How Souls Harbour Saved Me + Souls Harbour Food Drive: Bill’s Right On Blog

Posted On 07 Jun 2014

I’ve always had a soft spot for Souls Harbour Rescue Mission. I believe they do great work founded in great values, a safe place for youth at Zeike’s Place, Little Souls Daycare, Shayil Home, Harbour House, and a soup kitchen for anyone down on their luck.

So why do I come back to this place to support? Let me tell you my story.

When I first came to Regina in 1995, I came with a bag of clothes and a box of knick-knacks that only an 18-year old would think is important.

When I left my home of Cowessess First Nation and moved to Regina, I went to live in the basement of a church that my friends Pastor Beverly and Louis Kenny were embellishing to become “Songs Of Living Waters Revival Centre” (across the street from the General Hospital).

For me it was a tough time, I had no income for the next two years as that basement would be my home. I depended on the church community, the good will of the pastor’s family and my friends.

There I found Bill Wassenaar, who became one of my most important and compelling friends. He was always willing to let me use his shower and cook the odd meal. Most of the time, we bonded over taking care of the old building I called home.

It was Bill who introduced me to the Souls Harbour Soup Kitchen. At that time it was a small building just north of the old Army & Navy building which is now a Tim Horton’s. It was cramped and cold in the winter and hot and clammy in the summer. I promise you it was not the atmosphere I kept going back for.

Almost every day for the next two years I would be returning daily to this kitchen for a hot meal I was grateful for. I learned the ropes of the street slowly, how to get food from the Regina Food Bank and The Salvation Army so I could have a little bit of food at home. Most weekday mornings I would get up and make my way to The Marion Centre for breakfast, I would eat late enough so I didn’t have to worry about lunch. In the late afternoon The Marion Centre would then give you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if you knocked on the door, and finally supper at Souls Harbour.

The supper at Souls Harbour seemed to be the meal everyone came for. It had a feeling of community that I can’t describe nor understood at the time that other places lacked. Maybe it was seeing so many familiar faces, eating next to genuine people, or the staff that seemed to just enjoy what they were doing, it was my favourite meal.

Over the years as I look back it was Souls Harbour that was always the cornerstone of my early Regina experience and I don’t know if I would have been able to begin a successful new life had it not been for them. I will never forget this.

Their mission statement states they exist to rescue people from poverty and addiction, by offering the Gospel message through emergency help, such as food, clothing and shelter, and Life Changing Recovery Programs. I’ve volunteered when I could (they have many amazing volunteer opportunities “just click here“) and I donated when I could.

Currently they are doing their Annual Food Drive and I hope you can join with me either by the donation of a non-perishable food item or a financial consideration for their monthly bills. Souls Harbour has also released a ‘needs’ list of food items: