Canada Diary – Part 3

Now racoons, orcas and possums are added to the list of ferocious wild beasts I can expect to encounter round here: I am amazed I sleep at night. And apparently moose are not likely to be seen prowling round Vancouver. Alas.
I got another very warm welcome at All Saints Church this morning at the 10am service – less messy this time as it was the normal Sunday service, but good to see the rest of the congregation. I shared greetings from home with them and said a few words about Messy Church, God and the Prodigal Son, then listened to Elizabeth’s sermon, in which she highlighted two key questions from the Old and New Testament passages: ‘What are you doing here?’ and ‘What is your name?’ Lots to think on – what am I doing here, so far from home? Following in God’s footsteps, I hope. What is my name? Elizabeth told us all we are called beloved children of God, and that’s the only name that matters. Certainly his is the name that needs to be remembered in the context of Messy Church, not mine.
I have been promised a Mountie, but unless I stay for Canada Day on 1 July 1, he will not alas have the hat or indeed the horse. I feel I may be disappointed.
We visited the Delta area this afternoon, driving round some deeply attractive houses, the less attractive largest container port in the world (whose trains’ hootings in the night cause the coyotes to howl) and the Indian reservation of Tsawwassen – the first place I’ve been to with a double W in it. A meal out at one of Ladner’s hot night spots – The Niagara Falls (a mere three thousand miles from the actual falls of the same name, but they do a darned good prawn ‘n’ steak) and back home to nothing more ferocious than two cats, two horses, a pony and a Sicilian donkey called Eeyore.