It’s that time of year once again and we’re on the road with the Traveler, John Morton, for our South America visit. First stop, Santiago.

From the moment we gather at the airport — Vincent and Lesley Dupont, Celia Allen-Graham and myself — we click into this smooth rhythm of long-time traveling companions. Ani Pacheco hops on board to be with us as staff on our second flight from Bogota to Santiago. The theme of this trip so far is smooth and flowing grace sprinkled with fun. After about 18 hours of travel — the final minutes over the Andes Mountains — we arrive the next morning in Santiago, Chile. Alexandra and Pepi get us as quickly as possible to our hotel and we start settling into our new “home” for the next few days. John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young soon join us and our traveling band is now complete. Nora Valenzuela and Peki greet us with open arms at the hotel and it’s so wonderful to see familiar faces that sweetly help us through check-in. We each have our own way of adapting to the jet-lag and time differences. Celia and I find that doing some window-shopping in the nearby huge galleria does the trick to get our bodies into this time zone…and a little nap goes a long way too. That evening we have a relaxed al fresco dinner at the home of Jose and Gabriela who are like family and then it’s time to tuck in and get a good night’s sleep.

The next three days are jammed full with MSIA Services, initiations and events. John and Leigh facilitate a richly deep Relax and Rejuvenate with the Beloved open workshop. The next night John takes questions and answers from Discourse Subscribers and the capping event is the BlessingsFest which goes until after midnight. What makes all this flow so gracefully is the team work of the caring Santiago MSIA community spearheaded by their MSIA Rep, Jany Espinoza. So many pitch in starting with our sound-meisters, Nigel and Helio Moleker, Reymi offers her home for some of the Services, Jose Caraball is the quintessential driver with joie-de-vivre, Veronica Zarate jumped in with assisting us with customs forms, Pepi is Services coordinator, Pedro helps with registration and finances, and Peki seems to be everywhere as an ombudswoman. Nora translates and Mario Paredes, Ampara Cerna and Paula Copeta each provide their personal touch of love and caring as MC’s for the events. And on the last day even our hotel General Manager is on hand to get us into our cars and on our way to the airport to fly to Mendoza, Argentina that is just a puddle-jump over the awesome Andes mountains that we’ve been admiring each day at breakfast. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the loving and shared devotion we have found once again in Santiago.

MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
It’s a short but gorgeous flight from Santiago over the Andes into Mendoza. The snow-covered mountains look majestic to us We are welcomed with huge smiles and open arms by Eduardo Vera and Cate Kirby. For us Eduardo seems like mayor in this city, talking and saying “Hi” to everyone. Cate who’s the MSIA Rep in Buenos Aires has been the major point person for our visit to Argentina. Both of them will be our guides throughout our time here. Soon we’re on our way from the airport to the city of Mendoza. This is a big change to us from the hustle and bustle of Santiago. Here in Mendoza there is a relaxed, put your feet up and have a “little cortado” or cafecita (little coffee) or a glass of the famous Mendoza wine atmosphere and ENJOY! So, as the saying goes, “when in Mendoza, do like the Mendozans do”, so we relax and enjoy!

Dinner our first evening is at a lovely old winery where the meats, cheeses and potatoes are roasted and grilled over wood fires. We are delighted by the “parrilla” (on the grill) meats, vegetables AND the quintessential grilled provoleta cheese that we’ve looked forward to having as part of our Argentina visit. Though we’re enjoying our dinner and the fun catch-up with Cate and Eduardo all of us are very sleepy and pass (amazing) on dessert so we can get to our beds as quickly as possible. The next few days are filled with Services, initiations and wonderful events. First John and Leigh facilitate Living the Spiritual Principles of Abundance and Prosperity to a filled salon — almost two thirds of the group are new to MSIA and invited by our very own Eduardo. We are extra happy to have the wonderful assistance of German Beines on sound (and our great friends, Nigel and Helio Moleker) who flew over the mountains from Santiago also to be with us). Eduardo is the dashing MC and John and Leigh give a lively presentation of core Traveler’s teachings for manifesting more abundance and prosperity.

The next morning John and Leigh head off to participate in a cozy ministers meeting hosted at Eduardo’s home. All the ministers who have traveled to Mendoza for the events cuddle up in chairs and on the floors and share in the fellowship…even the Traveler sits on the floor as one with his fellow ministers. That evening there is a Q&A for Discourse subscribers. Though the number of participants is much smaller the level of dedication is profound. Nora Valenzuela is with us too, translating for John. Cate and Marina Leiva share the MCing and there is a sweet visual homage to J-R and John that Soledad Lareo has created and a new Moment of Peace that touch our hearts and create the perfect loving space for John, the Traveler, to be with us. John is a trooper and gives and gives and gives until the room is overflowing with a rich loving Spirit.

Our final night in Mendoza is a most special treat. Sergio Roggerone and his amazing wife, Marina, open their home and gallery, La Alboroza, to host the Mendoza BlessingsFest. Sergio and Marina themselves have cooked the whole night in preparation. As we arrive we are treated to a surprise. La Alboroza is a joyous and beautiful tribute to love and the creative artistic Spirit. There are delights for all the senses…the home to me is a blend of the antique and the unique. Sergio’s studio has been transformed as our table sits amidst statues, woodwork, crafted metal candle lights, plants and an oh so comfortable sofa and chairs. Looking out into the garden we see arches with curtains gently blowing, a swimming pool lies across a lush green yard…it’s another world and we love it. Between the courses of flavorful foods and Blessings we are satiated on all levels. At the evening’s end we have plenty of help as many of the participants dive in to help us coil cable and pack up so we too can catch the little busses with them to go back to the hotel. What an amazing night! We thank and thank our hosts for a most memorable evening. Back in our hotel rooms we pack and do some last minute emails. Tomorrow is our travel day to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and we have three flights that start early. We are so grateful to Cate and Eduardo for looking after us just about every step of the way and to all the assistants who jumped in to help with Services, translating, putting up or packing up sound. You are in our hearts with grace and gratitude. Muchissimas Gracias!