A big top with a difference is about to go up in Strathcona Park.
Starting Thursday evening and continuing through to Sunday, the seventh annual Return to Jesus Christ Ministry's gospel tent revival will be held at the park, near the Prince George Child Development Centre at Tamarack and Strathcona in the VLA.
Inside the tent, which measures about 35 feet tall and 78 feet across, evangelists Gerry, Beatrice and Peter Eppinga will host as many as 200 believers a night, with each revival meeting beginning at 7 p.m.
"We pray for people and we ask for people to come to the Lord and that's what seems to happen quite a bit every year," said Gerry Eppinga.
Most who attend will be First Nations or Metis living in the VLA neighbourhood where no permanent church is located.
"There are a lot of hungry hearts there," Eppinga said. "People who want to change and get advice to do things a different way."
Ray Martell, host of River of Life on Vision TV, will also be there each evening and will hold a separate service on Sunday at The Way Native Ministry located at the Knox United Church at 1448 Fifth Ave., starting at 1 p.m.
Portions of the services will also be televised on Martell's show.
Gerry is of Dutch descent and his wife, Beatrice, is Haida and is also known for her skill in weaving the red cedar bark hats that have come to symbolize her culture.
Their son, Peter, has just graduated from medical school at the University of British Columbia and in the process spent two years in the Northern Medical Program at UNBC.
Peter now plans to earn a masters degree in health with an emphasis on working with native people.
The Eppingas moved to Prince George from Mission three years ago because Peter wanted to enter the Northern Medical program. His parents found themselves so busy and so happy with the community that they have decided to stay.
When they're not on the road with their gospel tent, they work with the city's street ministries.
"We're not trying to be somebody. We just want to come together and love these people and reach out to them," Eppinga said.
For more information, visit christforfirstnations.com.
