Sept.15-20

This is the last instalment of our trip. We’re traveling down highway 69 south. Just like a pair of horses that have been turned toward the barn, we’re going home. The last five days have been grand, just like this whole trip.

Wednesday morning and afternoon we stopped at several churches in Sault Ste Marie. They received us joyfully buying books and telling us about their ministry. The Bible Book store down town gave us the brush off. They weren’t interested in books written by a United Church Minister, but this lovely little bookstore in the Wellington mall understood the ministry of hospitality and acceptance.

Most of our customers are Roman Catholic, the owner said, a loving smile shining from her face. We’ll buy two and see how they do. Give me your business card, we’ll be glad to order more.

We followed that pleasant encounter by visiting one more United Church, and discovering that this pastor had been at General Council too. After sharing memories and hopes, she bought the books and sent us on our way.

The distance to Sudbury seemed much greater than I had planned. We arrived at my sister Sharon’s at 7:00 p.m. “I don’t cook,” she said, “as she popped rolls into the oven, “but supper’s ready.”

We enjoyed lasagna, Caesar sald, rolls warm from the oven and tarts. Everything tasted scrumptious. For the last three and half days, we were wrapped in the Sharon’s loving arms. I felt as if I had come home. We visited and walked, sold books around the city, went to the Imax theatre and relaxed on her balcony.

This morning, I read Spectacular Stella for the Children’s time and told “An Ancient Love Story “ as the message at St. James In the Valley United Church. Tom sang a solo that went with the theme of the service. This congregation supported me as I became a candidate for ministry twenty years ago. We ended our journey surrounded with old friends. Acceptance and love surrounded us. Of course, we sold books.

We’ve been taking orders for Can I Hold Him, during the last week or so, as all the copies we had with us are sold. There are still a few copies of Stella but very few. We left home with two cases of Can I Hold Him and one case of Stella (held more than the other two since Stella is thin). We’ve left books in book stores in the cities that we visited. Afew are out on cconsignment but not many. Our book trip is a resounding success.

We’ve had a wonderful time together. Tom and I are truly partners and friends. Now, we are anxious to get home. Tomorrow life begins in a new way. I’ve a golf game scheduled weather permitting, and Tom’s Bethel course starts in the evening.

Hallelujah! Thank You God. We’re home.



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