All went very well.
My responsibility was logistical support. I had been making preparations with the church for quite some time, not only for this Walk but for future walks. Our newest challenge is working around the new 9:00 Contemporary Service which is held in the same fellowship hall where the Walk to Emmaus is typically held. I had prayed about being on the team in this role for the purpose of keeping it all running smoothly. I must say, it all all worked out even better than I expected.
The Contemporary Service required to have one of the talk sessions given in another location, namely the Sanctuary. It also made it necessary for the cook team to cease all activity as it would have disrupted the church service. We instead had them attend the Contemporary Service and even share some songs with the congregation - it was a hit! We certainly boosted the image of the Walk to Emmaus with my church, perhaps even to the point of planting some seeds in getting more people from our church to attend.
One very interesting aspect of this Walk to Emmaus weekend was the weather. Here in Arizona, it usually doesn't rain much - if at all - during any given three days. Forecasts were showing a lot of rain headed our way for the weekend. It had already taken a lot to remove the man-made obstacles for this spirit-filled weekend; now we had to contend with nature. I knew who was in charge. I prayed to God (as I'm sure others) in regards to the weather. I praised God for the rains we've had this year, helping to alleviate our drought. I acknowledged that we still needed more rain to heal our land. Then I asked that God would make this Emmaus weekend occur as comfortably as possible under these rainy conditions.
Sure enough, God answers prayers. The rain came Thursday afternoon but it was quite light, and not enough to interfere with setting up the conference room, the kitchen, and the sleeping quarters. By Friday morning, the rain had grown heavier and steadier. It never let up the entire day. Except when the pilgrims and talk team went to chapel. The rain just stopped. And it stayed that way until they returned to the fellowship hall. Coincidence? No, it was God-incidental. The rain had grown even heavier overnight, but stopped to the point where I saw stars when I awoke early Saturday morning. The clouds were starting to gather again as the pilgrims and talk team went to chapel, but again they were dry. Dark clouds were rolling in from the west and I figured they open up soon. They did as soon as everyone was back in the fellowship hall. The rain continued throughout the day - but stopped in time for the arrival of the Emmaus community for services that evening. On Sunday, there was no rain.
It was a wonderful weekend. With my brothers in Christ, I started some new friendships and deepened several others.
I even experienced God touching my heart in a special way. There were no words, but an overwhelming feeling that God was communicating to me his plan for one of the other team members - that this team member would be the lay leader for one of these weekends in the near future. It was quite compelling, like nothing I've felt before. I shared this feeling with my friend and advised him to be listening for God's call. He said he didn't feel ready; I replied, "None of us ever do." I think his expression reflected surprise toward my reply. Had I prophesied? I don't know, but I think he and I may find out soon enough. Nonetheless, this was a very emotional experience for me.
This is the fourteenth Walk to Emmaus/Chrysalis team I have served on. I was thankful that I took today off from work - I would have had to call in sick anyway. This weekend was exhausting and at times painful for me. Last night and this morning I slept as many hours as I had the entire weekend. I awoke with my head pounding. My muscles ached and my feet hurt. I asked myself if the sacrifice was worth it. My answer was a resounding YES. The heartfelt testimony of the pilgrims - those sheep who were in our charge - bore that out.
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