On the Road Reporting from the MSIA Staff Trip to Europe

DAY 1 LONDON and STOCKHOLM

Angel Gibson here, on the road at last. It’s been almost two months since staff has been traveling, and I for one am raring to go. Today I’m accompanied by Celia Allen-Graham and our destination is London. Our flight is an easy 9 hours. I manage to watch a movie, catch up on some email and get some good sleep. Paul Kaye lands in Stockholm today and I’m expecting a report from him so stay tuned and I’ll pass it onto you.

DAY 2

I just love fast-tracking through immigration. Celia and I are in and out in just about 3 minutes, but getting our luggage is a whole other experience. Guess baggage claim needed lots of Light today because we waited and waited. Still the good news was all our bags were there and once out of baggage claim we were greeted and hugged by Jane Bedford who helped transport us to our hotel. Celia and I are both in that mellow daze that comes many times with taking overnight flights so we take our time trying to be more careful of what we’re doing and watching out for each other. As luck and the Light would have it our room is ready – yeay! I get my cell phone working and get online with my computer. Celia is visiting with her family here and it’s time for me to get out a bit.

Now when I travel overseas one of the first things I like to do is get out and walk — somehow I feel more grounded or connected to the city when I do this. I got an unplanned early start on walking this afternoon — in the rain no less — when my taxi driver decided he didn’t want to take me to my meeting at the conference center once he realized that the location of this meeting was in a gnarly traffic area. Mercifully we hadn’t gone too far down the road when the driver grokked the address of the center. He wouldn’t drive me back to the hotel either– I got he was having a “bad taxi” day and didn’t want my company. So I chose to get out of the taxi and experience lots of water on me — refreshing in its own way (as I had opted not to bring my raincoat or umbrella). Much more awake now — courtesy of the impromptu shower — and more prepared with my umbrella and raincoat, I venture outside again on foot. I’m more aware now of the neighborhood as I walk along and realize that we are in a Muslim or Middle eastern section of town. A number of women are in full burka dress and lots of others are wearing head scarves. Men, some in caftans or head scarves, are seated outdoors under awnings sipping their beverages or smoking water pipes. Interestingly enough, a few blocks up the road was the scene of one of the bomb attacks a few months ago; it is quite bustling with activity today.

Shirley Gordon, the UK MSIA Rep, and Nathalie Franks, the London BlessingsFest coordinator, meet me for dinner tonight. These ladies have been putting in many hours handling detail after detail to prepare for the Traveler and we staff coming to London. Over a delicious dinner we handle some last minute business items and then get to gabbing and catching up on each other’s lives, after all it’s been a year. Then it’s back to the hotel to and a little sleep. Tomorrow is another day and we start MSIA Services here.

Your Light is very much appreciated as we journey along. Thank you.

DAY 3 in LONDON

Today is about Services and connecting with new and old friends. I go to do Services at Nathalie’s home, a lovely flat in Maida Vale. As my taxi meanders up the road, I enjoy looking at the historic architecture. Feels like I’m riding around on a back lot for a movie about 19th century London — cobblestones, old gas lampposts and rows of lovely old attached homes. All that is missing are the horse and carriages and long dresses. Nathalie pampers me and all who come for Services today. And, guess what? Nathalie is a really good cook. Her secret is out now. It is such a joy to participate in Services — the aura balances, polarity balances and innerphasings — and the people receiving the Services are so very grateful. What a blessing.

Celia is doing Services at our hotel. Her hostess, Marylynn Clarke, looks after her well too. Lesley Freeman who is learning Services has come over to join us in London. At the end of the day a few of us get together to dine in the now famous “Notting Hill” area. I keep looking for Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, but the closest I come to them is seeing the street on which some of the movie was filmed. We are squired this evening by Martin Stanbridge who manages brilliantly to hold his own graciously while dining and conversing with us ladies — a ministry of its own. Well, time for a few more emails and then some sleep. Tomorrow is another blessed day of Services and then we’re off to Madrid.

DAY 1 IN STOCKHOLM

Paul Kaye reports in on his first day in Sollentuna near Stockholm.

I arrived here yesterday afternoon and was met by Agneta Lindhe. We immediately went over to another terminal and greeted Vladimir Yakovlev who was arriving from Moscow. Vladimir had left his home in the Altai Mountains near Mongolia on August 15. A truck, two buses, and a train took him to Moscow in 5 days. 8 days to get his visa in Moscow and more to get his flight at a price he could afford. He arrived with a bag smaller than a briefcase. He came to receive his next level of initiation.

After a cup of tea and some knokebrod, Agneta and I went to a local hospital caring facility to visit Carin Lindeberg who had had a stroke a month or so ago. Carin was being lovingly surrounded by her two sons and a girlfriend of one of them. She was breathing sporadically and heavily, couldn’t talk and her body was in one position. She had been taken off all life support and wasn’t being fed or given water. Soon Kenneth Lindstrom, who is an MSIA and also a Lutheran minister, arrived from out of town and all of us surrounded her bed and spent time touching and gently talking to her. The sons, not in MSIA, were grateful for our presence, one of them felt that Carin needed us there for her completion. Indeed, her grunts, her look, and her minimal body movements were more than they had seen in a while.

Then we had dinner at Agneta’s where I am staying. Vladimir regaled us with answers to our questions on life in the Altai Mountains. We had sushi for dinner (delivered from a local restaurant). Vladimir didn’t eat much. When asked what he would like he said, “Potatoes.” Most food for him, his wife and his four children (another two have grown up) is provided by their one cow and their vegetable garden. He was virtually raised on potatoes.

Later, I was shown to my usual room and to my surprise and delight found they had built a glass contained full cedar wood sauna, with coals, in the bedroom! What a great start to the day I had this morning.

At breakfast, Agneta told me that Carin passed away at 8 am this morning.

Kenneth was in town for Services, the workshop and to consult with Agneta, her mother and brother on the funeral arrangements for Agneta’s father who passed away two weeks ago. He had a busy morning as he was up early consoling Carin’s sons and making practical suggestions for Carin’s funeral, suggesting that her Discourses be cremated with her. Then a meeting with Agneta’s family.

Meanwhile, Vladimir was like a two year old waiting for his initiation. When I called him to receive it, he actually enthusiastically ran into the room.

There are more Services after lunch, then a Ministers meeting and Blessings workshop tonight. All is well here, in God’s perfection.