Some lovely things and experiences need to be drafted. A call does not do justice to it. Some God felt moments, need to be cherished. A few years down the line or sometime soon, when I am in the ditch or at my worst end, I would read up this email and re-live this experience and say - "So what If I cannot feel the Lords presence right now. Time back, he was with me and he did guide me. This not so nice moment that I am currently experiencing is a phase and God is doing his work and will show me the way soon".
I had a lovely day today. I never imagined it to be so lovely. Not even a month in NZ and I have had my moments of highs and lows. Get irritated not seeing any known faces around, get even more annoyed that certain things I want to go or attend are not easy due to the annoying and not-so-easy transportation. Miss people back home and a not so nice roomie, just adds to it to all. Moments of joy are when people like T walk into your life or sweet gestures shared by N. I say it time and again, I do not know how they would be tomorrow, might get better or worst, but at times when I needed some comfort to make me feel good, God sent them into my life. So let be grateful about such instances.
I had a lovely day today. I never imagined it to be so lovely. Not even a month in NZ and I have had my moments of highs and lows. Get irritated not seeing any known faces around, get even more annoyed that certain things I want to go or attend are not easy due to the annoying and not-so-easy transportation. Miss people back home and a not so nice roomie, just adds to it to all. Moments of joy are when people like T walk into your life or sweet gestures shared by N. I say it time and again, I do not know how they would be tomorrow, might get better or worst, but at times when I needed some comfort to make me feel good, God sent them into my life. So let be grateful about such instances.
From the time I reached NZ and heard about the Divine Retreat Priest Fr Michael coming to NZ for a one day retreat on 18th Sept 2016, I have been wanting to attend it real bad. The day was Today. The venue like every venue was Faaaarrr.. What is close is also distance away by Auckland Transport. So ye, this was a 45-minute travel distance for me. I googled all the maps, figured out which buses I need to take this morning, what time I should take bus 1 and from where I should take bus 2 and where I should get down and then walk, etc etc. All set was I. The time for the retreat was from 1pm to 7pm. Again, not very pleasant either. I decided to not attend the full retreat and the plan was I would leave the church by 5.15pm itself and take the 5.45 bus to the transport station and then walk the 25minute walk home. So it doesn't get too dark in the evening while I walked the street and it seemed a good plan to me.
The morning came. I looked out. It was a bad morning. It had been pouring the whole night and I could literally see the rains + the heavy breeze from the window. Least expected, I gave up on this retreat. Tomorrow is first day at work and I couldn't stand a chance of falling sick by getting wet. So disheartened, I said, Its Ok. Some other time and came to my room. It was pouring. I then realised my landlord and Aunty were going to the hospital. I wanted to ask if they could drop me but I kept thinking of the rain and sat back as coming back would be painful. After some time, it stopped raining and without thinking I just walked out and asked my landlord if he could end of the road and I would walk it to the train station. He said Ok. It was the holy spirit that guided me to ask. Because I do not recal, how all of a sudden I just went and asked him as I had given up going completely and wanted to just snuggle in my bed. Anyways. I got ready and he dropped me to the bus station itself. So it saved me a 25minute walk. It means a big thing to me. I waited for the bus. I boarded the bus and since I am so new to the place, I count the stops as per the map, I keep ticking every stop as we pass by in the map. After 20 minutes, I walked to the driver at one stop and said - "Is this Three kings" (the name of the stop). So a gentleman said, "No not this. Are you going to the church?" I said "Yes. St Terese". He said, "I am going there too. It is the next stop". And we got off at the next stop.
Now we get down. I notice he's an old man.Fair, bearded and spoke with an accent. Must be a 70+ man, thin, lanky.. So I told him, thank you so much and introduced myself and informed him I was new to the country. Just three week old. So he spoke to me nicely and then he removed a lunch box nicely packed from his bag and offered to me. Initially, I felt weird to accept it, but people here are very courteous. I did not know how to say a No. So I asked him, "Oh is everyone going to be getting a lunch pack too". He said, "No. This one's for you. Keep it in your bag" I accepted and said thank you so much. Yes, I had not eaten my meal either. So I did feel good about it. And it did look nice with a chicken tandoori leg, two mini sandwiches, a muffin. And we kept walking the church lane. And I went ahead and sat and he managed to come and sit next to me. He asked me about my course and guided me on certain things on where I could search for my part time. I asked him about his family and stuff. So he said he was from India and came here in the year 1986 and thus knew NZ really well and so was guiding me. He told me how I should be a part of church groups, make my contacts, as networking is important . I realised, along with Nana T, I found Papa T. He was a nice man. Later, he told me he was a retired Chef with an leading airlines and he packed these meals as he made for himself for a few others. :-) I felt so nice. An old man, sharing his joys with others. Imagine the void in him with no wife, kids settled in other places. He prayed well too. Maybe that was his comfort. Isn't it the reason why, he travelled by bus, so old and managed to be there for the retreat.The session was good and Fr preached so well. I was feeling so blest to have got a chance to attend. Fr's talks were so funny and I laughed so much. I met a guardian angel who advised me on where I should search for part time jobs, etc etc
It was 4 and I had deiced by 5.20 I need to walk out too. We had a break at 4.30 and I went to the main hall to have some tea and cookies. As I was waiting in the cue, I happened to meet a White Lady. We were initially discussing about our tea that took so much time and I asked her - Are you enjoying the retreat. And she said Yes. It's great and she happened to introduce herself to me and vice-versa. E was her name.She was from England, came 4 yrs back to NZ and stayed with her kid and husband. She stayed the other side from where the retreat was and from where I travelled. So she travelled a distance. We exchanged no's and spoke about our families, etc. I was informing her,that I need to leave at 5.20 to catch a bus. But she said she could drop me home and I should wait for the entire service. Apprehensive, i kept telling her driving back to the north shore would be a long drive. She was reluctant and said No, she would be fine and I should just wait. In our chat, she said I should come over to the north shore for my weekends and stay with them. They live on the beach. As I have no family here, she said plan and I will pick you. She works with an NGO as a refugee support volunteer. I thought she did a noble job. She was so warm and comforting as she felt sad about me being all alone in NZ.
And the break ended and we back to the church. It was the inner healing. It would have been the part I would be missing out on, had I not met E. So yes, she was my guardian angel 2. The inner healing is the best part of the retreat. I was praying and just thanking God for these two wonderful people in my life, for changing my mind and bringing me to the retreat and so many other things. I claimed the blessing for a small baby that was sick, who would be healed for Natasha's kid. After some time, Fr Michael during the inner healing called out and said - Arlene, You are healed. And yes, my heart did skip a beat. But I felt just so awesome.
I so believe this first retreat in NZ was a purpose driven retreat for me. and was meant for me. Before coming to NZ, I wanted to attend retreats and I could not. And I had a chance here. Fr preached about getting to see the glimpse of the kingdom of God in various way where God reveals himself to us in different ways. He reiterated the fact-it is only a glimpse. Take note of those moments, when you feel his presence and do not forget them. Remember the fact, he works in varied ways. You might not feel his presence during tough times, but recall the moments when he did show you a glimpse of his kingdom through Love, Forgiveness and other ways.
Now we get down. I notice he's an old man.Fair, bearded and spoke with an accent. Must be a 70+ man, thin, lanky.. So I told him, thank you so much and introduced myself and informed him I was new to the country. Just three week old. So he spoke to me nicely and then he removed a lunch box nicely packed from his bag and offered to me. Initially, I felt weird to accept it, but people here are very courteous. I did not know how to say a No. So I asked him, "Oh is everyone going to be getting a lunch pack too". He said, "No. This one's for you. Keep it in your bag" I accepted and said thank you so much. Yes, I had not eaten my meal either. So I did feel good about it. And it did look nice with a chicken tandoori leg, two mini sandwiches, a muffin. And we kept walking the church lane. And I went ahead and sat and he managed to come and sit next to me. He asked me about my course and guided me on certain things on where I could search for my part time. I asked him about his family and stuff. So he said he was from India and came here in the year 1986 and thus knew NZ really well and so was guiding me. He told me how I should be a part of church groups, make my contacts, as networking is important . I realised, along with Nana T, I found Papa T. He was a nice man. Later, he told me he was a retired Chef with an leading airlines and he packed these meals as he made for himself for a few others. :-) I felt so nice. An old man, sharing his joys with others. Imagine the void in him with no wife, kids settled in other places. He prayed well too. Maybe that was his comfort. Isn't it the reason why, he travelled by bus, so old and managed to be there for the retreat.The session was good and Fr preached so well. I was feeling so blest to have got a chance to attend. Fr's talks were so funny and I laughed so much. I met a guardian angel who advised me on where I should search for part time jobs, etc etc
It was 4 and I had deiced by 5.20 I need to walk out too. We had a break at 4.30 and I went to the main hall to have some tea and cookies. As I was waiting in the cue, I happened to meet a White Lady. We were initially discussing about our tea that took so much time and I asked her - Are you enjoying the retreat. And she said Yes. It's great and she happened to introduce herself to me and vice-versa. E was her name.She was from England, came 4 yrs back to NZ and stayed with her kid and husband. She stayed the other side from where the retreat was and from where I travelled. So she travelled a distance. We exchanged no's and spoke about our families, etc. I was informing her,that I need to leave at 5.20 to catch a bus. But she said she could drop me home and I should wait for the entire service. Apprehensive, i kept telling her driving back to the north shore would be a long drive. She was reluctant and said No, she would be fine and I should just wait. In our chat, she said I should come over to the north shore for my weekends and stay with them. They live on the beach. As I have no family here, she said plan and I will pick you. She works with an NGO as a refugee support volunteer. I thought she did a noble job. She was so warm and comforting as she felt sad about me being all alone in NZ.
And the break ended and we back to the church. It was the inner healing. It would have been the part I would be missing out on, had I not met E. So yes, she was my guardian angel 2. The inner healing is the best part of the retreat. I was praying and just thanking God for these two wonderful people in my life, for changing my mind and bringing me to the retreat and so many other things. I claimed the blessing for a small baby that was sick, who would be healed for Natasha's kid. After some time, Fr Michael during the inner healing called out and said - Arlene, You are healed. And yes, my heart did skip a beat. But I felt just so awesome.
I so believe this first retreat in NZ was a purpose driven retreat for me. and was meant for me. Before coming to NZ, I wanted to attend retreats and I could not. And I had a chance here. Fr preached about getting to see the glimpse of the kingdom of God in various way where God reveals himself to us in different ways. He reiterated the fact-it is only a glimpse. Take note of those moments, when you feel his presence and do not forget them. Remember the fact, he works in varied ways. You might not feel his presence during tough times, but recall the moments when he did show you a glimpse of his kingdom through Love, Forgiveness and other ways.
I have connected this mail to just his theme of today's retreat. Where I actually experienced the kingdom of God, in the form of two lovely individuals who I met today when I felt all low and down - T and E. They were God sent angels in my life. When I do not know where the church is, I find an angel leading me to it. When I felt lost and worried about how would I travel back home, I find an angel ready to drop me home. When I think about all the worries of being here and people back home and other things, I hear my name at the healing service by Fr Michael, an angel sent to New Zealand and realise - God is true to his promises. Have faith
A wonderful day this was. God bless E and T and thank you Jesus, for giving me a chance to attend a retreat that I had given up hope on.
*Names have not been disclosed and kept confidential.
No comments:
Post a Comment