Presbyterian Connection – Spring 2021
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Connection
PRESBYTERIAN
 The Presbyterian Church in Canada • presbyterian.ca ISSUE 17, SPRING 2021
Providing Sanctuary During a Pandemic
 The Nest at Camp Kintail became a temporary women’s shelter in the midst of a pandemic.
 By the Rev. Theresa McDonald-Lee, Co-Executive Director, Camp Kintail
Camp Kintail, located in Goderich, Ont., is usually a busy and lively place. School groups in the spring, campers in the summer, and retreat guests in the fall and winter ensure that the camp rings with laughter and activity the whole year long.
In the middle of March 2020, the camp fell silent as all our programs and groups were cancelled; like much of the country, Camp Kintail locked down. As we looked ahead, we wondered what sort of ministry could happen when the world had changed so drastically. Would we
be able to welcome campers and guests? Would Kintail’s beautiful site sit empty for months?
A phone call from the Huron Wom- en’s Shelter answered our prayers and transformed our concerns into possibility. Even before the pandem- ic, the women’s shelter had been full. So once COVID-19 struck, the shelter anticipated a rise in the need for more beds, as typically there is an increase in shelter use during times of emergency. They asked if the camp would be willing and able to house and feed the women and families currently under their care, so that more shelter beds could be freed
up for new arrivals seeking safety. We said yes. At a time when it was difficult to know what to do and how to help, other than stay home, it felt good to be able to meet a practical and real need in our community.
We spent a week getting ready. This meant posting new physical- distancing signage, adapting food service practices, deep cleaning, and creating welcome packages for our guests.
After a lot of coordination and many phone calls, the new guests moved into the Nest, Kintail’s new year-round building that had been
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In a traditional year, Camp Kintail campers enjoy a rich camping experience. PHOTO CREDIT: HANNAH DICKIE
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