MSIA travel staff are currently in South America, providing MSIA Services (Innerphasings, Polarity Balances & Aura Balances) as well as MSIA events. Staff member, Angel Gibson, provides this update from the trip:
DAY 8 — SANTIAGO
We have a spontaneous breakfast out today to celebrate my birthday and then off we go for a day of Services that will be capped by ordinations, a Ministers and Initiates Seminar and dinner. Wow! Lesley and I go to the NUT…such a peaceful clinic with a sunny side yard that has the most beautiful roses. Gloria Jury, the clinic’s owner, joins us for lunch and another birthday celebration. One thing I learned is that here in South America they really love to celebrate and appreciate that you were born. After Services are done, we have a little break. I take full advantage to do some email while Celia finishes Services in our room, and then it’s time for our evening’s activities.
All the ministers gather for ordinations and then the program starts with Arle Moleker once again being our Mistress of Ceremonies. We are serenaded by Macarena and Alejandra and then Ana Maria Corvalan evokes hauntingly lovely tones as she plays some crystal bowls and then moves us into the HU chanting. What better to take us higher than time with the Traveler, and up we do go.
After the seminar some ministers escort Leigh and John over to our dinner location while we staff begin to pack up the equipment. Tomorrow we all travel to Brazil and so the sound equipment must be well organized in its cases for possible checks at customs along the way. I get to join the dinner party a little early and am warmly greeted as I come in. Later Celia and Ani stop by and we all enjoy the fellowshipping and honoring that the ministers have created for us and themselves. We are touched by their generosity and sweetness. The midnight clock strikes and we all know we have a ways to go before our beds welcome us. With hugs and kisses and much gratefulness we say goodbye and go back to our hotel which is just half a block away. We don’t even look at the clock when finally the luggage is packed and emails checked…let’s just say the early birds are chirping as we catch a few winks.
DAY 9 – Off to PORTO ALEGRE
Travel days are always fun for me. I like the adventure of going to a new place and Porto Alegre is a new city for us in Brazil. Veronica Zarate and Eugenia Sanhueza stay with us at the airport as we go through a few hurdles to get our little troop checked in. We say goodbye and muchissimas gracias to Veronica and Eugenia for all they created and held for to have the Traveler be with the MSIA community here in Chile. Then we zip through immigration and security and have a few minutes to pause before getting on our first flight that will take us to Sao Paulo. In spite of loads of good intentions to work on this flight I succumb to the quiet, watching a bit of a movie and snoozing/s.e.-ing…feels so nice to rest.
We arrive in Sao Paulo and negotiate getting through immigration, customs and transit. We veer off to different watering spots…Lesley and Vincent for fresh fruit juice, Celia for Papaya and coconut juice and I’m happy with coconut water and an espresso. Ani’s brought her own refreshments and is keeping close. Meanwhile John and Leigh are scouting out the VIP lounge near our gates. We gather at Gate 3 to wait for boarding at 7pm. John comes looking for us to tell us that there’s been a change and we board onto busses downstairs. We start gathering our things to go below when we realize we don’t have Ani with us…she went to the bathroom awhile ago and hasn’t returned. Well a little drama ensues for a bit, but soon she returns to us letting us know that she had gone for a small walk-about. Being that this is her first trip as a full-on travel staff person we remind her that she needs to stay close and let us know when she wants to change her plans, especially at airports. She does well with the good-natured ribbing that she gets…it’s the hazing for the new guy.
We’re all happy to be together again and we soon find ourselves on our plane settling in once again for a shorter hop to Porto Alegre. And we’re off….not so fast. The pilot in Portuguese announces something at great length and soon the passengers around us are all getting up, grabbing their handcarries and heading for the door. OK, change of plans we quickly surmise and a fellow passenger explains to us that we will be changing planes and need to de-board fast. Sort of like a Chinese fire-drill. Off the plane, onto the bus, off the bus, and up into the plane, back into the same seats, just a different plane…sort of like ground-hog day. We settle in again and we’re off…Nope…seems like we need to wait for 30 minutes. By now we’ve surrendered any visions of barbecue that might have come to mind and are happy to feast on potato chips, peanuts, and scrounging for fruit bars at the bottom of our bags. At last the plane takes off and we arrive an hour and some minutes later into Porto Alegre. Lana is waiting and we’re loaded with luggage onto a bus that takes us to our hotel. As I look out my bus window I see lots of simple buildings with harshly lit signs…reminds me of some places in Mexico or maybe it’s Ecuador, but the air is definitely tropical. We arrive at our hotel to be greeted by Eliete and Marcello who have been schmoozing with hotel staff to keep the restaurant open and get our rooms ready. We are so happy to settle in….Celia and I get some fresh squeezed juice and some of the others sit down for an actual midnight dinner. Ah, feels so good to get online and unpacked. a shower is particularly luxurious, and finally with the early morning birds chirping we sleep.
DAY 10 – PORTO ALEGRE
Whoa….some of us never even hear the alarm this morning, but are awakened by the wonderful part of ourselves that knows we have to get up! We jump out of bed on a fast run to get showered, dressed and down to breakfast. I glance out the window to see the most beautiful purple flowering trees nearby below us surrounding old tiled roofs. I can see in the distance the river wending its way around the city. It’s all hands on deck for breakfast as we check in with one another. Eliete and Roberta are coordinating Services and check in with us about the schedule for today. One thing about these schedules — they are always changing. Our hotel restaurant takes good care of us…even providing some gluten-free bread for toasting and organic eggs. Yum! After breakfast we go across the lobby to the major hub of activity that is powered by Eliete and Roberta. We each get our line-up for Services that includes translators as none of us have yet mastered Portuguese. Diego, Fernando, Paulo and Lana herself help out with translation along with some others. Marcelo is busy working on our flights to Buenos Aires in hopes of getting us out on earlier flights on Sunday so we can have a little bit more time in Buenos Aires that afternoon and evening. Light to that! Seems like it is lunch time already as Services whip by. It is fun to meet new friends and catch up with old ones as we go along. There is lots of laughter as we catch up with John and Leigh and their report of walking in the city. Then we’re off again for more Services until 6pm. A walk to a barbecue for dinner is planned.
I’m so excited that we actually will get some exercise and a little seeing of the town. As we walk I realize that it is much cooler than I’ve come to expect in Brazil. Vincent reminds us that we are much more South than we’ve been in the past. We arrive at the barbecue and are promptly treated to a nonstop variety of meats/fowl and goodies that are brought directly to our table. One just surrenders after a point…at least I do…when my stomach registers beyond full. It is amazing to see and taste all the different cuts of beef, and other barbecued items. My favorite item was the fried polenta and blue and parmesan cheeses. Could have made a meal just out of those. Finally filled to the brim, we amble back to our hotel…this time the walk is straight up. It’s all I can do to just check my computer for urgent items and then I gladly let go into sleep, catching up with my fellow travelers. Thanks for the Light. Please keep it coming our way and to all the Brazilian MSIA community and the land of Brazil.
DAY 11 – PORTO ALEGRE
We gather this morning at our designated breakfast table that looks out onto a little garden area. We check in with one another and all of us seem to be pretty good, especially after a little espresso (speaking for me :). Then the girls go for our Services assignments and designated translators and we’re off. Vincent, in the meantime, is in set up mode for our first event here which will be the You Are the Blessings open workshop. The community has really gone all out to provide that the stage is along the lines of the Los Angeles webcast stage. They have made a beautiful backdrop by using the cover of John Morton’s new book, You Are the Blessings. It is so lovely to see the precious look on the baby’s face on the book cover as she meets the eyes of the one who’s blessing her, John Morton. Also they have done little notepads for the participants that have You Are the Blessings as a book cover. Vincent pulls off quite a sound logistical feat by providing 4 mics – 1 each for John, Leigh Taylor Young-the evening’s host, and the two translators. One translator is for John –Marcelo Lacroix, and one for Leigh –Roberta Vasconcellos. Dagoberto Faleira de Lara is the admirable M.C. for the night and he shortly invites Leigh and Roberta to the stage. Leigh is a gracious and graceful hostess. She invites John and Marcelo to the stage too. Finally all four sit down and the workshop lifts off. Towards the end of the evening John takes questions from the group, and as each person is willing to share they receive a special gift of a Spiritual Warrior book or a Sanctuary CD. Afterwards John and Leigh are thronged by many in this happy group who want to have their picture taken with one or both of them. We all managed to get a little dinner as the clock moves towards midnight, and then it’s back for our nightly email check and some sleep.
DAY 12 – PORTO ALEGRE
Today is a very full day. We have initiations, Services, 9 ordinations and then the Ministers/Initiates seminar. Wow! As usual, Spirit provides the current that keeps us charged. As I look around the smaller group tonight and listen to John I’m touched by how the Traveler is loving these ministers and initiates. They have come near and far, to be with him and there is a child-like look on many of their faces as they wondrously take in what the Traveler is offering. At the end of the evening some of the group head off to be baptized while our little crew packs up the equipment. Then a light supper of soup and papas fritas (french fries), and we begin packing our own bags, and of course, a dollop of emails before retiring. Tomorrow starts our two day adventure to Caracas via Buenos Aires. Thanks for the Light along the way.
DAY 13 – BUENOS AIRES
It’s goodbye Porto Alegre today as we get up and have our last breakfast at our cozy table in the corner by the window. Lots of hugs and “Obrigados” (thank yous) as we get on our bus and head to the airport. Thank you to Eliete, Roberta, Diego, Luis Fernando, Fernando, Sandra and so many who assisted us so sweetly to make our stay here go smoothly. Marcelo and Patricia go with us to the airport, checking us in. We have just enough time to get some water and then we’re on the plane winging our way to Buenos Aires for the afternoon and night as our way station on the road to Caracas.
We arrive in Buenos Aires bracing for a long wait and check at customs. To our grateful surprise we are waived right through and soon find ourselves excitedly greeted by Cate Kirby and Martin Arguinarena, the new Argentina MSIA Reps. They efficiently put us into taxis and we all glide towards our downtown Buenos Aires hotel. I love this city with its wide boulevards…an obelisk in the middle…the flowering trees…the beautiful architecture a mix of French and Italian to my eye and outdoor cafes…one minute I think I’m in Paris…the next in Rome. Each of us is excited to have the rest of the afternoon to explore, exercise or just rest. This is a rarity on the road so quite a treat.
Celia and I head off on foot to the Avenida Florida, a pedestrian shopping avenue, in search immediately for the best cappuccino in an outdoor setting that we can find. On our way we see the familiar figures of Ani and Lana who have already started their shopping expeditions. Shortly thereafter Celia and I discover the Gran Cafe and the “Gran Cafe” cappuccino. Let’s just say on my first sip of this drink I was experiencing the famous dining moment of Meg Ryan in the movie “When Harry Met Sally” and my “Oh my God” this is soooo good brought laughter and smiles from the people at the table across from us. Even our waiter was a treat who shared with us about his home in upper Colombia and, as we left, blessed us. Riding high on the great taste, buzz of caffeine and delight in being in this city that I love, we continued our way to the Pacifica Galleria, a lovely in-door galleria that has the likes of Boss, Yves St. Laurent and other names. The window shopping is spectacular there and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. On the way back to our hotels we did some photo shooting and caught a glimpse of Plaza San Martin.
Back at our hotels we have just enough time to refresh and then we head off again this time with Ani, Vincent and Lesley for our leisure stride to our restaurant for the evening. Our walk takes us through the Plaza San Martin where Lesley and Vincent take a romantic moment to enjoy a tango, the dramatic dance of this country. We walk past huge trees that just beckon me to climb them. I’m tempted but finally resist. Our walk continues past huge historic buildings, the Ministry of the Interior, onto the river and the Porto Madero where we walk by rows and rows of beautiful looking restaurants on our right and antique sail boats and new boats and river on our left. At one point a soaring operatic rendition of Nessan Dorma and then something from La Traviata carries over the water from an event at the Hilton. With a breeze and the magic lighting of sunset all seems orchestrated to give us a romantic beautiful setting for our dinner.
On arriving at our restaurant we find Cate, Martin, Lana, John and Leigh are waiting for us. We excitedly catch up on each other’s afternoon explorations and activities and then to the matter of ordering and eating. The highlight of the dining for me was the grilled provoleta coming very close to my afternoon’s enjoyment of my cappuccino. Sooo good! The talk and relaxing was good and then it seems like we suddenly realize that we need to be up at 4am to go to the airport. We head back to our hotel. Martin takes some of us on a quick tour of the antique part of the city. We see Defensa street where the Buenos Aireans defended against the British….and lots of cobblestoned streets. We are delighted for some more historic glimpses. These moments to me are what make for magic on the road. We never know when we’re going to have them and they are always so appreciated. And then it’s back to our rooms and time to shower and have a quick nap.
DAY 14 – BUENOS AIRES to CARACAS
Ooooh, that alarm clock wakes me seemingly just seconds after I’ve fallen asleep at 3:45am. But slowly after a shower we come present and pack up ready to descend to taxis to go to the airport when we hear Vincent’s voice over the walkie letting us know that our flight has been delayed and so we’ll be leaving for the airport at 6:45am. Well, we’re up now…ah, what better time than to catch up on emails. So this is life on the road where surprises are the name of the game and it’s how we handle them that makes for fun and good stories! I continue to work on email while Celia does SE’s and then we join the rest of the crew downstairs to load up and go to the airport.
Once at the airport check in goes smoothly, we even have chance for a nice breakfast and then onto the plane for our 6hr 25min flight to Caracas. Joy of joys I have a whole row to myself. As it turns out we’re all pretty nicely taken care of seating wise which is such a treat. We take advantage of this lengthy trip time to snooze, read, watch a movie and/or do SE’s. Happily our plane arrives and thanks to Ani, we have a quick escort through Immigration into customs. This takes a little longer but soon most of us find ourselves outside being hugged and welcomed by Santos Gomez, Gaby Grigorescu and German Baines. Meanwhile we realize that Vincent and Ani are not with us and, in fact, they have to go pay for having a suitcase full of sound equipment that will be used at tomorrow’s workshop. After a little bit of “Ani Magic” the customs people are willing to accept that Vincent needs to pay for only 1 suitcase rather than all three. He pays and heads out to Santos who escorts Ani and him to a waiting car. The rest of us are already on our way to the airport. Lesley and I find ourselves being driven off the highway into their “hood”. oooh, lots of Light here. I know this is sight-seeing but it’s a little discomforting. Later while we have dinner together we share stories and laugh at some of the craziness of the day, and the yummy chicken soup and Lana’s ministrations help bring us into a calmness that was much appreciated. Now we’ve peeled-off for rest and sleep. Tomorrow is another very full day as the Traveler watches over us.
