By Andrea Flexhaug

THERE IS an oasis in the desert for coffee and conversation – and it is located in the South Okanagan town of Oliver along the Main Street. Run by Oliver Alliance Church, the Oasis coffee shop puts out the welcome mat five mornings a week.

The name Oasis seems natural, as Oliver is at the northern tip of the only desert in Canada.

It first opened in January of 2007, as a “connection point with people in the community,” explains Jeremy Cook, senior pastor of Oliver Alliance. “The main thing is community relations, and the chance to show the love of God to people.”

A small band of volunteers from his congregation helps out, providing tea (and coffee) and sympathy to all those who enter.

On this particular day, a friendly welcome is given by church volunteers Ray Carriere and Linda Norden, who are the hosts for the morning.

The small but cozy room is warmly painted a pleasant yellow. A rack against the wall holds an assortment of magazines, and a puzzle sits on a table – an ongoing pastime here.

 Two men have stopped by, and are enjoying cups of coffee and friendly chatter. One is pleased to share his story of how he found this place, and his impressions of it.

Bob is fairly new to Oliver, having moved here from Vancouver about half a year ago. “I came to Oliver when I was in rough shape,” he says. “I was very ill when I came to town.”

While he was visiting the WorkZone on Main Street, he noticed the Oasis across the street and decided to check it out. He was glad he did.

Bob found the set-up at the Oasis helpful, but was at first a bit cautious when he learned it is run by a church. “At first,  you wonder,” he says.

But he soon discovered that “it’s not like it’s a recruitment centre. They’re just regular good Christian people that volunteer their time.”

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Bob observes that church volunteers never push people to discuss religion or to join the church. “It might’ve scared me off,” he says frankly. “They’d give you some advice, nothing was ever forced on you. What was really good is they were never judgmental.”  

However, Bob did end up joining the congregation at Oliver Alliance Church.  “That doesn’t mean everybody wants to or has to,” he emphasizes.

 Now that Bob is doing better these days, he says: “I think . . . ‘pay it forward.’        I find myself advising people.”

He still drops by the Oasis two to three times a week. Other times, Bob says, when he walks by, “I make sure I wave.”

There are 16 volunteers altogether from the church, at the Oasis. Carriere likes the work – and for him, it is an “opportunity to meet people I otherwise wouldn’t meet.”

He explains his purpose is to offer them a “listening ear,” and care and concern. He emphasizes that the Oasis is for everyone.

“We have a cross section that come,” notes Carriere. The volunteers also help people with referrals, if necessary, to medical and other health services. There is also a bulletin board with helpful local information.

The Oasis is completely supported by Oliver Alliance. “This is a different type of ministry,” notes pastor Cook. “We plan to continue, that’s our hope. We’re excited about it.”

 The coffee, tea, hot chocolate and muffins are all donated by the church.

On an average day they get from eight to 10 people, sometimes three times that many, other times just one or two. During the winter, they provide warm socks, hats and mitts to those who need them.

In the summer months they get a lot of seasonal workers dropping by when the work in the local fruit orchards starts. And unlike other places which restrict their facilities to customers, Carriere says “people can just come in and use the bathroom.”

For Bob, the place has been a lifeline. As he explains, “It’s comforting to know you’ve got a place to go to.”

June 2008