In honour of Hart's and my FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, AUGUST 24th, 2007.
GOFORTH, HOMEWOOD, CAMP GOFORTH--summer of 1954--nostalgia. It was a summer of
varied emotions for me, a summer of new experiences. It was the summer I met my
husband.
GOFORTH, the Mission Boat for Pacific Coast Children’s Mission, was in port in
Vancouver when I first saw it. I walked with my friend, Leona, down the gang
plank to the Goforth. Having never been to the coast before, I was filled with
awe at every turn of my head, the scenery, the immensity of the city, the
ocean--its smells, its mists, and its vastness. But to be about to step foot
into an "ocean cruiser," and to embark on a summer working with total strangers
(except for Leona), filled me with excitement, fear, and other feelings for
which I had no words to express.
On
the deck, standing with Alf and Marg, the directors of the mission, were three
young men—Ron, Jim, and Art (Hart). I guess you could say that it was at that
moment that the course of my life was set.
One of these
young men was later to become my husband.
Although I couldn't
identify the emotion at the time, it was then I fell in love for the first time
in my life.
A shy young
woman, I was had always declared that I would remain a spinster for the rest of
my life. I had only one brother, whom I adored, but apart from him I had no use
for "boys." But that summer changed that. I fell head-over-heels in love with
that man I saw on the dock that day, and I have remained in love; or should I
say, I have grown more in love, with each passing day. Through the forty-nine
years that we have been married we have weathered many-a-storm together.
Nostalgia hits me as I recall the trips up the coast with the GOFORTH, packed
with gear and young people. How exciting it was to stop at the different ports,
while Alf would settle a couple of workers in a place of abode to begin a
two-week Vacation Bible school session. And I remember the emotions I had when
it was my turn to be dropped off. I remember my feelings when I watched the
GOFORTH pulling away to go to its next port, leaving my partner--virtually a
stranger--and me alone in a strange place, with a village full of strangers,
knowing that it would be two weeks before the GOFORTH would be back again. I
remember that feeling of aloneness, of almost claustrophobia, of fear. It was
the first time in my life that I had been away from at least one member of my
family. Nostalgia hit me with a vengeance. And then I heard that still small
voice which reminded me that Christ was near, and that I was not alone.
Although I don't recall the names of all of my mission partners, I do remember
that with each one I had wonderful fellowship. I don't recall any friction;
perhaps we had some. We must have. We're human. But in my memory now remains
only the times of fellowship, the times of reliance on the Lord, the experience
of learning how to make our supplies last. Always having loved to cook, and
remembering how my mother used to squeeze out enough from our scanty supplies to
make treats for us children, I surprised my partner by making cookies out of
our rationed supplies of oatmeal, flour, sugar—but no eggs and a limited amount
of shortening. I remember the fun-times we made during our stays at the
different coastal villages where we held V.B.S. I remember the enthusiasm of the
children as they came each morning. And I remember my excitement at seeing the
GOFORTH coming back into port to pick us up. Yes, even now the name, GOFORTH
brings a flood of nostalgia to my mind.
HOMEWOOD. I recall the feeling I had when I first climbed the bank from the dock
at HOMEWOOD to the lodge. I thought that I must be in Utopia. Having grown up on
the Prairies of Alberta, I couldn't believe that so much lush green could exist.
I felt at home immediately. Of course Alf and Marge had a lot to do with that.
They treated each of us young people as their own children, counselling,
admonishing, encouraging, and teaching.
We
girls were shown to our quarters, "The Hen House," as we dubbed it. Our
neighbours, the chickens, in the adjacent duplex made an alarm clock unnecessary
for our early morning arousal.
I,
along with several others, arrived in May to help with the preparation work to
ready the grounds for the campers. That was a great learning experience. We all
worked hard, but we still had fun and fellowship. I recall the times we would
take our lunch meals up into the rocks. And I especially recall the meal times,
and the "Whang-ho" game we played to determine who would get an extra dessert.
(Hart and I incorporated that game into our own family when, years later,
fourteen of us would sit down to a meal.)
CAMP GOFORTH. It was another enriching experience to spend a couple of weeks
counselling at CAMP GOFORTH. That was the first summer for that camp. I remember
the warm hospitality of the Butchers as they opened up their beautiful farm to
us workers, and the fond fellowship we had during the days of camp. I remember
the rain, and feeling of dampness that penetrated every inch of the tents. And I
remember the sauna. To some it was a welcome relief from the dampness; however,
for myself I never cared for it. I enjoyed rather, to dip my feet in a cold
stream, or just sit out on the dock and let the rain fall on me, soaking me
through. I loved that place; because it was there, working shoulder-to-shoulder
with Hart (and others, of course, too) that I knew that Hart Dowd and I were
meant to spend our lives together. (Three years later we were married.)
GOFORTH, HOMEWOOD, and CAMP GOFORTH, were a part of my life for which I thank
God. It is part of our life.
Helen Dowd
Today, August 24th, 2007, is our FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY...I hope that all of you married younger people will be able to say, after 50 years together, that "marriages are made in heaven." I know ours was. Through thick and thin, through highs and lows, in sickness and in health, we have been there for each other, and will remain to be in any of the forthcoming years God may allow us to be together. These past 3 years, during Hart's challenging sickness, I have been SO GLAD that I have been there for him. I know he would have been there for me too, had I been the one who lost a limb, due to an infection. Hart remains upbeat and positive, sending out inspirational emails to hundreds of people. I thank God for his wonderful spirit.
LOVE is from GOD, for GOD is LOVE.
Helen
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