Your Beatitude, the Most blessed Theodosius, Metropolitan of All-America and Canada! Your Grace Bishop Seraphim of Canada! All other present Clergymen! Ladies and Gentlemen!
My name is Nicholas Balakshin. On behalf of the family of Andrei A. Balakshin I wish to express my gratitude to our Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Vancouver.
74 years has lapsed from the year 1925 when the family of A.A. Balakshin had arrived by a steamship to Vancouver. Our ship tied up to a pier on 11th of August at 8 p.m. We were surprised to see on the pier an Orthodox priest. As we moved closer to him our father recognized in him a monk. He found out that he was Archimandrite Antonin (Pokrovsky).
After an introducing, father said: "Reverend Father, we have just arrived from China on this steam ship. Would you kindly recommend a reasonable priced hotel where we could spent the night?" The clergyman glanced at our father and asked: "How many are of you?" Father replied: " We are six persons - myself, my wife, my aged mother of 72, two daughters and one son". After a short pause Archimandrite Pokrowsky said: "Why should you spend money on a hotel? We have a place next to church where you can stay for a short time". Then father asked our mother what she thought about this offer. Mother said: "All of us are very tired from the trip and from all the difficulties we had had with our departure from China. I am ready to accept any accommodation".
Larger pieces of baggage were left behind on the ship till next day. With hand luggage, on two taxis we traveled to church hall on 7th Avenue. We stayed there 3 or 4 days when a house was rented in South Vancouver.
This is never to be forgotten reminiscence in my memory. All of us will remain thankful to our church for the rendered help to us when we arrived in Canada.