed the beauty of God's creativity
reflected in the 'N a m g is. We experienced hospitality and welcome
and grace - aspects of our Creator found within this portion of
the cultural mosaic called humanity.
Everywhere we went in Alert Bay, Dave and Ernie were met by friends
or family members, and unconscious to the passage of time, stopped
to talk and catch up with news.
Dave, Ernie and Margaret, it was so good to meet you and get to
know you. Thanks for the salmon barbeque! It was good to
sit and talk, learn about your family, and even play soccer in the
campground!
I appreciated the fact that these relationships were borne out of
a natural one that Darryl Klassen has with the Jacobson family.
This is what ministry is. It is relational. It's about people. It's
about beginning conversations.
Many thanks go out to:
Darryl Klassen - Aboriginal Neighbours Coordinator, MCC
Dave Hiebert - MCC Intern
Harold Macy, Forester, Black Creek MB Church
Dave Jacobson - friend of Darryl Klassen
Ernie and Margaret Jacobson (Dave Jacobson's brother and sister
in-law)
For more information on the Aboriginal Neighbours Program contact
program coordinator Darryl Klassen at: (604) 850-6639 in Abbotsford,
1-888-622-6337 from outside the Lower Mainland. E-mail: abneighbours@mccbc.com
|
Back to Aboriginal Neighbours Index
|
