In 506 miles, turn right

(Katie)

I woke up this morning in a Winnebago camper on a retirement community for distressed horses (organic ranch) in Santa Rosa, CA.  My waking thoughts were, "yup.  this is real."

Debbie and I drove from Gresham, Oregon, to Santa Rosa, California, to meet up with Matt, Debbie's boyfriend.  Matt is working through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) as a WWOOFer, living on this ranch and caring for the horses.  Matt introduced us to his friends, Mark and Tasha, who are seven months in to traveling the world.  (Anybody need a car driven across the country?  They're looking for a way to get to Boston/New York.)  In exchange/gratitude for being able to stay here last night, we shoveled the horse stalls this morning.

The drive yesterday was epic in mileage, landscape, and conversation.  The last 100 miles or so were crossing over mountains with crazy, windy roads.  It felt like I was back in eastern Kentucky, but thankfully there were no coal trucks.

(The battery on my computer is low, and my internet connection is limited, so pictures of the road will have to wait.)

Before leaving Oregon, we had a fantastic interview with Todd and Laura Bartlett, who are the Director and incoming Program Director for Collins Retreat Center, and also STH alum.  As Laura and Todd reflected on their work of providing a space of Christian hospitality, it struck me how this trip would be impossible without hospitality - indeed, this trip is exemplifies hospitality.  I've been thinking through the theological and doctrinal differences we've encountered so far... in some places (such as the theology surrounding the communion table), unity in doctrine is highly unlikely if not unattainable.  Yet, everyone we have met - regardless of theology - has welcomed us.  Maybe that's where the hope for reconciliation, justice, healing, and ecumenism can come from: hospitality.

As Laura also pointed out, it was only when the travelers on the road to Emmaeus broke bread and offered hospitality that their eyes were opened to the presence of God.