Stephanie Dupont, from Montreal, high fives Senior Pastor Terry Kaethler from Mountain Park Community Church in Abbotsford as she goes up for dinner. (Richard McGuire photo)
It has become an annual tradition for Osoyoos Baptist Church to team up with Mountain Park Community Church from Abbotsford to feed the fruit pickers and other transients at the church. All last week they served meals, though numbers attending were less than half what they were last year, probably because with the early fruit season many have moved on, Pastor Phil Johnson believes. On Thursday, when we attended, it was steak night.
(Richard McGuire photos)
Gabriel Tremblay, from Fermont in northeastern Quebec, was back again this year with his banjo. (Richard McGuire photo)
Numbers were down last week from previous years when Osoyoos Baptist Church provided dinners for fruit pickers and other migrants. Pastor Phil Johnson believes this is because with the early fruit season this year, many pickers have moved on elsewhere. (Richard McGuire photo)
Numbers were down last week from previous years when Osoyoos Baptist Church provided dinners for fruit pickers and other migrants. Pastor Phil Johnson believes this is because with the early fruit season this year, many pickers have moved on elsewhere. (Richard McGuire photo)
With a microphone in one hand and a water bottle to spritz hot migrants in the other, Senior Pastor Terry Kaethler delivers a message about Jesus before the meal. Kaethler is from Mountain Park Community Church in Abbotsford, which partners with Osoyoos Baptist Church to bring meals to the migrants. (Richard McGuire photo)
Migrants listen to an inspirational message about Jesus before being invited to eat at Osoyoos Baptist Church. (Richard McGuire photo)
Church volunteer Ingrid Katzberg, of Osoyoos, helps Vincent Girard, of Roberval, Quebec fill up his plate. (Richard McGuire photo)
Francis Mongeau, from Ste-Julie near Montreal, is happy as Val Neufeldt from Abbotsford gives him a bun to go with his steak. (Richard McGuire photo)
Church volunteer Ruth Glover (right) pours salad dressing for Philippe Huot, of St-Basile-le-Grand, near Montreal. (Richard McGuire photo)
Guillaume Bégin, of Sherbrooke, Quebec, carries a bag of food given to him for his dog when Osoyoos Baptist Church served dinner to migrants last week. Max Pelissier (right) carries away a dinner for himself. (Richard McGuire photo)
Osoyoos Baptist Church and Mountain Park Community Church from Abbotsford served steak and bean salad to a group of migrants from Ile d’Orléans near Quebec City. From left are William Ouellet, Patrick Breton, Anthony De Roy, Marilou Yargeau and Kevin Auclair. Yargeau, unlike the others, is from Drummondville. (Richard McGuire photo)
Pastor Phil Johnson, of Osoyoos Baptist Church, marks the hand of a migrant as he goes up to eat. This is to prevent people from returning for more before seconds are announced. (Richard McGuire photo)
Byron Carpenter (right), of Mountain Park Community Church in Abbotsford, carried a pack filled with lemonade on his back to serve to migrants. Gratefully accepting a drink is Damian Escalante Peterson of Mexico City. (Richard McGuire photo)
