the Glocal Trekker Blog

I'll write as much as I can. I have 15 minutes. Everything that could go wrong did—schedules, meetings, planes, all switched, changed--you name it. Wound up spending a lot of time in DaNang--not supposed to, but it was good. About to meet with the Party Chairman of the Dak Lak Province--makes him on the Central Committee here. First time we'll be as a group in a meeting--a journalist, pastors, businessmen, etc. Several good things seem to be in store.

This morning I got up early and ran along a river on a path in downtown DaNang. As I was running over a huge bridge, Vietnamese were there and, when I got around 20 feet from them, they kept turning around to look at me. I couldn't understand why. Once before when that happened, I had pulled my shirt up to my face to wipe the waterfall of sweat--they laughed at my highly sculptured abs--thanks to Texas BBQ and BBIC! But, I couldn't figure out why people kept turning around and looking this morning and, then, I saw it-- the way the sun was shinning, it was casting a long shadow of me and they would see it coming up from behind them. WOW! Made me think of the Spirit. That's how the Spirit works. You don't see the Spirit, but you know the presence of the Spirit and it makes things happen. Can't define it, but you sense it. Spirit, be all over our meetings this day.

I was running around a lake near the hotel where I'm staying when I came up on a father and son running. The son was wearing his long gym shorts like I saw my dad wear his boxers as a kid-- right up under his chest! Watching that little fat Asian kid run left me laughing. I passed him and he speeded up--not wanting the fat white guy to pass him. He was grinning. He and his dad went right, I went straight, when all of sudden I was on this green moss over the sidewalk that was slick. My feet went flying out from under me. It was a perfect slide as if I was playing baseball! All these Vietnamese with black teeth and one tooth and no teeth were laughing so hard at me and when I looked up, they all stopped. When I grinned at them, they exploded with laughter. It made me see how much people respond to how you respond. How much do we really see? How much do people really let us in? If we don't see what's real, no solution works.

In Vietnam, and already crazy things are happening--the schedule changing--much of what I've come to expect over the years, so it's ok. I just need really good discernment to hear with my eyes, see with my ears, smell with my hands, taste with my nose, etc.… Discernment is everything. Facts are only part of the story. To get to the truth, often you have to experience other senses.

Had the craziest thing happen--met a guy here who came because he had read my book, knew I was coming and he wanted to meet me. He wants me to get a million of my Transformation books out there. He's a business guy and was telling me my book is for people like him--not preachers!

Jill - if you're reading this I saw you on the way back from my run. I have you on video when you were about 8 years old showing all the adults how to cross the street in front of the Daewoo. I stood at that corner after running and caught my breath. Thinking of you in your pants, your Aussie hat, and the proud smile you had telling them to do like you did--you're an awesome daughter, Jill. Study hard--this place needs us.