Pastor won't stop feeding homeless
Pastor won't stop feeding homeless
Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, May 16, 2008
ABBOTSFORD -- An Abbotsford pastor says he won't stop feeding the hungry in a downtown park just because a business group has demanded that he stop.
Defying the Abbotsford Business Improvement Association's request to cease operations, Rev. Christoph Reiners of Peace Lutheran Church set up a weekly canteen at Jubilee Park in downtown Abbotsford yesterday.
"Food changes your outlook on life. People treat each other better when they have a full stomach," said Reiners.
About 20 homeless people were given cereal, muffins and coffee.
Association president Bob Bos said the handouts attract more trouble from others who swell the numbers.
"Jubilee is a really nice little park overrun with drug dealers and prostitutes. It's classified as a broken park. Kids don't play in the playground," he said. "When the church started delivering food six weeks ago, the problems escalated. At a nearby centre, seniors are afraid to get out of their cars."
The association suggested the church go elsewhere. "We asked the church to stop feeding [the homeless] at the park or feed them at their church [about two kilometres away]. They told us: 'You can't stop us.' They're right because anybody can have a picnic in the park," Bos said.
Reiners is unmoved. "We didn't see the logic in their request," he said. "It wasn't my decision. This program is owned by our congregation. They feel they can help."
He said the homeless have requested the Thursday morning breakfasts continue.
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It's a shame that so many people want to hide the "problem". They'd rather ignore hunger than help. Well, issues of poverty, hunger, and homelessness aren't somebody else's problem. They're all of our problems, right here, right now - and we all need to pitch in to improve the situation.
Let's all be grateful to Rev. Reiners and those like him.