The Children and the Church

Bouncy castles and the Biker's Church coming soon.

Rita Smith is the publisher of Road Warrior News and author of the brilliant article, If these 10 groups had done their jobs, the Truckers’ protest would not have been necessary.

A few weeks ago, as I was heading home on my road trip, Rita cooked me breakfast. On the BBQ. In a massive cast iron frying pan. In her fabulous outdoor kitchen. She then penned this article, which makes me blush, A different kind of Freedom Convoy book.

Rita explains that I’ve recently interviewed two people whose stories shed important light on the Ottawa protest - the francophone woman from small town Quebec who orchestrated the bouncy castles, and the wife of the Pastor at the Biker's Church in Ottawa, which nourished the truckers in myriad ways.

I'm currently writing up the bouncy castle story. It's sweet and poignant in equal measures, and I look forward to sharing it with you soon. Beginning Monday I'll tell you about Peter. He's a retired trucker who joined the Convoy, driving hours to Ottawa in a snowstorm. Then he slept in his car for three weeks in that frigid weather. Shortly before turning 78.

Peter was parked on Wellington Street, directly in front of aircraft mechanics Rich and Dan. He's a remarkable human being. A history buff keenly aware of the sacrifices Canadians have made fighting for freedom.

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Here's a teaser from Rita's article. Please click through for the whole thing:

I have read thousands, maybe millions of words about the Trucker’s Freedom Convoy; never once have I come across an interview or an in-depth profile about the lady who arranged for the Bouncy Castle and funded it with her own limited resources. (She wanted something fun for the kids, Donna learned.)

Neither have I read anything at all about the wife of the Biker’s Church Pastor, who has cradled drug addicts in her arms and offered thousands of hot meals to the most marginal community in Ottawa. Apparently, she is a true force of nature and an essential interview, if you really want to understand the Freedom Convoy. [click here for full article]