NEWS UPDATE:
The YVR Airport and the Chapel have been busy places over the Summer and now into the Fall.  Our Chapel Team is daily involved in fulfilling its mission, to provide spiritual and emotional support for all passengers and employees, and that's what we enjoy doing most.  Below you'll see two stories written by Carol, one of our chaplains, that illustrates the things that happen here on a regular basis.  

1.  Friday mornings, we sometimes have a crew of Airport staff coming by the Chapel as part of their training, to learn who we are and what we do. Many are surprised at the fact we exist here, which we know is very common to people who are discovering the Chapel for the first time.  They are usually quite pleased to hear about the kind of help and direction that we offer to passengers, employees and even refugees from time to time. I like to tell the story of an experience I had early on in my time here, which is met with laughter and a new appreciation of the Chapel which they could not have imagined.
 
One of our beloved Chaplains, Ron Trickett, who had been serving here for a good number of years from the Salvation Army, was retiring. We had planned a little party for him and just about the time we gathered in the front room for a presentation, a young Muslim man, flying home to the Middle East, came in to see about praying. I told him about the Friday Muslim prayers that would be happening in a couple of hours. He looked at me, then looked toward the Prayer Room with some people inside and asked me, “What is a chapel?”  and “What is a Chaplain?” I explained as best I could, as he spoke only broken English, and explained what was happening in there at the moment, with some Christian passengers. And I reassured him that the Muslim prayers would still take place at 1:00 pm. 

He was so surprised! He looked at me and said “Christians pray in Chapel?” "Yes, I answered!  “Muslims pray in Chapel?” "Yes!"  A big smile came over his face and he exclaimed, “I love Canada! This would never happen in my country!” We laughed together and he asked if he could go congratulate the Chaplain. He went in among the crowd and talked with Ron and as he came out, I told him to help himself to some of the food we had out. Again, he was surprised and thankful, and loudly declared “I love Canada!” Well, he shared in the Muslim prayer time, and then continued to interact with us till he had to leave to catch his flight, around 4:00 in the afternoon. I only wish I could remember his name!


2.  Here's another story that is somewhat unusual. Oftentimes, Canadian Border Services brings refugee families who have just arrived in Canada for us to assist. But one day one of their officers directed a single man who was very distressed to the Chapel. He had come from Ontario to meet a woman who had promised to connect with him at the airport when he arrived. He had sent all his savings to her, in hopes of their settling down here together. But...  she never came for him.  Now he was desperate for help, even for food and drink, as he had been wandering the airport overnight. And he had determined that his only hope was to fly to his hometown in India to sell some property and get some money. He thought we could loan him $1000.00 to buy a ticket and he would leave some things for us as collateral until he paid us back.

Of course, we could not do that, but we could give him a sandwich and some coffee, while I asked some more questions to determine how best to help him. Finally, I suggested the best thing he could do was speak to the police about possible fraudulent activity happening. After a while he agreed and I phoned the RCMP who came and brought an interpreter with them. After about an hour or more, he agreed to go with them to their office where a Sikh fellow would come and help him with a place to stay. Before he left, he came to say thank you to me and bowed down to just touch my knees, as an act of honour. I have never heard of such a thing; he showed his appreciation in such a tender way.... very touching and memorable!

OK, thanks for reading our stories.  More to come later in the Fall!
​
​Dennis Kirkley & Mark Anderson
Lead Chaplains
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PEOPLE STORIES - EMAILS FROM VIKKI, RE: OUR ENCOUNTER 10 YEARS AGO
Here's a story that illustrates that every good word and deed that you and I do could have a long-lasting effect on someone.... so keep up the good work, eh?

Hi Chaplain Kirkley,
     As I head to my daughter’s 40th birthday party (she lives in London UK), I recall a time 10 years ago when my mother and I were heading from New Zealand to her 30th via Vancouver airport.
     I have never forgotten your kindness that day when I lost my passport, and I have found your business card and wonder if perchance you are still the airport chaplain!
    Warm regards, Vikki   
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Greetings Vikki,
     Thank you for your kind message, and yes, I very much remember that day and our encounter.  You were so intent on getting to your daughter’s 30th birthday, so it was not hard to get enthused about your situation and pray for God‘s grace and mercy to help us.
      As I recall, we had to chase down your passport from the hotel where you were staying, and then we waited anxiously at the curb for a taxi to bring it to the terminal.  But it arrived just in time for you to get through security and make your flight, right?  
       That was quite a day for both of us!  I have had many interesting encounters over my years as chaplain, but our situation was one of the most remarkable examples of God’s interventions to “save the day”! 
 
Vikki:
     I am amazed you still recall the incident so clearly. Yes, my passport arrived just in time, with that delightful Indian taxi driver who greeted me with a beaming smile and the words “Madam, I have your passport”! 
      And he still would not have been on time, but just when the situation looked lost again, the airline announced that the flight had been delayed! You never gave up hope and I’m sure your faith and some divine intervention saved the day. 
​
      Indeed, my Mum and I had a lovely trip and it was so nice to spend time with my beautiful daughters who were both living in London at the time.  

Greetings YVR Chapel Friends, 

The year 2023 concluded on a high note, with more than 850 employees and passengers coming to the Chapel to enjoy our December Drop-In Open House.  We also had a very positive response to Chaplain Mark Anderson's idea of a "Pause... for Peace" theme.  He created a large world map with no national borders, just land and sea, and the seas were full of these repeating words: “Peace on earth, as the waters cover the sea.”  Everyone was invited to pause and write their hope or prayer for peace, and we welcomed posts in all languages from persons of all faiths and no faith. 

People Stories 
As a Chapel Team, we have the privilege of meeting hundreds of travellers and employees who share their stories with us, and it's our honour to be able to provide personal support.  With their permission I share some of these stories with the hope of demonstrating our empathy towards them, and the care they are receiving from the GVRD community.  
1.  A YVR employee from Aleppo Syria, shared with me their sorrow at what has happened to their hometown and nation. The employee is proud of their people, some 14 million who have made new homes in countries around the world, as they have done in Canada. However, there is also suffering, where this individual’s own mother can never leave Syria again, because she went to Turkey to visit, but had to be smuggled back in to get home. The employee will never be able to see her again. Still, this person is grateful (and always smiling!) because of the blessings of safety and security that their family now enjoy in Canada, while also being grateful for the technology that enables connection between family here in Canada and in Syria.  
2.  A Kurdish refugee-claimant family was recently brought to the Chapel. As you may know, Kurdish people have no country of their own and this family had to leave because of threats to their lives. 'Refugee claimants' are persons who manage to get to Canada but have no government or private sponsorship. They must appear in a court hearing within one month of arrival and prove their need for acceptance into Canada. This family with two young children had traveled long hours from their homeland to Montreal and then to Vancouver, and had nowhere to go. (Canadian organizations at the airport are designed to mostly assist officially accepted refugees, such as Afghans or Ukrainians; other refugee claimants must provide for themselves).
This story ends well, because there are people and organizations who are ready to help refugees with accommodation, food and next steps in their lives.  We called one of the leaders in the Richmond Muslim community and they were able to come and help this family, get them to a hotel for one night, and then plan for the following month.  For people of other faiths or no faith connection, our YVR Chapel team will engage groups in Vancouver like the Salvation Army's Belkin House and specially designed Family & Women's Shelters. The Federal Government also provides support through groups that we can contact, such as Mosaic Newcomer Refuge, Respite Housing Society, and Immigration Services Society. 

Special Announcement  We are pleased to officially welcome Drew Pankrath to the VAC Board, where he will serve as Vancouver Airport Authority’s Representative.  

Blessings in all the ways that you also serve your community, 
Dennis, for the Chapel Team

Please note:  Our AGM is scheduled for Saturday April 27, 10:30-12:00 noon at YVR