Day 075f: The next serendipitous Sanctuary … (June 28, 2019)
I only just made it over the bridge when a white van pulls over in front of me and a nice young man – Shemuel – gets out and asks about my Walk. I tell him of the same and he is enthusiastically impressed, and he invites me to ride a short distance with him to visit his Twelve Tribes commune in the neighboring village of Sus. The synchronicity of the encounter is too potent to ignore (today’s stage was scheduled to be a much shorter walk + the Twelve Tribes originated and still “hubs” in Chattanooga – my Walk’s ultimate destination) … It was indeed a very short ride to their compound; an incredibly well-maintained and quite beautiful plot of land, with its main chalet and multi-colored gardens and impeccable landscaping and peaceful octagonal gathering house. The conversation is warm indeed in the latter, and yet there was something a bit “off” with the entire encounter; something I couldn’t quite put a finger to. Was it the odd glances/stares given by the group of women huddled in a far corner? Was it the fact that social interaction seemed to be gender segregated? Was it the almost Amish-style conservativeness of everyone’s clothing? Was it the “dogma sheen” that seemed to cover the eyes of more than few members with whom I spoke? Was it the goat’s milk I was offered to drink? Was it their repeated insistence that I was without a doubt to remain with them and participate in that evening’s Shabbat ceremonies? Either way, it was clear that partying with these lovely people was not why I had come, so I found a proper pause in the conversation to ask them what I could do for them on my Walk. They were somewhat taken aback by the offer, and simply told me to “Tell the Chattanooga chapter Hello from us here in Sus.” I agreed to do so, was fluidly driven back to where Shemuel had originally picked me up, then humbly headed back out onto The Way …
“Much of religion is about forcing others to become something that you are and that they are not. God’s desire in sending us out into the world to serve, on the other hand, is about enabling us to become something we are and ever have been: namely, active members of the Body of Christ – a flowing community of selfless servants that knows and extends God’s shalom to the world.” ~ C. Andrew Doyle
;