A pastoral visit brings connection and care to members on Vancouver Island

By Rick James of Chilliwack, BC

On Tuesday, October 7, Pat and I travelled to Vancouver Island. We were invited to stay with Dana Donohue and John Nepomuceno for the week and spent Wednesday getting to know them and their wonderful children—Georgia, Sydney, Frankie, and James.

On Thursday, I called Carl Bolger, and we were invited to join him and Shirley for a visit on Friday. Carl then invited us to a Saturday breakfast at a local restaurant with Jim and Elaine Watson, Donna Martin, and a friend from Carl’s apartment complex.

On Sunday, we had Thanksgiving dinner with John, Dana, their family, and Mitch’s parents, a friend of Georgia’s. During the week, we also visited Butchart Gardens and downtown Victoria near the Parliament buildings—hence the two photos shared here.

I called John Canty and talked briefly, as he had just had an operation and wasn’t ready for visitors. I also called Sally Glasier over the weekend and explained that on Monday, October 13, we’d be travelling to Nanaimo and could stop by. She invited us in, and we spent an hour with her and her two grandsons. After leaving Sally, we continued to Nanaimo to the home of Ed and Audrey Salahub. I called Renae Christianson and left a message but didn’t receive a response.

We left on October 16 to return home, hoping that those we visited knew how much we appreciated the time together. It’s our intention to return in the spring and visit even more members and friends. In the meantime, I am requesting the email addresses of those on the Island and in the interior so we can stay connected.