Gayle and I are deeply privileged, we have a roof over our head, food on the table, health to explore… and… and… I write that because we are set on an adventure and are beginning to plan. In November we plan to jump in our van and drive to a place where we have no connections and have never visited but plan to spend some months (six?) there. I hope this post will fill in some of the background without being (too) boring in the process!
Cutting to the chase we are looking at arriving in Sicily early November.
We came to Spain with the overall invite to play some small part in uncovering the Pauline Gospel – neither of us are smart enough to know what that might be but hope as we play our small part something will be uncovered. The Pauline Gospel is of course deeply political, as the vision is of a new creation becoming visible (and I do think that at least merits a tattoo so wonder what that should look like, I digress!). The vision was so enthralling that even certain geezers who would not benefit from the fulfilment were significantly on board (look up Asiarchs).
In May this year we were invited to Malta and loved spending time with Adrian and Pauline Hawkes who had invited us there. We read Acts 28 numerous times as obviously Paul had been shipwrecked there and a little encounter with a snake, as well as significant healings – all on his way to Rome, where he of course had nothing to give account for, but a certain Caesar most certainly did (Caesar is ‘lord’… Paul did not think so!). Amazingly we read that on his way to Rome he moved from Malta (in an interesting boat, which is the same boat the ekklesia of today has to travel in) to Sicily (Syracuse).
Coincidentally we live in Oliva on ‘Calle Isla de Sicilia’ (Sicily Street – not sesame street!). We have often wondered if it meant anything.
In April – big month as Gayle increased her number of years on the planet, thus narrowing the gap between us – we were involved in rolling up an ancient map where Spain and Portugal were the head and within hours there was a total blackout across the Iberian peninsula. On that map we note that Sicily was the orb in the hand of the Queen of Europe – the orb, the symbol of the globe – with the cross over the top indicating subject to Christendom. So that has bugged us since that time.
Anyway in our small minds it has led us to focus on Sicily for a few months and give rise to the conviction that we need to get on our skateboards and get over there. It is unlikely we can do much if we do not stay for a number of months.
Much more to say – some of which might be made up in our heads (how can something so small make up so much?). And I guess as it develops over the next 7 weeks and then unfolds I will write it up here on this site. At a practical level our apartment in Oliva will be empty and if you – or a connection – might think they could use our apartment here that could help us somewhat with regard to rent we will pay in Sicily.