Do They Know?

As I am sitting here, working at the homeless shelter in Chicago, my thoughts wonder to all the homeless, the Roma, and the travellers of the world, especially those in dire situations...

I sit here in this room,
nothing but this bag to call my own
Why am I here?
What has happened?

They say I am a streetrat, 
an outcast, a vagabond.
What do they know?

I sit here praying,
Family's still on the move,
Why are we hated?
What have we done?

They say I am a streetrat, 
an outcast, a vagabond.
What do they know?

I sit here in this slum,
nothing but rot to call a home.
Why don't they care?
How could things change?

What do they know?
We have a history,
We have names.
We are humans.
We are everyone.


 ~ Traveller Gal, out!

Bardic Circle

Why is it that sometimes we get bumbed off course for a short time, only to find it again in the strangest places?  That was what happened to me at "Bardic Circle" this past week.  The Grovers were hosting, and this weeks theme was Native drum circle.   Aaron was there for it of course, as were many other of our traveller friends.   As we began to get started sharing music, songs, and stories, my heart began to cry.  These past weeks while we have been here at JPUSA I had tried to put Dine Bikeyah from my mind.  It hurt too much, but now I realize there is no way to put it out of my mind or my heart.  Tis in there too deep.  This past summer engraved too deeply that Dine Bikeyah and the Dine' are my journey-task.


What now?  We are here in Chicago for until at least next August or September, and after that I have even less clue where we shall journey.  God you have to be in this, because I have no clue what you are up to here.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Journey To Chicago

Here we are in Chicago and my head is spinning.  It was a little over a month ago we were resting against our bags at the St. Louis old Union Station, waiting for our bus and the call came.  "We have a room and an opening for you in P12! Can you be here by weekend of the 8-12th?"  Umm...sure.  Thankfully we packed most of our stuff BEFORE leaving for camp, as that gave us 3 days to pack and head out.  After I got off the phone, Robby and I laughed.  So the journey continues....

As soon as we could get a van, we packed up.  There were only two seats, so we unfolded our dorm chairs behind the driver and passenger seat.  Thankfully Robby's dad is good enough driver, no one even looked twice.  So we arrived in Chicago, on a misty, hot, humid afternoon.  Our host family, Skot and Rachel, had been ill, but Skot did his best to help us get settled.  The room 505 is just a small studio with the shared kitchen down the hall, but it does have its own bathroom.  So after a quick paint job and a matrice pulled in, we were ready to go.  And go we did, Robby has a job as a janitor and I am overseeing the computer lab at the homeless shelter.  My favorite things: Unique Thrift Store and the Free Store!  Like that is really a big surprise.

So, we headed to Wildwood Lake and P12 began middle of September. It was a blast!  The second day I swam the lake from one beach to the other.  ^_^  The cool water and fishys nibbling at my toes was soooo refreshing.  The bible training was so good.  It was just wonderful to be preparing for what ever journey God has before us.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

A wedding...

Today dawned bright and beautiful.  After the departure of our campers, I headed down the the lodge to get ready for Adrian and Anna's wedding day.  Thanks to a friend, I have a green bloose to go with the gypsy skirt grandma bought me prior to her passing.  That with all my Dine' jewlery is perfect!  Robby on the other hand thought that wearing an all black shirt with skull and cross bones was wedding attire.  "What?  In the mountains of the Kentucky, most guys have one good shirt, and it goes for church, weddings, and funerals."

I just rolled my eyes.  "Grandpa Fred, help!"  So once he knew what was going on, Grandpa Fred teased, "What am I going to do with you boy?  Come down to my house." Thus Rob was equipped with a nice grey dress shirt (that isnt black) and a bolo.  He looked so nice, I loaned him my pinstripe fedora.  Then it was off to the wedding.  And what a beautiful wedding it was!  Afterwards, all of us from BABR headed to Pizza Hut for our own party.  Twas a grand day!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Journey to Broken Arrow Bible Ranch

 So just a few days ago, we boarded a Greyhound in Knoxville, TN.  So we were in Nashville then on to Memphis.  Next lay over was in Dallas, TX, and after 3 hours sitting in the terminal, the bus fums late at night caused me to throw up.  Not only that, but bags had not shown up having loaded on the sister bus heading in to Dallas.  Finally, just as we were boarding the bags arrived and got loaded on the next bus.  Then it was on to New Mexico.  We grabbed lunch in Tucumcari, and 37 hours after starting we arrived in Gallup, NM.  We quickly crashed in bed, content to be done traveling for 2 months.

Robby had gotten sunburned our second day there, so he crashed in the lodge.  I on the other hand was restless.  I told Robby I would be back in time for supper, as I was going on a walk.  Slowly I walked up the end of the road, then continued on down to Joe Milo's Trading Post.  There I found a cedar wood flute for Robby's 39th birthday coming in July.  I also bought myself a mini Navajo cradle board, until I can get a full sized one for my future children.  After browsing around for a while and buying a can of ice cold Dr. Pepper, I headed back to BABR.  By the time I returned, Robby was all worried.  " Were were you?", he asked.  I smiled slyly, "Hunting gifts."  He scolded a wee bit, but then let it rest.

After we finished the main part of training, we headed up to Mt. Taylor, the Turquoise Mountain, to go camping.  I was excited, as I never had been camping over night.  Of course, we nearly never got our tent up, thank goodness for friends.  After a good night sleep, we hiked to the top of Mt. Taylor, and may then biked down...sadly my ankle was acting up and Robby had stabbed his knee on a yucca plant while taking pictures, so neither of us rode.  It is a great start to the summer!

~ Traveller Gal, out! 

Spring... And a Passing...

Spring here in Tennessee is strange to me.  After 23 springs in Kansas, and one in Michigan, spending one in Tennessee is a change.  Easter has come and gone, with a cool, cloudy day Easter Egg hunt with the nieces and great-nephew (I married into be a great aunt, his mom is my age!)  Work is going well, though it is hard to convince our families that neither Rob nor I want fancy cars, homes, or stuff... ministry comes first to use.  Though a few gypsy lamps and pirate chests are a great addition to our one room.  ^_^

April has brought the passing of Robby's grandma, Sylvania.  I so wished I could have known her more, but she was to frail by the time I joined the family to talk much.  Robby says she would have loved me, I know the one time I got to braid her hair she fell asleep, a sign of deep trust. I wish I could have learned more from her, Robby says she had so much to share.  Where ever we head, I know her memory will travel with us.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

A visit to JPUSA

What an adventure the past few days have been!  Robby and I journeyed up to Chicago, on a scouting trip to JPUSA to see if we wish to do their year long internship called Project 12.  This is also to be our honeymoon trip!  True Chicago in the winter is not where most people would go, but when have Robby and I ever been most people?  The loft we are staying in is glorious, though cold, but it is winter and to be expected.  We are enjoying the them alone.... not in his parents home.

After some scouting, a tour of JPUSA's buildings, working with Skot and Rachel at the shelter, and shopping at the Free Store and Unique Thrift Store.  Robby and I went with Skot and Rachel, plus alot of friends to drive around Chicago.  First stop, with Skot driving, was the cemeteries of course!  LOL.  But our friend the Trickster, a lone coyote was waiting in one.  We quickly moved on, and ate at a tasty vegan cafe as some in our party are vegans.  Then it was off for more driving around Chicago. I am nearly sure Skot knows where nearly every movie here was shot, at least that is important to him or interesting.  LOL!

~ Traveller Gal, out!