“I don’t know where I’d be without The Mission,” says Richard, an insightful man of 77.
Over the years, Richard has relied on The Ottawa Mission for support in various ways. However, one particular program holds a special place in his heart: Discovery University.
Richard was a diligent student who grew up on a farm in British Columbia. When Richard was only 17, his father fell ill. Needing to protect and maintain his family’s livelihood, Richard had no choice but to put a pause on his education and help run the farm. As life continued on, he was never truly able to resume along his promising path as a student. That changed when he was introduced to Discovery University; Richard was able to be a curious student once again. He fondly remembers people from all walks of life learning together and recalls studying works such as The Veil of Isis by the philosopher Pierre Hadot.
“Those courses deepened my intellectual understanding and were for the benefit of my soul,” he remembers with a smile.