Meeting A Pilgrim on the Same Journey

Laura and I experienced a great blessing today. We attended an engaging worship service at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church in Roanoke, VA. We then made our way to the Hotel Roanoke where we found Trevor Hudson, South African Methodist pastor and author of A Mile in My Shoes, standing on the porch, watching for our arrival. We spent the next four hours over lunch and the hotel lobby talking about South Africa, reconciliation and justice, and our families.

Trevor shared so much wisdom with us. He has a gentle, deep, and courageous spirit and easily moves acquaintance into friendship. He speaks of being present and listening to another as one who experiences a pilgrimage into others’ experience. He naturally puts that to practice.

Among the notable reflections he shared, he reflected on the middle class white South African situation during the days of apartheid. He said they were genuinely nice people and that it was natural for them to be largely unaware of the injustices that were taking place; but even more, it was easy to let the government and police to do their sinning for them. This reality is the same that exists everywhere and today among most people of privilege. As a pastor, it was apparent that the oppression could not simply be addressed through the spoken word; that would be like hitting them. It would be more effective to invite them into experiences, to hear the stories of those who were suffering, and let them reflect and be transformed within. This was the realization that led Trevor to develop the Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope immersion experiences. This principle also tends to be effective as people are led to transformation, becoming transformative for the social community as well.

Trevor shared much more about people he wanted to encourage us to see when we are in South Africa. He also advised that we mix some play with the heavy experiences of learning we are sure to confront. He gave us guidance, so we could be savvy and more “street wise” while there: all good advice. He said that we will be overwhelmed by the beauty of the country.

Finally, Trevor reflected amazement that his writing should reach as far as Northville, Michigan, USA and bring the enrichment and insight we described. We concluded our time in prayer, asking God to bless one another through the journeys we were on, and thanking God for the time our paths could join. As we departed I considered how this brother in Christ, “on the same journey,” as he puts it, is one who embraces great peace and great courage at once. It seems to be a transforming experience merely to be in his presence. That is blessing.