Krista and BJ Loder, Powell River’s new Salvation Army captains, are glad to be living by the ocean again—even if it is the Pacific. The Loders call Point Leamington and Glover’s Harbour in central Newfoundland home, but moved to Powell River from Manitoba this summer. “Living by the ocean is just great for us because that’s what we grew up with,” said BJ. “To have an opportunity for our kids to live by the ocean is a little bit of what was so great for us growing up in Newfoundland.” Krista’s father is a commercial fisherman in Canada’s easternmost province. For the last nine years the Loders have been Salvation Army officers in the communities of Flin Flon and Portage la Prairie. “We didn’t choose to move,” said Krista, who was expecting their fourth child in July. “Our first appointment we were in for five years. I guess they thought it was time to move us.” “We didn’t only pack up our house, move and settle into a new place,” said BJ. “We also had a new baby as well.” The Loders arrived in Powell River the first week of July and their baby was born on July 25. Salvation Army has a policy of moving families after they have spent about five years in a community. BJ said the church takes into account the needs of the appointments, the community and the needs of the captains’ family when deciding where to move people. “We googled Powell River and it looked like a good fit for us,” he said. “We enjoy nature and being outside on the hiking trails.” Their oldest child is six years old and started grade one at Powell River Christian School last month. “It was good getting him off to school,” said BJ. “At the end of the summer they’re getting restless and they need to get back to that structure.” With the Christian School’s preschool operating this year, the Loders have also enrolled their four-year-old daughter at the school five mornings a week. “It seems like we’re just getting into a routine now after summer and the baby,” he said. The Loders plan on spending the first six months to a year meeting people in the community and learning about Powell River programs. “There’s some changes that will happen just naturally because of our abilities, personalities and styles,” he said. Krista said the first year is about finding out what “the hopes and dreams of the community are” and helping to bring those into longer term strategic goals. BJ and Krista both said they have received a warm welcome from people they meet in Powell River. “The fact that we’re here is an answered prayer and a test of our faith,” said BJ, “but I think we’re doing good.”
