We're Back
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:22 pm
After seven + weeks on the road we are now back in our home and counting our blessings. IT has been quite a journey full of surprises and gifts for the heart and soul. Never before had I ventured on such a long trip not having the usual understanding of where we are going and for what purpose. What began as a visitation from Jesus in a meditation several months back in which he said quite clearly to 'tend to his flock', developed into quite a junket from here to LA, Tampa ( Homosassa's Springs ), Queens New York and the country of Namibia. I truly believe that we could write a book about this journey. Not just about the places we have visited but also the many dear souls which we met and the spiritual openings derived from our collective prayers and experiences. Every day presented to us a multiplicity of meaningful and often surprising encounters. We were carried from one place to the other often being handed off to another dear soul willing and lovingly escorting us to where ever we needed to be.
You know that things are God guided when everything falls into place as it did on this trip. Starting with Jeanne's cousin in southern California making the long a grueling journey from his home south of LA during rush hour to pick us up at LAX .He brought us to his home where he and his wife had prepared a lovely meal and a comfortable bed. We had a fine evening swapping travel stories and catching up on family. The next day he and his wife took us to Laguna beach for lunch then a scenic drive through the mountains to Dennis and Suzie's place inland. The weather was warm and such a treat from our cool winter in Vancouver. Suzie , of course, greeted us with open arms and a long meaningful hug. We felt like we were coming home. If there is a way to describe the essence of these two dear souls it is warm, effusive and fun loving. Although we have only been in each other's presence for no more than a three weeks in total since meeting them two years ago, we are the best of friends and have the blessing of being able to pick up where we left off in this endearing relationship. So this was a fine start to such an ambitious trip. We thoroughly enjoyed each others company in conversation, prayer and feasting. Nothing I love more than a good talk, a good prayer and a good meal . Fortunately the former two were life enhancing but the last bit means going on a diet ASAP. .
Our visit to SoCal was a short one but the gang all got together for a prayer session on Saturday night. Marga and a friend, Joan, Holly, Judy and the four of us had a beautiful prayer and dinner afterwards. It was so nice to see these old friends again as well and to reinforce the bond that we share in the Love. Our souls resonated in prayer and the joy we felt in this fellowship was apparent and heart felt.The angels have said that we will be together in prayer again and again and this time seemed as if we had never been apart. There is nothing like receiving the Love in group prayer to bring folks from all walks of life into a sense of being part of a family. God's family of souls sharing the gift of His Love. I believe that this very feeling is what motivates us all to travel long distances to be together in prayer. It truly resonates with meaning and increased joy to be in this state of fellowship and grace together. One of the blessings of this trip is briefly meeting Cleo in San Diego. What a beautiful and eloquent soul this fine lady is. A class act all the way .
Suzie who would normally be working during the week was not while we were there and she kindly and generously drove us the 65 miles to the airport so that we could enter the next leg of our journey. Ruth was there to pick us up at 12:30 at night drove another two hours to our destination of Homosassa's Springs Florida. We had a few days with Ruth before our planned DL retreat at her son's beautiful riverside vacation home there. Although not as warm as California, it was very pleasant and exotic in the sense of the Antebellum South with long stings of old mans beard hanging from every tree and lush subtropical vegetation. Ruth gave us the master suite to sleep in which looked out of a magazine and big as our living space at home. Her son is a very successful back surgeon and this is one of several homes reflecting his great status in the field. He was nominated by Time magazine as one of the best surgeons in the US. Ruth just calls him Joey. Talking to one of the locals one day who asked me where I was staying of which I said Joey's place down the road. The look of horror on there face indicated my foe pas. You mean THE DOCTOR. He is obviously well respected in this town.
Our time with Ruth was fun and enlightening as we shared our spiritual stories, talked about the future of the DL movement and did some planning for the retreat. She also introduced us to the $2.50 breakfast and the $5.99 lunch buffet down the road and best of all the hole in the wall seafood restaurant which only the locals knew about. Heaping piles of fresh shrimp just off the boat and steamed with garlic to perfection for ten bucks . More dieting required!
Our Floridian guests soon arrived for our weekend prayer. Greg Boster from Lake Worth, Michael Baily from Coco Beach, Marion from Palm Beach with her friend Dorothy, Geraldine from Bradington and a big surprise in Kristen from north of Lake Worth. None of us other than Greg had met Kristen before and she is a ball of fire and a delight to be with. There was no stopping this beautiful lady. She wanted Divine Love and wasted no time in stating her intentions to get it and lots of it. Her questions and comments kept us all on our toes and endeared us to her very quickly. Look out world, Kristen is coming .
Our days in Florida went quickly as we stayed a week with Ruth and spent some time with old friends in Sarasotta. They drove us to the airport in Tampa and away we went to the Big Apple. Queens borough to be exact to meet up with Hal and the trustees of the Hollis Hills Community Church. IT was COLD. Vancouver was the tropics in comparison and Florida was cool throughout our trip but New York was freezing. We even had trouble keeping our hotel room at a comfortable temperature. The cool temps was more than made up for by the very warm welcome we received from Hal and Co. We were scheduled to make a presentation at St. Johns University at a youth conference which Hal had organized. The theme was Love in Action and our breakout shared with grade ten and 11 high school kids was # It Starts Now!. We had to ask the kids what # ( hashtag) meant so it was a rather precarious start. We had a wonderful time and I think very successful. We had two one hour sessions with different groups and it is surprising how different each group was. Different topics and perspectives. It does give us both hope to hear these guys talk about their concerns and aspirations for the future. The next day we took in the sights of Broadway in a snow storm. We shivered in line for half price tickets in Times Square and got the show Kinky Boots for our efforts. It was a rollicking and a bit off color musical which we all enjoyed. Just as an example of how things flowed on this trip, we were able to get free street parking 100' off Broadway. Hal said that this was unheard of. Lucky us as parking in New York can be as pricey as an expensive dinner. The next day we met Lydia and Peter who are the main players along with Hal for the church. This church has some significance to it as I have seen it in a vision playing some significant role in the Divine Love Movement. So we were anxious to meet those involved with the building and found Peter and Lydia to be delightful. Although their foundation is more in line with orthodox Christianity, they were very open to us doing some work in the church. We had already scheduled a Dl retreat there on our way back from Namibia. It appears that what I saw there may indeed have some validity. We'll see what the future holds Hal escorted us to the airport the next day. Luckily the snow had stopped and all was in order for our next and longest leg of the trip to see Helge in Namibia.
We flew for 15 hours to Johannesburg then had to back track another two hours to Windhoek Namibia. Helge was there with her big smile and open arms to greet the weary travelers. She had her Dad's big SUV to transport us in luxury while we cooled our heals in the capitol in anticipation of meeting Geoff who was on a flight the next day. We marveled at the African landscape all thorn bushes and acacia trees. We certainly weren't in Kansas any more. Helge took us to a local game farm the following day where we were able to see lions, leopards, cheetahs and carricol cats close up in large enclosures. Our guide brought big chunks of meat to throw over the fence in order to draw the cats close to us. We had lions snarling and roaring at us no more than 15 feet from where we stood. You don't get how powerful and deadly these creatures are until you have one look you in the eyes with a deadly and vicious stare. Their roar is deafening. Their appetite voracious. I'm glad that we at least had a heavy gage wire fence between us.That evening we drove to the airport and picked up Geoff who had an equally long trip from Australia . I must say that he always astounds me with his ability to sluff off jet lag so easily. By the next morning he was ready to go as we had planned our trip to Drimiopsis to see the community and site for the future orphanage which Helge is spearheading. On the way we stopped off to see Magdelena, one of Helge's beloved friends and care giver to many children. She unfortunately is suffering from kidney failure and cannot return to the camp. We had a prayer and healing with her and her friends outside of Windhoek. It was a sad occasion since she is yearning to go back home and tend to her children both hers and adopted but her health keeps her close to the hospital for dialysis.
Our next stop was Drimiopsis camp which was several hours drive from the city. We were late and considered going directly to Helge's farm house but she felt that this would not be in harmony with our intended mission. So we pushed on to the camp and we were greeted by over 100 children and adults. They had put off the food distribution until we had arrived so that we could see how everything was organized. We had a tour of the facilities and a raucous greeting from the children. It was obvious that we were the vip's and they were so curious and open to our presence. After the food was distributed and eaten, the children lined up and began to dance for us. I was moved to tears to see these kids living in deprivation virtually unknown in the western world but were eager and willing to put on a show and greet us so exuberantly and with joy. My eyes were open that day to something that I am still digesting. I must say that I had to fight that overwhelming feeling of guilt for what I have and they do not. Fortunately our spirit friends advised us that morning to not feel guilt or shame for what we have but to use whatever resources we are able to assist and support the efforts to bring healing to this place. I am now 100% committed to do what I can to support Helge in her efforts to raise up these desperate people.It's a huge task and one which will take a lot of wisdom and strength. Helge needs all the prayers and material support we can muster in order to make a positive change there.
The next day we were given a more in depth tour of the village. We visited sick and elderly residents living in absolutely depressing conditions. We prayed with each one and the healing flowed. We also visited a preschool which was started by a local ministers wife . They felt called to go to Drimiopsis and are volunteering their services for the good of the community. There are positive things happening there but change is slow and tedious. It will certainly take time to affect any longstanding change as there is virtually no economy there. We finished our day with a meeting with the elders to hear their concerns. We all had a chance to say a few words with Helge interpreting . We promised to return sometime in the near future to help in whatever way we could. This will not be our last trip to this place of great need but beautiful people .
I will close off now and continue tomorrow as it is getting late and I'm still dealing with jet lag. I'll begin again in the morning.Much love......Al
You know that things are God guided when everything falls into place as it did on this trip. Starting with Jeanne's cousin in southern California making the long a grueling journey from his home south of LA during rush hour to pick us up at LAX .He brought us to his home where he and his wife had prepared a lovely meal and a comfortable bed. We had a fine evening swapping travel stories and catching up on family. The next day he and his wife took us to Laguna beach for lunch then a scenic drive through the mountains to Dennis and Suzie's place inland. The weather was warm and such a treat from our cool winter in Vancouver. Suzie , of course, greeted us with open arms and a long meaningful hug. We felt like we were coming home. If there is a way to describe the essence of these two dear souls it is warm, effusive and fun loving. Although we have only been in each other's presence for no more than a three weeks in total since meeting them two years ago, we are the best of friends and have the blessing of being able to pick up where we left off in this endearing relationship. So this was a fine start to such an ambitious trip. We thoroughly enjoyed each others company in conversation, prayer and feasting. Nothing I love more than a good talk, a good prayer and a good meal . Fortunately the former two were life enhancing but the last bit means going on a diet ASAP. .
Our visit to SoCal was a short one but the gang all got together for a prayer session on Saturday night. Marga and a friend, Joan, Holly, Judy and the four of us had a beautiful prayer and dinner afterwards. It was so nice to see these old friends again as well and to reinforce the bond that we share in the Love. Our souls resonated in prayer and the joy we felt in this fellowship was apparent and heart felt.The angels have said that we will be together in prayer again and again and this time seemed as if we had never been apart. There is nothing like receiving the Love in group prayer to bring folks from all walks of life into a sense of being part of a family. God's family of souls sharing the gift of His Love. I believe that this very feeling is what motivates us all to travel long distances to be together in prayer. It truly resonates with meaning and increased joy to be in this state of fellowship and grace together. One of the blessings of this trip is briefly meeting Cleo in San Diego. What a beautiful and eloquent soul this fine lady is. A class act all the way .
Suzie who would normally be working during the week was not while we were there and she kindly and generously drove us the 65 miles to the airport so that we could enter the next leg of our journey. Ruth was there to pick us up at 12:30 at night drove another two hours to our destination of Homosassa's Springs Florida. We had a few days with Ruth before our planned DL retreat at her son's beautiful riverside vacation home there. Although not as warm as California, it was very pleasant and exotic in the sense of the Antebellum South with long stings of old mans beard hanging from every tree and lush subtropical vegetation. Ruth gave us the master suite to sleep in which looked out of a magazine and big as our living space at home. Her son is a very successful back surgeon and this is one of several homes reflecting his great status in the field. He was nominated by Time magazine as one of the best surgeons in the US. Ruth just calls him Joey. Talking to one of the locals one day who asked me where I was staying of which I said Joey's place down the road. The look of horror on there face indicated my foe pas. You mean THE DOCTOR. He is obviously well respected in this town.
Our time with Ruth was fun and enlightening as we shared our spiritual stories, talked about the future of the DL movement and did some planning for the retreat. She also introduced us to the $2.50 breakfast and the $5.99 lunch buffet down the road and best of all the hole in the wall seafood restaurant which only the locals knew about. Heaping piles of fresh shrimp just off the boat and steamed with garlic to perfection for ten bucks . More dieting required!
Our Floridian guests soon arrived for our weekend prayer. Greg Boster from Lake Worth, Michael Baily from Coco Beach, Marion from Palm Beach with her friend Dorothy, Geraldine from Bradington and a big surprise in Kristen from north of Lake Worth. None of us other than Greg had met Kristen before and she is a ball of fire and a delight to be with. There was no stopping this beautiful lady. She wanted Divine Love and wasted no time in stating her intentions to get it and lots of it. Her questions and comments kept us all on our toes and endeared us to her very quickly. Look out world, Kristen is coming .
Our days in Florida went quickly as we stayed a week with Ruth and spent some time with old friends in Sarasotta. They drove us to the airport in Tampa and away we went to the Big Apple. Queens borough to be exact to meet up with Hal and the trustees of the Hollis Hills Community Church. IT was COLD. Vancouver was the tropics in comparison and Florida was cool throughout our trip but New York was freezing. We even had trouble keeping our hotel room at a comfortable temperature. The cool temps was more than made up for by the very warm welcome we received from Hal and Co. We were scheduled to make a presentation at St. Johns University at a youth conference which Hal had organized. The theme was Love in Action and our breakout shared with grade ten and 11 high school kids was # It Starts Now!. We had to ask the kids what # ( hashtag) meant so it was a rather precarious start. We had a wonderful time and I think very successful. We had two one hour sessions with different groups and it is surprising how different each group was. Different topics and perspectives. It does give us both hope to hear these guys talk about their concerns and aspirations for the future. The next day we took in the sights of Broadway in a snow storm. We shivered in line for half price tickets in Times Square and got the show Kinky Boots for our efforts. It was a rollicking and a bit off color musical which we all enjoyed. Just as an example of how things flowed on this trip, we were able to get free street parking 100' off Broadway. Hal said that this was unheard of. Lucky us as parking in New York can be as pricey as an expensive dinner. The next day we met Lydia and Peter who are the main players along with Hal for the church. This church has some significance to it as I have seen it in a vision playing some significant role in the Divine Love Movement. So we were anxious to meet those involved with the building and found Peter and Lydia to be delightful. Although their foundation is more in line with orthodox Christianity, they were very open to us doing some work in the church. We had already scheduled a Dl retreat there on our way back from Namibia. It appears that what I saw there may indeed have some validity. We'll see what the future holds Hal escorted us to the airport the next day. Luckily the snow had stopped and all was in order for our next and longest leg of the trip to see Helge in Namibia.
We flew for 15 hours to Johannesburg then had to back track another two hours to Windhoek Namibia. Helge was there with her big smile and open arms to greet the weary travelers. She had her Dad's big SUV to transport us in luxury while we cooled our heals in the capitol in anticipation of meeting Geoff who was on a flight the next day. We marveled at the African landscape all thorn bushes and acacia trees. We certainly weren't in Kansas any more. Helge took us to a local game farm the following day where we were able to see lions, leopards, cheetahs and carricol cats close up in large enclosures. Our guide brought big chunks of meat to throw over the fence in order to draw the cats close to us. We had lions snarling and roaring at us no more than 15 feet from where we stood. You don't get how powerful and deadly these creatures are until you have one look you in the eyes with a deadly and vicious stare. Their roar is deafening. Their appetite voracious. I'm glad that we at least had a heavy gage wire fence between us.That evening we drove to the airport and picked up Geoff who had an equally long trip from Australia . I must say that he always astounds me with his ability to sluff off jet lag so easily. By the next morning he was ready to go as we had planned our trip to Drimiopsis to see the community and site for the future orphanage which Helge is spearheading. On the way we stopped off to see Magdelena, one of Helge's beloved friends and care giver to many children. She unfortunately is suffering from kidney failure and cannot return to the camp. We had a prayer and healing with her and her friends outside of Windhoek. It was a sad occasion since she is yearning to go back home and tend to her children both hers and adopted but her health keeps her close to the hospital for dialysis.
Our next stop was Drimiopsis camp which was several hours drive from the city. We were late and considered going directly to Helge's farm house but she felt that this would not be in harmony with our intended mission. So we pushed on to the camp and we were greeted by over 100 children and adults. They had put off the food distribution until we had arrived so that we could see how everything was organized. We had a tour of the facilities and a raucous greeting from the children. It was obvious that we were the vip's and they were so curious and open to our presence. After the food was distributed and eaten, the children lined up and began to dance for us. I was moved to tears to see these kids living in deprivation virtually unknown in the western world but were eager and willing to put on a show and greet us so exuberantly and with joy. My eyes were open that day to something that I am still digesting. I must say that I had to fight that overwhelming feeling of guilt for what I have and they do not. Fortunately our spirit friends advised us that morning to not feel guilt or shame for what we have but to use whatever resources we are able to assist and support the efforts to bring healing to this place. I am now 100% committed to do what I can to support Helge in her efforts to raise up these desperate people.It's a huge task and one which will take a lot of wisdom and strength. Helge needs all the prayers and material support we can muster in order to make a positive change there.
The next day we were given a more in depth tour of the village. We visited sick and elderly residents living in absolutely depressing conditions. We prayed with each one and the healing flowed. We also visited a preschool which was started by a local ministers wife . They felt called to go to Drimiopsis and are volunteering their services for the good of the community. There are positive things happening there but change is slow and tedious. It will certainly take time to affect any longstanding change as there is virtually no economy there. We finished our day with a meeting with the elders to hear their concerns. We all had a chance to say a few words with Helge interpreting . We promised to return sometime in the near future to help in whatever way we could. This will not be our last trip to this place of great need but beautiful people .
I will close off now and continue tomorrow as it is getting late and I'm still dealing with jet lag. I'll begin again in the morning.Much love......Al