In Search of Home...

Through various artistic media, the Fraser Valley Arts and Peace Festival, held at Columbia Bible College, brought students and community together to explore the theme “In Search of Home.”

Emmanuel LoWilla, director of Reconcile International in Sudan, spoke during chapel, sharing about the struggle faced by his people as they return home after years of conflict.

An Art Gallery, set up in the Clearwood Room, included art provided by CBC students as well as artists from the community. Through painting, collage and photography, artists explored the meaning of home and uprootedness, with artwork that was at once beautiful and thought provoking. The opening reception of the gallery was followed by the documentary film “God grew tired of us” told the story of orphaned children in Sudan as they fled their country to start life again in America.

Workshops dealt with a wide range of topics including abuse prevention, homelessness issues in Abbotsford, employment programs for at risk youth, and bringing peace and reconciliation in Sudan.

Greg Paul, founder of Sanctuary Ministries in Toronto which brings rich and poor together in an intentional community, spoke about how these two groups have much to offer each other. “The wealthy are barely conscious of their deep poverty. The poor have little sense of their true blessedness. Walking together, we approach the richness of "home" we have longed for all our lives,” Paul said.

Together with fellow Red Rain band member, Paul and other musicians gave a Friday evening concert sharing story and song from their community experience in Toronto. The evening also included music by Cale Stanage (MCC Warehouse assistant and CBC alumnus) Jamison Dick and friends (current CBC students.)

Canadian singer songwriter, Joel Kroeker also led a workshop about his recent trip with MCC to Laos and Cambodia. He shared about his experience in Phnom Penh's “Red Soil Village” – a slum that is home to some of Cambodia's most celebrated and revered artisans. Kroeker also gave a concert on Saturday evening sharing songs from two recordings as well as new music that came out of his experiences in SE Asia. He was joined by local author Barbara Nickel who read a new work titled “Seahorse” about her experiences travelling in Vietnam.

The use of different artistic media made the Arts and Peace Festival a feast for the senses, with planners already excited about possibilities for next year's event.