The Elim Connection, April 2024

SAY YES TO
NEW ADVENTURES!
ISSUE 21 SPRING 2024

From
the Editor
It’s SPRING! (Anyone else’s soul singing with delight
right now?) Even though we experience this season
literally every year, somehow it feels brand new each
time. The hope that arises with the warmth breaking
through erratic rain showers and crisp mornings
enlivens me, and I imagine it does the same for you.
This experience mirrors the life budding forth around
us—what a truly beautiful season we are in.
I trust you’ll enjoy this 21st edition of The Elim
Connection. You’ll discover a mix of content that
will stir excitement, pique interest, inspire, encourage
reflection, and foster connection, thanks to the many
talented writers who contributed. Isn’t it amazing how
our words can bring life too?
Katrina LaRoy,
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Smiles from recent Easter
events at both Fleetwood
and Garrison Crossing! SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 3

LIFE AT
ELIM VILLAGE
A snapshot of the last few months, with community highlights from Elim Village Fleetwood (FW), including
Independent Living (IL), Assisted Living (AL), and Full Care (FC), and Elim Village Garrison Crossing (GC).
FOOTLOOSE IN
GARRISON CROSSING!
Our GC campus recently hosted two line dancing classes in
the Selkirk Multi-Purpose Room, both of which were a hit!
Led by a husband and wife duo with 10+ years of experience,
these introductory sessions attracted enthusiastic participants
who enjoyed both spectating and participating. Lorna, an IL
resident, summed it up by saying, “This was great fun!” We
look forward to hosting more enjoyable events like these for
Garrison Crossing residents in the future.
GOEDE REIS—
BON VOYAGE!
Ever since its introduction at the
Health & Wellness Fair in October
2023, IL residents at FW have been
immersing themselves in the world
of Virtual Reality (VR)—traveling
to national parks in Canada and the
tulip fields in Holland, all the way
over to the iconic Eiffel Tower
in Paris! Be prepared to hear, and
say, “This is amazing!” if you try it
out yourself. VR unlocks a world
of possibilities for those with travel
constraints, and we are so thrilled
residents are enjoying it!
2 ND FLOOR
LOUNGE RENO
Some rooms in The Emerald (AL
at FW) have received a refreshing
update. Last year, the computer
lab was transformed into the new
Innovation Station, and recently, the
2 nd Floor Lounge was revitalized!
With access to the outdoor gardens
through the lounge, the goal was
to incorporate more nature into
this room by adding a green accent
wall, fresh plants, and a living moss
art piece on the wall. “I love to draw
in this new, bright space,” shares AL
resident, Irene Mills.
GREEN DELIGHTS
IN FULL CARE
FC residents at FW embraced the
spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with a
themed lunch. Residents indulged
in green delights like non-alcoholic
green beer and savoury broccoli
cheddar soup, alongside tasty dishes
such as creamy colcannon potatoes,
beef stew, and Irish stout chocolate
cupcakes—yum! We always look
forward to bringing FC residents
together for special occasions
like this, where smiles, laughter,
and community is formed among
residents and staff.
CHILLIWACK
ACADEMY OF MUSIC
Throughout the initial months of 2024, Garrison Crossing has
been graced with monthly classical music concerts. Hosted
by The Chilliwack Academy of Music, these performances
showcase talented musicians. On March 15, a cello and piano
duo captivated the audience, following a classical piano
performance by the renowned Dr. Boris Konovalov in January.
These events have proven to be a resounding success, and
residents can’t wait for the next performance!
CALL FOR WRITERS!
If you’re a resident at Elim Village, you’re eligible to write for The Elim Connection.
Having a mixture of staff and resident voices is one of the best things about this
magazine, and we’re always on the hunt for talented writers in our midst.
We publish The Elim Connection three times a year, and curate content to align
with our aim of connecting us together. Examples include stories about people or
happenings within our villages, stories from your own life, or a more contemplative,
reflective piece that gives insight into your thoughts.
If you’re interested in submitting a piece for The Elim Connection, please contact
Katrina LaRoy at klaroy@elimvillage.com, or by phone at 604-583-3546 ext 8622.
4 THE ELIM CONNECTION SPRING 2024 SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 5

Faith in Action
WRITTEN BY RACHEL NEDELEC, STAFF CONTRIBUTOR
The origins of Elim Village are a testament to the power of community and the resilience of faith.
At its heart is a small group of Christians who participated in a bible study in the early 90s. Wilma
van Brummelen, a resident at Elim Village Garrison Crossing, was one of those individuals.
However, the roots of Wilma’s journey can be traced back decades earlier when she and her
family immigrated to Canada.
At the age of 15, Wilma found herself embarking on an 11-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean,
from Holland to Canada. Despite battling seasickness and recalling moments of “feeding the fish”
with a chuckle, attending church on board provided her with comfort
amidst the waves of change shaping her young life.
Canada presented new challenges for Wilma. At the time, Wilma’s
mom was pregnant with her ninth child, and it became Wilma’s
responsibility to stay home from school and take care of the
baby. “I didn’t mind,” she says, “I was happy to have a little
sister instead of another brother!” Her parents’ mantra
(shared by many other immigrants at the time) brought
her strength during these times: Ora et Labora—
a Latin phrase which means “pray and work”.
“You don’t just pray; you have to put in
the work too,” shares Wilma.
This phrase echoed throughout Wilma’s upbringing
and future in Canada. It stuck with her when she
met her husband, Harro. It rang through her mind
when they had children and moved across Canada
for work, eventually landing in Surrey in the late
1970s. And it fueled her when she decided to pursue
her childhood dream of becoming a kindergarten
teacher after her youngest child entered grade
one. Driven by prayer and hard work, Wilma took
classes at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and later
taught at Langley Christian School for 22 years.
As the van Brummelens settled in Surrey, Wilma
and Harro became active members of the Christian
Reformed Church (now known as Fleetwood
Church). Later, they joined a young couples’ bible
study that would ultimately transform the lives of
older adults. And Wilma was right there, at the
heart of it all, seeing the origins of Elim Village
unfold before her eyes.
“I recall sitting at bible study one day and hearing
another member say, ‘I have an idea’.” The idea was a
Christian community where couples would be able
to stay together, even if their health circumstances
changed. “This idea came about after we read
the book of James, which talks a lot about faith in
action,” she adds. So, the group began unpacking
this idea together—an idea that we’d come to
know as Elim Village.
Fast forward to today, Wilma finds herself living
amidst the fruition of the vision she discussed in
a small group over 30 years ago. “I know lots of
people at Fleetwood,” she shares, listing off familiar
names like the Vandermeys and the Wierdas, as
well as Gertrude Elgersma, whom she calls every
Monday morning! Despite these deep connections,
Wilma wanted to be closer to family for support
after Harro passed away in 2014, leading her to
make the decision to move to Chilliwack.
As Wilma settles into the ‘Independent Plus’
lifestyle at The Hawthorn, she finds comfort in the
familiar cadence of daily life—the shared meals,
the laughter, and the support of friends. And as she
looks towards the future, Wilma sees Elim Village
as more than just a retirement community. It’s a
home where faith meets action—or as she calls it,
Ora et Labora.
Wilma enjoying a game
of chess in the Selkirk
Multi-Purpose Room
in The Hawthorn
The Cedar!
Exciting news—Elim’s Board of Directors has
approved ‘The Cedar’ for Elim Village Garrison
Crossing! Work will commence on this fourth
Independent Living life lease building mid-year.
With the approval of this building project, Elim
enters the final chapter of construction for IL at
our Chilliwack site, as The Cedar is expected to
complete the IL community for the village.
GC is currently home to 307 suites. The Cedar will
offer an additional 73,324 sq.ft. of modern housing
inventory to our village. This five-storey building
will house 55 suites, a spacious amenity room,
a tranquil reading room, and a games and craft
room for social activities and personal relaxation.
The Cedar will be situated on the southwestern
corner of the property and will share a parkade
with the adjacent Maple and future amenity building.
Construction of The Cedar will begin in just a few
months, with an anticipated completion date in
early 2026! If you have friends or family interested in
The Cedar, have them call 604-769-0022 to speak
with our Presentation Centre.

Innovation at Elim Village
Meet KERi !
Have you met our newest resident? KERi recently
moved into Elim’s Education Centre, located on the
lower floor of The Harrison at Elim Village Fleetwood.
Having an open and willing spirit to embrace
a new way of doing things has been part of
Elim’s ethos since its inception (in the 90s,
there weren’t too many retirement homes
offering an aging-in-place model, making our
founders trailblazers!) This proactive approach
aligns with our mission to bring the best in
housing, wellness, and care, and—as a result—
we are characterized by innovation through and
through—across both of our villages, and in
every department.
You’ve read in previous Elim Connections of
new technologies we’ve adopted, such as our
hungry ORCA food processor, the Tovertafel “magic
table” in Full Care, virtual reality experiences, or
the introduction of the Innovation Station located
in Assisted Living. More recently, our Facilities teams
have adopted a new security system, which comes
with so many benefits that Kris and Neil are
tickled pink (if you can believe it).
Below (and beside), we share a few more examples
of innovation across Elim Village. The first is a system
you’ve likely heard of, although we’ve not written
about it extensively…it’s called Yardi. And the second,
is about our newest resident at Elim Village Fleetwood,
named KERi.
KERi is a full-size-adult, innovative skills manikin,
designed to simulate over 35 nursing and medical
procedures. From bandaging and wound dressing to
patient transfer techniques, KERi provides a handson
learning opportunity for practicum students and
for staff looking to refine their skills.
One remarkable feature about KERi is its adaptability.
It can easily be converted to its male counterpart,
GERi , by changing out a few aspects of its anatomy.
It’s also designed with a lifelike appearance, including
skin wrinkles and folds, and provides a realistic range
of motion and patient positioning. This makes every
training session a true-to-life and engaging experience.
KERi in a sling, one of the many patient care simulations
that can be performed at Elim’s Education Centre.
Yardi—A New Way to Manage Data
In the not-so-distant past, the medical system relied on
clipboards, paper charts, and hand-written notes. Now,
if you were to bump into a nurse from our Community
Life team at Fleetwood, you would see them equipped
with a fashionable mobile tablet, through which they
input data into an Electronic Health Record (EHR). EHR
is a module of a much bigger system called Yardi.
Yardi is a cloud-based, enterprise information system.
It connects information from different departments
in order to manage data and help with the flow of
communication. Yardi consists of multiple modules,
such as EHR, that connect to form a centralized
database. Prior to the development of cloud-based
solutions like Yardi, companies had little choice but to
leverage a smattering of systems to manage the various
aspects of their business. This led to siloed information,
redundancy, and inefficiencies, but today, solutions like
Yardi open up a whole new world of data management,
and to great advantage.
Elim began transitioning to Yardi in 2018, starting
with Finance as the first department onboarded. In
the subsequent years, additional teams have become
‘live’ in the system, as more modules have been
implemented. Today, staff in Finance, Marketing,
Operations, Community Life in Fleetwood, and
Garrison Crossing use Yardi on a daily basis.
More recently, our Wellness teams (at both villages)
have gone live in a module called Wellness Elevate.
Through this module, staff can create and publish
monthly activity calendars, as well as track things
Did you know?
like program attendance. This work was previously
conducted in a separate program, siloed from the rest
of Elim’s data, but now it is centralized.
In 2024, additional modules will be implemented,
including EHR for the Home Care team in Garrison
Crossing. Looking back, the progress of the Yardi
project over the years is apparent, and it’s encouraging.
On a daily basis, we experience the benefits of
this innovative solution, which include enhanced
customer service to residents and families, while also
supporting staff in their daily work.
?
During the implementation of Wellness Elevate, Elim was given the unique opportunity to be beta
partners with Yardi on the development of this system. Yardi has implemented much of Elim’s feedback,
and the new and improved module is now being used by wellness professionals across North America!
8 THE ELIM CONNECTION SPRING 2024 SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 9

Spring Chorale
FRANK DEVRIES,
RESIDENT CONTRIBUTOR
Not only does Frank write stories, but he also pens
poems and songs. In fact, Wilma van Brummelen
remembers singing his songs with her kindergarten
class! Enjoy this beautiful piece he wrote about spring.
Silent seeds in quiet slumber
Long for light and sun and sky
Waiting for the words of waking
Breaking up their lullaby
Drowsy dreaming in the darkness
Stirring soft in silent soil
Yearn for freedom, wind, and living
Slowly start their gentle toil
Urgent searching faster, higher
Tiring task now nearly done
Breaking from the womb of darkness
By the light of smiling sun
Born again in bursts of splendour
All the flowers and grasses sing
One in worship, thank, and bless
The Giver of the gift of spring
Behind
the Cover
You may have heard it said that “nothing
compares to the simple pleasure of riding a
bike.” For residents of Elim Village Garrison
Crossing, this sentiment rings true. Beginning
in 2022, our Chilliwack village has enjoyed
a partnership with the University of the
Fraser Valley (UFV) and their Trishaw Rides
initiative. A trishaw is a three-wheeled
bicycle that accommodates a pilot rider with
passengers. In contrast to a rickshaw, the
trishaw situates the pilot at the back, with
passengers up front, giving them a wide-open
experience of the world before them.
The UFV trishaw program is associated with
the global Cycling Without Age (CWA)
initiative (cyclingwithoutage.ca), which has a
vision to ensure that every Canadian has
the opportunity to feel the wind in their hair.
The guiding principles underpinning CWA
are generosity (volunteer pilots); slowness (time
to talk and enjoy nature and the outdoors);
storytelling (listening to the older adult
passengers); relationships (building trust and
quality of life); and without age (equity and
inclusion), all within a natural environment.
The first season of offering trishaw rides to
Garrison Crossing residents was such a hit, that
Elim supplied a small grant to UFV through The
Elim Foundation to help fund the continued
operation of the program. The program now
has over 10 trained UFV student pilots
working as part of the trishaw team. Each pilot
receives training prior to embarking on their
first ride, and these workshops are led by Dr.
Canning (UFV) as well as Katie Stam, who is
our very own Community Life & Wellness
Coordinator at Elim Village Garrison Crossing.
In addition to providing a fun and memorable
experience, the trishaw program also provides
an exciting research opportunity. Student pilots
and UFV faculty members are investigating
the impacts of intergenerational engagement
associated with the trishaw rides. Several Elim
residents have had the opportunity to participate
in this research, which explores the reciprocal
benefits for both generations. The UFV team has
learned that passengers love the opportunity to
be outside and participate in something unique,
while the younger pilots really enjoy meeting and
chatting with their older passengers.
UFV personnel have already had a few
opportunities to present their research findings
to various audiences, including at the Canadian
Association on Gerontology in Toronto this
past fall. This research is ongoing, and now with
the arrival of spring, both the student pilots and
Elim residents are looking forward to continuing
the program, the conversation, and collectively
feeling the wind in their hair.
“The trishaw is great!
It’s nice to come down
by the river; the scenery
is just so beautiful here.”
– Joyce Ross, GC Resident
Follow Elim Online!
Want to learn more about the activities happening
at each village, like the trishaw program?
Join Elim’s vibrant, online community! Follow us
on social media to see the latest events, updates,
and to read inspiring stories. Find us on Facebook,
Instagram, or LinkedIn by searching “Elim Village”,
and join in on the fun!
Facebook.com/ElimVillage
Instagram: @ElimVillage
LinkedIn.com/ElimVillage
10 THE ELIM CONNECTION SPRING 2024
SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 11

Staff Spotlight
WRITTEN BY
ALBERT ZEHR,
RESIDENT CONTRIBUTOR
Over the years, Albert has written proverbs for everyday life on
the topics of personal growth, spiritual life, relationships, family,
and a few “nuggets of wisdom”—below are some of them!
Proverbs
For Faith & Life
HILLARY
Hello, my name is
Hillary. I recently took
on the role as the Wellness Supervisor at Elim Village
Fleetwood, but I’ve actually spent a total of 12 years
in various roles (such as an Assisted Living Worker
for 9 years), starting in 2005! I absolutely love the
mission and vision of Elim—it’s why I returned in
2020, without hesitation, after living overseas in
Indonesia with my family for 6 years.
I truly believe that those who work at Elim are
invested in creating the optimal place, with the
highest quality of services, for older adults as they
age in place. Our unique and special services make
it a blessing to work towards our mission every day!
I’ve learned so much through my daily interactions
with residents, such as how life doesn’t stop once
you’ve moved out of the home you’ve raised your
children in. It will look different, but it can still be very
rewarding and enjoyable! That’s why I believe it’s
important to always have a “what’s next?” mentality,
and to treasure each moment.
Outside of work, I love to spend time with my
husband and four children aged 12, 14, 16, and 17.
We enjoy going outdoors for walks, bike rides, road
trips, and camping, as well as exploring as many
different areas as possible. I also enjoy painting,
cooking new dishes, and spending time with our little
dog Bobo, who we brought back from Indonesia.
KATIE
Hi there, my name is Katie. Just
like some of you, I watched Elim
Village Garrison Crossing being built over the years.
A few years later, while I was working on my Masters
of Science in Gerontology, I enrolled in a two-day
workshop held at Elim Village Fleetwood. As I walked
around the beautiful campus, I saw happy residents
and staff who thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. It left a
very big impression on me.
This experience ignited my passion to serve in a
community like Elim, and today, I’ve been part of
the GC team for just over a year and half, serving
as the Community Life & Wellness Coordinator. It’s
been a fulfilling journey planning events for residents,
managing the Clearwater Spa, and working alongside
other departments, all while connecting with the
wonderful residents who call Elim ‘home’!
In the workplace, I aspire to make a meaningful
difference in the lives of residents each and every
day by advocating for them and striving to create a
positive impact. Elim holds a special place in my heart
as it aligns perfectly with my faith and passion for older
adults, whom I’ve been working with since age 16.
When I’m not at work, you can find me spending
time with my dog Hazel, or exploring the outdoors
through biking and kayaking. Family is also incredibly
important to me, and I cherish each moment I spend
with my two nephews and three nieces.
If I start my morning thanking
God with song and dance,
my day will go much better
and not just by chance.
Born in a family,
that’s how we
all got our start.
No matter the
issues, we agree
to never depart.
We may differ in
opinions, some
things right,
others wrong.
But that family
bond will remain
forever strong.
If we are one body,
then if I hurt you,
I am hurting myself.
“If I had more time” is an excuse and idle thought,
I’ll never have more or less than the time that I’ve got.
So, I’ll turn from vain wishes & appreciate my present lot.
I’ll deal realistically with what is and not with what is not.
Is my time of prayer about
expressing my choice?
Or is it a time to listen
and hear His voice?
The measure of life is
not how fast and how
much we can talk, but in
the integrity and impact
of our daily walk.
When I forgive others, it’s not just them
that I set free; the one who gains the most is
actually me. You may win the argument and
bring the debate to an end, but what have
you gained if you lost your friend?
To
change
the fruit,
we need
to deal
with the
root.
Love can:
- Open a gate
- Dispel hate
- Disarm fate
- Excuse being late

Be a
Blessing
WRITTEN BY KATRINA LAROY, STAFF CONTRIBUTOR
What would your days hold if you woke up each
morning and determined, “Today, I’m going to be a
blessing”? That’s how Gwen tries to live.
Gwen Smith is a resident in Independent Living at
Elim Village Fleetwood, where she’s resided for
over a decade. She moved in at the sprightly age of
64, when she was still working as a nurse aide in a
long-term care building. There, she staffed a care
unit for those with brain injuries and Alzheimer’s.
“I loved it,” she says. “Many times, I would sit with
people and hold their hand during their final hours.
It was a privilege to be there, so they weren’t
alone.” It takes a special kind of person to work
in an environment like that, but Gwen was already
practicing being a blessing even then.
Gwen has two boys and six grandchildren, and
even before retiring, she was an active grandma.
She would babysit, chauffeur the kids to sports,
and help with school drop-off and pick-up. Being
“Nana Gwen” in this way kept her life full for two
decades, but just in the last year the two youngest
have become independent. Gwen is no longer
needed in the same way. While the new freedom
has its benefits, in all honesty, it’s been a tough
transition. “I went from going full tilt to a dead
stop,” she comments. The new, slower pace has
allowed more time to think—and more time to
feel. The arthritis that had long been present now
felt more pronounced somehow. And then, the
headaches began. Gwen tried to keep her chin up.
“You have to keep moving; you have to stay positive.
What’s the alternative?” Soon, relief came for the
headaches, as Gwen began to visit a chiropractor,
as recommended by her friend, Penny.
To Gwen’s surprise and delight, these new visits
brought more than just pain relief—they also
brought new relationships, and a sharpened
outlook on life. One day, the chiropractor
encouraged her to think of a guiding word for
the year; one word with which to live by. Upon
giving this some thought, Gwen believed the Lord
brought the following word to mind—blessing.
She shared it with her chiropractor. This word
perfectly aligned with his experience of her, as well
as that of his staff team. “You’re kind of a special
patient,” they said to her. “You’re always happy, and
you have a good attitude.” When she came in for
her next appointment, she was touched when they
presented her with heart-shaped earrings with the
word “blessing” etched on them.
Guided by her word of the year, it was a natural
progression to become involved in a new volunteer
opportunity through Elim. The school adjacent
to Elim’s property was looking for volunteers to
read to their school children. With time on her
hands, and a love for children in her heart, Gwen
signed up. She was soon partnered with a tenyear-old
boy who had recently moved to Canada
as a refugee with his family. The two formed an
immediate connection, and Gwen enjoys reading
to him on Thursday mornings. When she arrives,
he runs up and gives her a great big hug. She is his
“Nana Gwen” now too.
Nana Gwen is still, of course, involved with her
own grandchildren, despite having less day-today
interaction. The family has been through a lot
together, and it is perhaps the pain of refinement
that has blossomed them into people of resilience
and character. If you were to know, you would be
quite torn up to hear of the many painful moments
from Gwen’s life. Some of the pain is from long
before the grandchildren arrived, but the trials
of life didn’t stop: a granddaughter diagnosed
with Type 1 diabetes at the tender age of five; a
grandson diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma at 16.
The responsibility and maturity required of both
children to deal with these diseases is astounding
to think on, yet it’s matured in them something far
beyond their years. “I really believe that God has
plans for them,” Gwen says.
One can’t help but wonder, though, if the
strength and perseverance demonstrated by the
grandchildren is a blessing passed down from their
Nana Gwen. Throughout her own trials, she’s
learned the importance of gratitude and taking
every thought captive—a sentiment easy to say
and hard to do. The struggle never ends this side
of heaven, but the strength is there to choose
anew each day. “I look out the window, I thank
the Lord for my family, friends, and home.
One day at a time.”
One day at a time. Another day to be a blessing.
What choices will you make today, in your thoughts
and actions?
14 THE ELIM CONNECTION SPRING 2024 SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 15

In Loving Memory
FROM DECEMBER 6 TH to APRIL 17 TH , 2024
* Resident has a spouse living at Elim Village ^ Prior IL or AL resident
Residents from Garrison Crossing represented by (GC)
A Psalm
WRITTEN BY
MARGARET REIMER,
RESIDENT CONTRIBUTOR
I know that the sun will rise every morning,
Even when the dawn is grey and there is no heightening of colour in the east.
I know that the grass is green even when my feet are on concrete,
And that beyond the city’s haze, the night sky is bright.
I know that the branches of the trees dance to the movement of the wind,
And the crocus lies flat against the bosom of the hill when the spring winds pass over it.
I know that the One who created the foundation of the world takes care with a blade of grass,
And with infinite love He created man in His own image.
When I am out of touch with Him,
I am like a withered vine with no life flowing through me.
INDEPENDENT LIVING
John Feaver (GC)
Siegfried Goliath *
Jim Rishel
Bruce Robertson *
Bob Rowse (GC) *
ASSISTED LIVING
Dirk Diepeveen * ^
Peter Giesbrecht
Ted Hoekstra
Helena Kasyna-Harvey
Marie Paul
Henry Schellenberg
Mervin Stewart
Hank Van Eyk ^
Jean van Halst
INDEPENDENT PLUS (GC)
Annette Cram
Bob Friesen *
Andy Tokaryk *
FULL CARE
Susan Budden
Maria Cabuco
Fung Yu Ching
Lois Collins
Marion Cooper
Charles Cuthbert
Luis De Villa ^
Tabea Ferris ^
Huai Kang
Duck-Ku Lee
Brian Mitchell
Dorothy Peachey
Ella Pedersen
John Tofte
Gretta Trayers
Gerda Vandermey ^
Elizabeth Yablonski
When the pressure and commitments of the day pre-occupy my consciousness,
I am still surrounded by His love.
His goodness is from everlasting to everlasting.
SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 17

“When my eyes are lifted to the hills
my thoughts are inexorably drawn to God.”
Looking
to the
Hills
Vern and Wilma Gleddie live in Independent Living at
Elim Village Fleetwood. Prior to Elim, they lived in Southern
Alberta and were sheep farmers.
There is something about a landscape of hills that is
refreshing to the spirit. Often during our Alberta days,
when the ground was frozen and field work or fencing
was out of the question, my wife and I would head
for B.C. We would visit family, but also enjoyed the
milder climate. After crossing the Great Divide in the
mountains where the rivers all flow west, the forests
become more exotic than in Alberta, and leaves linger
on the trees much longer. We would feast on the
grandeur of the mountains and hills.
As we drove along through the interior of B.C. one
year, I wondered out loud about Psalm 121 (NIV)
which begins as follows: “I lift up my eyes to the hills -
where does my help come from? My help comes from
the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” What is
the connection between looking up to the hills and the
fact that our help comes from the Lord?
It could be, as theologians and other wise people say,
that the author was looking toward the hills of Zion
because the dwelling place of God was situated there.
The author may have written this psalm on a pilgrimage
to Jerusalem, and he was not only anticipating his arrival
at the temple in the hills, but counting on God to safely
see him through hilled areas to his destination. The hills
could hide dangerous marauders. That may be why
the remainder of the psalm is filled with reminders of
God as keeper.
The above two observations are surely both correct
and comforting, but another aspect may well be that
the creation draws one’s attention to the Creator
(Rom. 1:20). The smell of sagebrush, the call of a
meadowlark, or the sight of a herd of antelope does it
for me. The hills too, with a panorama of trees, grasses,
and rock, speak of God. When my eyes are lifted to
the hills my thoughts are inexorably drawn to God.
Several years ago, one of my sons found healing
through a creation encounter with God. He was
teaching and coaching in his first year on staff at a
college in the B.C. interior. In his eagerness to get into
coaching he had agreed to too heavy a teaching
assignment. As he neared the end of the year, he
realized he was sinking under the load. “I hit the wall,”
was his assessment.
On a Sunday afternoon, emotionally and physically
exhausted, he drove out of town into the surrounding
hills. There he discovered a vista where someone had
thoughtfully placed a bench. He laid down for a nap
in that sunny nook. While curled up there, the wind
suddenly stirred, tugging on his coat.
In rapid succession the following came to mind: first,
irritation at the wind; then, he thought of Jonah’s
resentment of God removing the vine that had given
Jonah shade. Following that was the thought of Jesus
calming the stormy sea, and finally, a psalm came to
mind from his childhood: “Be still and know that I am
God”. From that hillside epiphany, my son received
the strength to go back and complete the year.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills”. The tranquil blending
of shades there of blue, green, and brown, no one
else can mix the way God does. Who but God can
make trees grow on steep rocky slopes? God designs
interdependence of plants, animals, birds, insects, and
microorganisms with the bonus of pleasing sounds and
scents. The wind, mysterious in its coming and going,
pulls music from the trees and grass.
We, the crown of creation, worry and fret. Yet God
clothes the lily and keeps His eye on the sparrow.
And so He does with us. We are fortunate in being
reminded by, and rested in, all that God has made.
WRITTEN BY
VERN GLEDDIE,
RESIDENT CONTRIBUTOR
SPRING 2024 THE ELIM CONNECTION 19

A UNIQUE CHRISTIAN RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
9025 160 Street
Surrey, BC V4N 2X7
Phone 604.583.3546 Email info@elimvillage.com
www.elimvillage.com