My encounter with The Peoples House is different from that of others in the sense that I got to tell stories so that people can better understand why and how The Peoples House makes a difference. I was there to interview, create articles and videos about the ministry, the people residing there and the volunteers who came to contribute. I heard about how refugees fled their countries so that they could have a life that we most often take for granted. To be safe, to be welcomed, to be comforted. To be secure.
I saw how a simple act, such as volunteering time to hang around The Peoples House, made the residents happy. It doesn’t take much, as The Peoples House’s House Manager Lara Boghos, says. You just have to be present, to welcome people. You don’t have to sacrifice so much, you don’t come out of the experience tired or discouraged. Instead, you come out of it refreshed, feeling more alive, seeing more of Jesus. All you need to do is be around, sharing a bit about Canadian life – the ins and outs that make is that much more difficult for newcomers to assimilate – especially when they can’t speak English. Sometimes you help make phone calls, help fill out forms – simple things really – but when you’re new to a country, it means so much to have someone sit by your side and guide you through it.
To me, The Peoples House is all about bringing hope and care and comfort to people who have already gone through so much. It has been a privilege to see how impactful and life changing it is to see how much of a difference it makes when we humans help other humans.