ANCOP Vancouver Reaches Out to the Local Community

To highlight the mission of Couples for Christ (CFC) in building the Church of the Poor, ANCOP Vancouver in coordination with the Archdiocese of Vancouver, enlisted in a local feeding program through The Door is Open (TDIO), a social service branch of the Catholic Charities, a registered non-profit organization of the archdiocese. The feeding program held March 14 and will continue every second Saturday of the succeeding months, is ANCOP Vancouver's initial outreach in a local setting. It was participated in by representatives from various chapters and ministries within the CFC Sector. The East Hastings corridor where many of our less fortunate brethren abound, is the area where TDIO operates and serves.

It is ANCOP's aim to help CFC in attaining its global mission and goal of pursuing total Christian liberation through social justice, respect for life, and work with the poor. The program allows CFC members to gain first-hand experience in engaging with the homeless and the needy.

The Door Is Open is a drop-in centre located at Dunlevy Avenue, in the heart of East Vancouver. The Centre supports the needs of the less fortunate people in the downtown east side. Many of their guests have compounding difficulties such as drug and alcohol addiction, physical and mental handicaps as well as maturing life stages and many other impairments. Aside from food, they provide clothing and a warm and safe environment to facilitate the ease of life for street people that so many of us take for granted.

March is the initial salvo of the monthly involvement that ANCOP has committed to serve in the local community. Representatives from Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby/New West and Surrey Chapters as well as delegates from the CFC-Youth and Handmaids of the Lord were on hand to gain valuable insights so that they could share them when it is their chapter or ministry's turn to volunteer and serve. A light early dinner meal consisting of chicken noodle soup, buttered bread, coffee or bottled water were provided to about 250 patrons.

The whole experience was an opportunity for all the volunteers to truly exercise their faith in action; an opportunity to do good to people who cannot give back anything in return. It was intimidatingly scary at first because of fear of the unknown but it was also heart-warming to hear the patrons' expressions of appreciation and gratitude. It is easy to say we love our neighbours but have we done enough to be the hands of Christ knowing full well how blessed we are? Through the feeding program of The Door Is Open, we are given an avenue to profess our faith and a chance to love more.

CFC volunteers gather for prayer and briefing.

Team members prep muffins and doughnuts.

Sharing a chuckle, the group spreads butter on the buns. Alice Cacnio of Richmond (second from right) is glad CFC ANCOP has adopted a feeding program involving the local community. 

CFC-Youth volunteers Rafaela Jose & Rocky Nguyen slice buns. Helping people in the streets is a welcome change they are willing to embrace.

Gerry Andrada pours ingredients of the chicken noodle soup as Mel Juanima looks on. Gerry stresses the importance of team assignments for an orderly and efficient operational conduct. 

Ellen Juanima of Burnaby/New West navigates through the kitchen that is stocked with pots, pans and cooking utensils.

The dining area from the viewpoint of the food counter.

The dining area with the food counter in the background.

With early dinner just minutes away, the cooks get the food ready for serving. Complete with apron, mitts and head gear, it is Mel Juanima's (as well as the rest of the team) first time serving the poor in this capacity. He is happy to be called and doing this service.

Liza Ulanday of the Handmaids of the Lord plays the piano while Tony Aytona provides the vocal accompaniment.

Patrons line up as the doors to the Centre are opened. In total, about 250 guests were served. 

Tony Aytona of Surrey pours coffee into styro cups. He shares that it is not only physical hunger but spiritual hunger that guests come for. 

Food servers, each with assignments to streamline the flow of food and traffic, constantly churn out bowls of chicken soup and buttered buns.

Cookie Aytona delivers a batch of bread.

Service promptly started at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and continued well after 5 o'clock. 

The team (Alwin Yambao, Cookie Aytona, Tony Aytona, Fred Cacnio, Alice Cacnio, Susan Natura, Melody Yambao, Cecille Correa, Anna Velilla, Rafaela Jose, Rocky Nguyen, Jon Javier, Tony Dizon, Mel Juanima, Ellen Juanima, Marjorie Javier, Vicky Garcia, Amy Andrada, Gerry Andrada, Liza Ulanday) with Sister Chita and Frances of The Door Is Open.