20100131-1836 🔈

AI generated transcript:

It's 6 36 Sunday, January 31st, 2010. Just a real quick audio journal today. Went to church and I shared about my experience during the trip and I was actually surprisingly honest. They asked some really good questions, especially Liz. And I told him everything how I felt about the direction of the trip how it progressed, and yeah, I just, I wasn't expecting a for them, for Liz or anybody to ask the questions that were asked.

But but also I didn't expect to be prepared to be as honest as I was. I thought I would probably reserve it for a one-on-one with Dave. But I think it was good. I mean, they sent me. Literally, and, you know, figuratively, financially. And so I, you know, I couldn't conscience not be totally honest with him, and I am going to share this journal with him eventually.

But I was really glad at the honesty of some of the questions. Dave had a question and, and Terry said something, Clara, something I really liked that Claris had Claire Burrows. I said, I told them about the rain at every stop on the way. and how I'm sure there's meaning in that. And because, you know, it rained as soon as we crossed the border.

It rained the entire time we were in him on, it rained in Beirut on a layover. It rained Paris on a layover. It rained in la all the way up until the last day I was home in, in Los Angeles. I said, There's, I'm sure there's meaning that I just haven't figured it out yet. And she said, You know, In Hawaiian culture we welcome I can't remember the name of, I believe it was the God Goddess of Rain.

It may have just been the Hawaiian word for rain, but I'm not sure. And she said, you know, in Hawaiian culture it's, it's bringing new life. . And that you know, you're washing away the old and bringing the new it's very similar to baptism and it made me think of, and I think I mentioned this like in the Bible, the rain, you know, in, in modern context, like I was always taught.

You know, the rain comes, you get inside, you bust out an umbrella and you kind of hunker. But in ancient cultures, especially in thematic tribes, like the Israelites, Rain was very literally it brought life. If it didn't rain, you weren't eating for the most part. And so I first thought of that during the civil unions thing when it rained during our rally at night.

And I said, You know, that's, that's, you know, God with us, that's a Manuel. Reminding us and giving us this blessed day, the, the rain and everything. And so I was, it was a good conversation. I was really impressed. Then the service itself was just incredible. I brought up the civil union's thing during announcements, and then Callo actually shared that three times that day.

He was accosted for being gay. And it was just really heartfelt. And I, Terry had told me before that he was sobbing. He told her about the thing, you know, when he first found out that he wasn't eating right or he wasn't eating and everything. And so it was really painful. I mean, this is a member of the body of Christ and a member of my church who's directly affected by this.

And I, you know, and when I made the announcement, like I'm not totally directly affected by it, but I mean, there are a lot of people who are. and and then Ruth went to give Cleo a hug and he just held it and he just started sobbing it. It was real. Obviously he couldn't help himself. . And so people just started coming up and sharing in this group Hug is real good.

And Gabe got up and talked about how he brought his kids. He brought his kids to the the hearing the other day and they were asking, they said Dad, why are all these people yelling? It looks like they're mad at each other. And I said, Yeah, that's, that's basically. But you can't be mad at someone unless you really care for them.

And it's really you know, this kind of interesting evangelical, charismatic moment. I mean, Gabe raises his hand and, you know, eyes closed. Thanking God for the Holy Spirit as is you know. Here with us and everything , so it makes you think, you know, we're not so different from our opponents. But it was a really good experience.

And then we, Terry and Kleo and Elaine and Jen and I went out for lunch afterwards. Jen wasn't able to stay very long, but it was just a good time. I think Kale felt really good afterwards. So Terry's about to come in from the water, so I'm gonna cut this short, but yeah, every incredible day, I think I'm ready to wrap up my journal.

Probably gonna go somewhere, give it a cut, more pen strokes and, and call it call it a, call it complete for now, but yeah.