“I must tell you, my story is unbelievable.” Well now, there’s a conversation opener. Turns out this Durban, South Africa tourist spotted at a street community barbecue on the Block found her way to Steven @hopemission (hosting the bbq alongside @peer2peerindigenouss ) through a series of strange events that started in 2019 when God told her out of nowhere to come to Canada. That was a bit too open-ended, admits Lilly, but she started asking Christian acquaintances – first in Uganda, then on an initial visit to Vancouver – what it could mean. A bigger hint came on the July 6, 2022 flight to Vancouver, when “the Lord said ‘Steven’ and ‘missions’ while I was on the plane.” Someone on the Uganda visit had connected her to Andrew in Vancouver, who heard the story about the latest message from on high and connected Lilly to Steven at Hope Mission (scroll back a few Street Stories for more on Steven, who was living homeless in Duncan when he had a spiritual awakening one night at Lake Cowichan). “But how do I know you’re the right Steven?” Lilly asked him. Because Steven’s birthday is July 6. Cue goosebumps. That was enough for Lilly. She arrived in Victoria 3 weeks ago and “hit the ground running” as a volunteer alongside Steven, and is here until July 1.