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Five years ago, Manna Homeless Society could comfortably distribute essential survival items—food, clothing, warm blankets, foot care supplies, and temporary shelter support—on the grounds of the Salvation Army Mt. Arrowsmith Church in Parksville. Our weekly two-hour outreach served a manageable number of people in need, with minimal disruption to the surrounding community. Today, the situation is unrecognizable. Homelessness in the Oceanside region has surged, with the 2025 point-in-time count identifying 94 individuals experiencing homelessness in Parksville and Qualicum Beach alone—an alarming increase that reflects broader trends across Vancouver Island. More people are living in vehicles, tents, or on the streets, many hidden from view yet desperately struggling with poverty, mental health challenges, and addiction. This growth of people living in cars has overwhelmed our former location. Businesses lost parking spaces, foot traffic spilled onto roadways, and safety concerns mounted for everyone involved. We are deeply grateful to those neighbours and businesses who tolerated the disruption for as long as they did. Yet, shame on the City of Parksville for its heartbreaking inaction. Despite repeated pleas, the council has failed to provide even a small, safe parcel of land for our modest weekly outreach. Just days ago, on February 11, 2026, we were forced to vacate the Salvation Army property, leaving us to deliver vital services “on the road” without a stable base. There remains no permanent winter shelter in Oceanside, no designated space for basic aid, and no meaningful leadership to address this crisis. The consequences are already unfolding: rising deaths among the unhoused, strained emergency services, and a community divided by neglect. Turning their backs on the most vulnerable is beyond belief. Parksville deserves better—from its leaders and from all of us. Robin Campbell Manna Homeless Society

In the shadow of Parksville’s serene coastal beauty, a silent war rages—not against crime or chaos, but against compassion itself. For 20 years, the Manna Homeless Society has been a lifeline for the vulnerable, battling an epidemic of homelessness that has exploded in the last five. More women, seniors, and mothers with children now wander the streets, their lives shattered by economic despair. We’ve watched families fracture, elders endure the elements, and kids go hungry. Our response? Scaling up: distributing far more food than ever, providing remarkable foot care to heal blistered soles, and running a bicycle program that empowers mobility. We’ve handed out clothing, tents, trailers, sleeping bags—essentials for survival in a world that turns its back. But cruelty has a new face. Instead of wisdom from those in charge—offering a safe patch of land for just two hours, twice a week—authorities chose eviction. Kicking us off streets under the guise of easing traffic flow, they ignited chaos. Volunteers, including myself, felt deflated; I quit Manna for 24 hours, overwhelmed by disbelief. Board members teetered on resignation. Then came the police: three cars surrounding us on private property, ordering us to scatter like criminals. It was cold; people were finally getting supplies to survive—warm clothes, medical aid, food. Now, we sneak through the city, hoping the desperate can find us, doling out vital needs from vehicles while praying we won’t be run off again. The suffering is unimaginable, an attack on the poor that defies reason. Without our services, the unhoused steal to eat, skip medical checkups, sell their bodies for shelter, or simply give up. Just days ago, we found a man freezing in a ditch, saved only by a woman lying atop him to share her warmth—he’d have died otherwise. Over 90 souls walk the streets and who knows how many are living in cars. Y et Parksville’s leaders offer nothing: no land, no all-weather shelters, no warming stations. This isn’t oversight; it’s deliberate cruelty from those who know better. Fixing it? So easy—a moment’s decision could provide a safe space for us to help, keeping volunteers secure and the community safer. We’ve become the “bad guys” for caring, yet we won’t quit. We’ll drive the streets until our vehicles are seized or we’re jailed, fighting this dehumanizing game. But we need you: partners to purchase land where Manna can operate safely, serving Parksville and beyond. This could end the suffering, but leaders choose death and despair over mercy. Pray for them; pray for change. Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

Manna Homeless Society is taking a proactive, community-rooted approach to address systemic shortfalls and protect Oceanside’s vulnerable residents—including seniors and families—during extreme temperatures. Manna is working to secure land to develop a stable site that features insulated tiny homes, community gardens, support services, and dignity-focused housing—aimed at ending the cycle of nightly survival and reactive aid. The current situation for people 'rough sleeping' (sleeping outdoors in places like parks, on benches or in makeshift shelters) or living in vehicles is deeply troubling and highlights a painful gap in how emergency responses address vulnerability during the cold weather of Vancouver Island's shoulder seasons. The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), which oversees much of the Parksville-Qualicum Beach-Errington area, follows criteria aligned with BC’s Assistance to Shelter Act and provincial guidelines for activating extreme cold weather warming centres. These typically trigger only when: Environment Canada forecasts a low of -4°C or below for the next 24-hour period Current temperatures are -4°C or lower, or A forecast low of 0°C or below coincides with an active weather warning In the case of tonight’s forecast (February 23 into 24, 2026), lows are expected around +3°C accompanied by cloudy skies, showers/drizzle, and winds that may create a wind chill, making it feel colder and more penetrating—especially for those without adequate shelter, dry clothing, or protection from dampness. This damp, windy chill increases risks of hypothermia, exacerbated respiratory problems, and frostnip/frostbite on extremities, even though temperatures don't reach the official “extreme” threshold. As a result, no warming centres (like the one at Oceanside Community Church) will automatically open tonight due to current conditions and policy, which only take effect at -4°C. Advocates in the Oceanside region (including groups like the Oceanside Homelessness Task Force) have repeatedly called for more flexible or lower thresholds—such as opening at 0°C regardless of warnings, or establishing year-round/low-barrier options—to prevent suffering and potential deaths during these borderline cold, wet snaps. To compound this issue, there is a shortage of permanent overnight shelter beds in the area, forcing reliance on temporary, weather-triggered options that don’t always align with real human needs. The Manna Homeless Society is actively seeking donations (including trailers/RVs for immediate winter relief) and partnerships to make its vision of a safe haven real, especially amid rising numbers of unhoused folks (around 90+ in recent counts). If this message resonates and you’re in a position to help, we welcome all forms of support, including: Cheques: Payable to “Manna” and mail to Box 389, Errington, BC V0R 1V0 E-transfers: To MannaParksville@gmail.com (quick and secure) Sharing this message Volunteering time/skills Advocating locally (e.g., to municipal councils or BC Housing) In solidarity, even small contributions can lead to land acquisition and long-term stability for Oceanside's most vulnerable. It’s unacceptable that arbitrary cutoffs leave people exposed when warmth could save lives and preserve hope. Thank you for shining a light on this and for any support you or others can provide. If there’s more I can help clarify (like current weather details or related resources), just let me know. Stay warm out there. Robin Campbell MANNA Homeless Society

For more than two decades, Manna Homeless Society has stood as a beacon of hope in Parksville, British Columbia. Day in and day out—365 days a year—our dedicated volunteers have provided essential support to those experiencing homelessness or people at risk . Whether distributing emergency food packages, clothing, hygiene supplies, rain gear, or life-saving medical care through our mobile clinic, we have been there for every emergency, every storm, and every person living in vehicles, rundown shacks, tents, or on the streets. Despite this unwavering commitment, the City of Parksville has offered nothing in return. No piece of land for safe operations. No weather shelter. No extreme weather refuge. Even after we were recently asked to vacate the Salvation Army Mt. Arrowsmith Church parking lot, city hall remains silent. Meanwhile, the hidden homeless crisis grows exponentially. The 2025 Point-in-Time count recorded 94 people experiencing homelessness in the Parksville/Qualicum area—most unsheltered—yet advocates know the true numbers are higher as families and individuals crowd into cars and inadequate housing rather than secure apartments. It is time for change. After years of waiting and saving with  some additional help we can purchase our own piece of land. Please help us……This dedicated space will become a secure hub where volunteers can operate without fear, efficiently distribute necessities, expand services, and offer dignity and safety to those who need it most. We cannot do this alone. We urgently seek partners—individuals, businesses, organizations, and compassionate neighbours—who believe in a better Parksville. Your financial contributions, expertise, land leads, in-kind donations, or volunteer hours will accelerate this dream into reality. Every gift brings us closer to a permanent solution that serves our entire community. Imagine the difference: instead of resources spent only on keeping private yards tidy, we invest in the whole city’s well-being. This project will demonstrate genuine civic pride, showing City Hall and the world that Parksville is a community defined by love, compassion, and empathy like never before. It will lift the spirit of our town and prove we care for every resident. Let’s build this team as fast as we can. Together we can create lasting change.  Partner with Manna Homeless Society today.  Contact Robin Campbell at oceansidemanna@gmail.com or 250-248-0845, or visit mannahomelesssociety.com

By Robin Campbell, Manna Homeless Society In Parksville—our postcard-pretty coastal haven—a full-blown humanitarian crisis rages on, and city hall does nothing about it. The number of desperate souls crammed into vehicles has exploded, with recent counts showing around 90 unsheltered people and many more living in their cars in the Parksville-Qualicum area (mostly sleeping rough or in cars), scraping by in hunger, freezing rain, and misery. Yet these officials bury their heads in the sand, flat-out refusing to partner with groups like Manna Homeless Society to provide even basic help. Picture the preventable horror: untreated trench foot turning septic, landing people in ERs or worse—when a simple mobile foot-care nurse could stop that nightmare. Without safe spots to distribute food, coats, blankets, and survival gear, these people wander the streets, begging, disturbing shopkeepers, spiking tensions and carrying out petty crime. What is wrong with Parksville? Allocate one small patch of land for a few supervised hours a week! Let volunteers hand out dignity without fear. Families in rusting cars could eat in peace, loitering would drop, and emergency calls would plummet. Look at Nanaimo and Victoria: their pop-up hubs work well—no vandalism, no chaos, just stabilized lives, safer streets, and human decency restored. Success is proven, inexpensive, and right in front of you. But Parksville chooses willful blindness. Is it apathy, prejudice, or fear of “enabling” poverty? This refusal isn’t just morally wrong—it’s reckless, inviting lawsuits for neglecting vulnerable residents amid rising vehicle homelessness. Denying even minimal aid spots is unconscionable, cruel, and cowardly. Parksville, wake up. Embrace compassion, stop the disaster you’re courting, and join models that save lives. Or own your legacy: a shining tourist trap built on the backs of the forgotten, drowning in shame. For context on the claims (based on recent public data as of early 2026): • The most recent Point-in-Time (PiT) homeless count for Parksville/Qualicum (conducted April 29, 2025, and released later) identified 94 people experiencing homelessness in the area, down slightly from 103 in 2023. The vast majority (90 out of 94) were unsheltered, which doesn’t include sleeping outside, in vehicles, or in temporary situations like couch surfing. • Manna Homeless Society has reported that the number of “hidden homeless” (including those in vehicles) feels higher in outreach, with estimates of 60 people living in cars/vans in the region, often preferring that over other options to maintain dignity. • There is no permanent overnight shelter in Oceanside (Parksville/Qualicum area), and efforts like safe parking proposals have faced resistance (e.g., the mayor calling it a non-starter in some reports). Manna has faced challenges, including being asked to vacate a Salvation Army parking lot site in February 2026 due to complaints. • Nearby areas like Nanaimo and Victoria have implemented various pop-up or supported sites with reported positive outcomes for stabilization. This issue remains contentious locally, with advocates pushing for more action amid high housing costs and living expenses. We need your support and assistance to motivate people in positions of power who are able to see this dream come true. Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

In the heart of Oceanside, British Columbia, where the beauty of Vancouver Island meets the harsh reality of growing poverty, one organization has steadfastly shouldered the burden of caring for the homeless and at-risk: Manna Homeless Society. For years, Manna has provided emergency food, clothing, hygiene supplies, temporary shelter, mobile foot care, and compassionate outreach to those forgotten by society—individuals, families, and seniors teetering on the edge of despair. Volunteers pour their hearts into this work, often at great personal cost, filling gaps that no one else will touch. Yet, not once—not a single time—has anyone from Parksville City Hall bothered to visit Manna’s operations, witness the overwhelming load its volunteers carry, or extend a genuine offer of support. No city official has looked at the exhausted faces of those volunteers handing out food in the cold, distributing sleeping bags to people sleeping in cars, or bandaging the feet of the walking wounded, and said: “You are doing incredible work for our community’s most vulnerable. How can we help? Let us provide a safe piece of land where you can operate without fear of eviction, where you can expand your services to better aid our poor and at-risk citizens.” Instead, silence. Indifference. And worse: active obstruction. History bears this out. In 2018, the City of Parksville issued a cease-and-desist order to Manna, forcing the society to stop using city-owned land for its mobile clinic and outreach—land that had become a lifeline for the homeless. Complaints about “mess” trumped the needs of human beings in crisis. Relations were briefly “mended” on paper, but the pattern persists: withdrawn liaisons to homelessness task forces, votes against meaningful collaboration, and a refusal to designate safe spaces like parking lots for those living in vehicles. This is not mere bureaucratic oversight. This is cowardice. City Hall hides behind policies and complaints from residents who “are fed up,” while ignoring the moral imperative to protect the least among us. When leadership turns its back on the suffering right in its own streets—people selling their dignity to survive the cold, hidden homeless growing in numbers, mental health and addiction crises unchecked—it exposes a profound failure. But this goes deeper than politics. This is a spiritual war. By refusing to support those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the stranger, Parksville City Hall stands in direct opposition to the Creator’s will. Scripture is clear: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Everything Manna does aligns with this divine command—acts of mercy, love, and justice. Yet City Hall’s actions (and inactions) defy it, prioritizing comfort and appearances over compassion. How long will this shame continue? How many more must suffer before leadership awakens to its responsibility? Manna Homeless Society will not stop serving, because we cannot turn away from those in need. But Parksville deserves better from its elected officials. The community deserves leaders who partner with frontline warriors like Manna, not abandon them. It’s time for change. It’s time for courage. It’s time to choose humanity over indifference. Robin Campbell Founder and Director, Manna Homeless Society Parksville, British Columbia

Dear Friends, Community Leaders, Businesses, and Potential Partners in Oceanside, I write to you today with a heavy heart, but also with a spark of unbreakable hope—one that I believe we can fan into a bright flame together. Last winter, I met Tom on a bench near the Parksville waterfront. He was once a skilled tradesman who raised a family here, paid his taxes, and coached minor hockey. A job loss, mounting medical bills, and a string of bad luck left him sleeping in his truck, then under bridges, then nowhere at all. The cold bit deep, hunger gnawed constantly, and the isolation—the quiet shame of feeling invisible in the community he loved—nearly broke him. Tom is not alone. In Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and across the Oceanside region, too many of our neighbours—veterans, seniors, families, young people starting out—face the same crushing reality of homelessness or the constant fear of losing their homes. It tears at the fabric of our community, leaving empty storefronts, strained services, and a shared sense of helplessness. Yet there is hope. Real, proven hope. Manna Homeless Society has served the most vulnerable in Oceanside for years. We know these individuals by name, understand the complex challenges they face—addiction, mental health struggles, trauma, economic hardship—and we know how to help with compassion, respect, and practical support. We have built trust, delivered meals, provided emergency aid, and walked alongside people as they rebuild their lives. But we also know that true, lasting change requires more than temporary fixes. It requires a place to call home, meaningful work, and a supportive community. That is why Manna is working tirelessly to acquire land in the coming years—a peaceful piece of property where we can create a transformative community for those experiencing homelessness or at risk. Picture this: small, dignified trailers providing safe, private homes; gardens and fields where residents grow fresh food for themselves and the community; meaningful jobs tending the land, maintaining the property, and contributing to shared meals and markets. This is not just housing—it is healing. It is purpose. It is dignity restored. We have already saved funds toward this goal, but it is not enough yet. We need partners—public-spirited individuals, businesses, faith groups, foundations, and local governments—who share our vision to make this dream a reality for Oceanside. This model works. It has transformed lives elsewhere, and it can do the same here. In Austin, Texas, Community First! Village spans 51 acres and provides permanent homes in tiny houses and RVs for hundreds of formerly chronically homeless neighbours. Residents tend community gardens, work in on-site micro-enterprises, create art, and support one another. Once isolated and struggling, many now thrive with stability, friendships, and pride in their contributions. The village has become a national model, proving that land-based, community-focused housing ends cycles of homelessness while building stronger neighbourhoods. Closer to home, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the 12 Neighbours community—built through private and community investment—offers tiny homes that restore hope and dignity to people who once had nowhere to go. Residents describe it as the first place they have felt truly seen and valued. And programs like the Homeless Garden Project in California show the power of farming: participants experiencing homelessness gain paid training, grow organic food, and find purpose and healing through meaningful work on the land—skills that lead to lasting employment and self-sufficiency. These examples are not distant dreams—they are proven realities. With the right land and the right partnerships, Oceanside can create something even better: a community tailored to our region’s needs, producing local food, offering jobs, reducing strain on emergency services, and giving people like Tom a real path forward. Imagine the impact: fewer people on our streets, safer parks and downtowns, fresh produce supporting local food security, and formerly homeless neighbours becoming contributing members of our community again. Parksville and Qualicum Beach would lead the way in compassionate, effective care—one that lifts everyone. Manna Homeless Society is ready. We are established, respected, and deeply knowledgeable about what works here. We just need that piece of land—and your partnership to get there. Will you join us? Whether through financial support, land contributions, in-kind services, grants, or simply spreading the word, your involvement can change lives. Together, we can turn sadness into strength and build a brighter future for all of Oceanside. Please reach out to me at Manna Homeless Society to learn more or discuss how we can partner. Let’s make this hope a reality—together. With gratitude and optimism, Robin Campbell Manna Homeless Society Parksville, British Columbia

In the quiet coastal towns of Parksville and Qualicum Beach, where the Salish Sea kisses ancient shores and cedar forests whisper secrets to the wind, something extraordinary is stirring. It is not the work of the flawless or the mighty. It is the work of the Creator, who has always chosen the cracked vessels, the stumbling hearts, the ones the world calls failures, and filled them with living water until they overflow. Long ago, a fisherman named Peter denied his Lord three times before the rooster crowed. A murderer named Moses stuttered when he spoke. A persecutor named Paul once breathed threats against the innocent. Yet the Creator lifted them up, dusted off their shame, and used their trembling hands to shape history. And so it is today, in these small Vancouver Island communities, where the Creator is doing it again. He looked upon the broken—the homeless sleeping under bridges, the addicted wandering empty streets, the mentally afflicted crying out in silence, the poor who feel invisible—and He did not turn away. Instead, He gathered a handful of equally imperfect people: recovering addicts, grieving parents, a weary pastor, ordinary folks who know what it is to fall and fail. Out of these unlikely souls, He knit together Manna Homeless Society—His voice for the voiceless, His hands reaching into the margins. Manna is not a polished organization born of boardrooms and strategic plans. It is a miracle born of obedience. The Creator has whispered a commission into their hearts: Go. Find land. Build shelter. Plant gardens and greenhouses. Give My children not just a bed, but dignity. Put their hands to meaningful work—tending soil, growing food, watching life spring from seed. Let them heal as they labour. Let them taste purpose again. This is no small dream. It is a kingdom vision: a place where the formerly homeless become the caretakers of the land, where rows of tomatoes and kale feed both body and soul, where greenhouses bloom with hope in winter’s grip. A community where people stay as long as they need—sheltered, fed, valued—until they are ready to step back into the world whole. But visions this beautiful do not rise on wishes alone. They rise on partnership. The Creator has always worked through community. He sends the ravens to feed Elijah, but He also sends the widow to bake the bread. He parts the Red Sea, but He tells Moses to raise the staff. He heals the paralyzed man, but He waits for four friends to lower him through the roof. So it is with Manna’s land. This dream will become bricks and soil and shelter only when partners step forward. When landowners feel stirred to release property for kingdom purposes. When contractors offer skills at cost. When gardeners donate seeds and knowledge. When churches open their wallets and their hearts. When businesses sponsor greenhouses. When everyday people—retirees in Parksville, families in Qualicum, believers across the island—say, “Here am I. Send me.” Every contribution matters. Gifts of money towards the land, A thousand-dollar gift builds walls. A hundred-dollar gift buys tools. A bag of soil, a packet of seeds, an hour of labor—nothing is too small in the hands of the Creator. He multiplies loaves and fishes; He will multiply these offerings too. To the hesitant: remember that the Creator is not looking for perfection in His partners, only willingness. He will use your small yes to shelter someone who has never known safety. He will use your gift to put calloused hands back to meaningful work. He will use your prayer to break chains of addiction and despair. In Parksville and Qualicum, a generation of the broken is waiting to be made whole. The land is waiting to be claimed. The gardens are waiting to grow. Will you be the partner the Creator uses to make this vision real? The story is not finished. It is being written right now—by imperfect people, for imperfect people, through the perfect love of a Creator who wastes nothing. Step in. The harvest is coming. Robin Campbell Manna Homeless Society Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

Raquel’s Outreach Ambulance Brings Healing to Oceanside's Streets… Where the homeless population faces daily battles with health and hardship, Raquel, a dedicated Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and footcare specialist, is bringing accessible care from the back of an ambulance. Operating as a mobile outreach unit, this innovative service targets vulnerable individuals, providing essential foot care and basic health support without the barriers of traditional clinics. “It’s about meeting people where they are,” says Raquel, who draws on her expertise to deliver immediate and preventive care directly to those in need. Raquel’s ambulance serves as a pop-up clinic on wheels, equipped for autonomous services aligned with BC’s nursing regulations. She conducts thorough health assessments for stable conditions, identifying issues like dehydration or minor infections that plague those living rough. Specializing in foot care, she focuses on wound prevention—cleaning, dressing, and monitoring blisters, skin irritations, abrasions common from ill-fitting shoes or exposure—and helping prevent infections that could lead to hospitalization. Providing clean, dry socks and boots complete the need of caring for feet that find no refuge in shelter. Beyond feet, Raquel supports and screens for health issues, and monitors vital signs. She offers nutrition counselling, hygiene assistance, and coordinates referrals to shelters or food banks. In emergencies, she’s trained in CPR, Naloxone use, and basic first aid, and is equipped with required medical supplies, including an AED. Raquel’s work bridges medical gaps, escalating cases to 911 when necessary. Partnerships with Island Health bolster this effort, supporting mobile units for at-risk groups. Raquel’s story inspires as her timely care and prevention help to bring comfort to the street. As BC grapples with homelessness, Raquel’s services offer hope and compassionate, accessible care, proving small steps can lead to big strides in community health. To support Manna Homeless Society and the ambulance service, Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

In the picturesque communities of Parksville and Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, a persistent homelessness crisis is tarnishing the region’s reputation as a retiree’s paradise. Despite a recent point-in-time count showing 94 individuals experiencing homelessness—a slight decline from previous years—the lack of an overnight shelter leaves vulnerable residents exposed to harsh winters. Mayor Doug O’Brien of Parksville and Mayor Teunis Westbroek of Qualicum Beach, along with their councils, continue to deflect responsibility with tired excuses. They tout the area’s prime location, excellent schools with high test scores, walkable neighbourhoods ideal for the elderly, and relatively affordable rents compared to larger cities. But these talking points ring hollow when the homeless line the streets and parks. High rents and low incomes may contribute, as provincial data suggests, but that’s no alibi for local inaction. Issues like mental health struggles and addiction are often blamed, yet the formation of a new Oceanside Homelessness Task Force in August 2025 feels like too little, too late. The fact remains: If your city has people living on the streets, the mayor and council aren’t doing their job. Period. No amount of spin about community amenities can hide this failure. It’s time for real solutions—affordable housing initiatives, expanded shelters, and coordinated support—or step aside. Vancouver Island deserves better than excuses. Robin Campbell Manna Homeless Society Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

In Parksville and the Oceanside region, an insidious weapon silences the cries of the homeless: dehumanization. It’s the quiet, vicious process that strips human beings of their dignity, reducing them to “transients,” “addicts,” or “problems” to be swept away. By labeling the unhoused as less than human—lazy choices, moral failures, or invisible nuisances—comfortable residents and indifferent leaders absolve themselves of responsibility. No need for an all-weather shelter when “those people” don’t deserve one. This calculated cruelty works brilliantly. Call them “encampment dwellers” or blame their “lifestyle,” and suddenly, leaving fellow Canadians to freeze or become soaked to the skin living in tents, vehicles, or doorways becomes acceptable. No overnight shelter exists here in 2026, despite BC Housing funds sitting unused and repeated pleas being ignored. The result? People exposed to Vancouver Island’s relentless rain and cold grow desperately ill—pneumonia, hypothermia, infections—flooding already strained hospitals with preventable emergencies. Others die quietly, their deaths a statistic, not a tragedy. And who bears the unbearable weight? Organizations like MANNA Homeless Society stretched to breaking with emergency food, clothing, and desperate outreach. MANNA’s volunteers scramble to fill voids left by civic failure, battling burnout while picking up the pieces of shattered lives. Hidden homeless—seniors, women, working poor—vanish into vehicles or shadows, their humanity erased to preserve Parksville’s polished facade. This isn’t compassion fatigue; it’s willful blindness. Dehumanization lets leaders dodge accountability, NIMBY voices block solutions, and a community pretend suffering doesn’t touch them. But it does. Every untreated illness, every preventable death, erodes us all. Parksville: stop dehumanizing the vulnerable. Demand an all-weather shelter now—before more lives are sacrificed to apathy. Robin Campbell To support Manna Homeless Society Monetary donations can be made by e-transfer to: MannaParksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society PO Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

To Whom This May Concern, I write this letter with a heavy heart, sickened by what we’ve become, yet clinging to the faint hope that these words might pierce the darkness we’ve wrapped around ourselves. We call ourselves humans—a title rooted in the earth itself, from the Latin humanus, tied to humus, the soil, the ground we walk on. It reminds us we are earthly beings, formed from dust, meant to be humble stewards of this beautiful blue planet. But that name feels like a hollow echo now. There is another name awaiting us, the one we truly are when we align with our divine essence: children of the Creator, or divine sparks, luminous souls made in the image of infinite Love. We were never meant to be mere “humans” scrambling in the dirt; we are eternal beings of light, called to reflect the Creator’s boundless compassion. Yet we’ve strayed so far into the shadows that we’ve forgotten our true nature entirely. Consider the formula for love, so simple, so profound, drawn from ancient wisdom: Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. These are not passive suggestions—they are active, persistent commands. Keep asking with an open heart, and provision flows. Keep seeking with genuine intent, and truth reveals itself. Keep knocking with faith and persistence, and barriers fall. Apply this formula earnestly, and love trickles down—not as a trickle, but as a flood. It builds communities where no one hungers, shelters the homeless, heals the sick, and lifts the afflicted. In a world of such abundance—vast lands for growing food, even in our own yards; enough resources to feed, house, and clothe every soul—love would transform scarcity into plenty. The end result? A heaven on earth: harmonious societies, where empathy reigns, children thrive without fear, and the planet blooms in shared stewardship. Joy multiplies, divisions heal, and we live as true reflections of the Creator’s light. But oh, how we’ve chosen the opposite. We’ve followed a twisted formula for crashing and burning, the formula of no love: Ignore, and it shall be withheld; hoard, and you shall never find; shut the door, and it shall remain locked. We ignore the cries of the suffering, hoard wealth in the hands of the few, and bolt the gates against the stranger. The filthy, greedy elite allow the poor to sleep on cold streets while empty mansions stand vacant and shelters go underfunded. Corporations rake in billions while children starve in plain sight. We wage wars over resources we already have in excess, pollute the air and waters that sustain us, and turn a blind eye to the afflicted because compassion would cost us comfort. The consequences are immense: broken families, rising despair, mental anguish epidemics, environmental collapse accelerating toward catastrophe. The stench is unbearable—greed, indifference, exploitation—a foul rot that chokes the air we breathe. How can every individual live with themselves? We’ve created hell on earth, and it’s almost impossible because this planet is a masterpiece of provision. The Creator gave us everything: fertile soil that yields endless harvests, oceans teeming with life, forests that purify and shelter, renewable energy in sun, wind, and water. Seasons cycle in perfect rhythm, ecosystems self-regulate in awe-inspiring balance. True hell should be barren, devoid of beauty or hope—but here, beauty surrounds us in every sunrise, every child’s laugh, every blooming flower. We’ve had to work deliberately, relentlessly, against this abundance to manufacture suffering. We’ve distanced ourselves from the Creator, chasing illusions of power, money, and control, until we’ve plunged into darkness. It’s black where we are—no light in sight—because we’ve extinguished it ourselves, preferring ashes to embrace. We are the canary in the coal mine, gasping as the toxic fumes of our own making rise. The ultra-rich barricade themselves in fortresses of luxury, while the very poor huddle in despair, forgotten. Lines have blurred; men and women alike have grown weak, passive, complicit. Where are the voices of courage? We sit back and allow this to fester until the whole thing burns—cities in flames from unrest, ecosystems in collapse, societies fractured beyond repair. Ashes will be all that’s left: a scorched earth, empty thrones of wealth, echoes of what could have been. Yet the formula for love remains right there, unchanging. We know it. We’ve always known it. Why do we run from it? Why self-destruct when paradise is within reach? Wake up. Ask. Seek. Knock. Before the darkness consumes us entirely. With sorrow and urgent hope, A fellow soul in the shadows, longing for light Robin Campbell