In my backyard, gazing at stars beyond counting, I’ve sometimes wondered, Why so many, God? I like to think of stars as God’s patio lanterns; they leave me wondering if He is not the ultimate showman, providing flashy, attractive clues that He’s there, that He can be known. That we are loved.

Open 365 days a year, The Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in Port Hardy, B.C., provides food, shelter, showers, laundry, clothing vouchers, food hampers, free tax filing, weekly legal-aid access and mental-health referrals—and something harder to put on a list: a place where people are seen, known and prayed for by name.