UMC General Conference, Day 2

Sarah and I took our time leaving this morning.  We figured out how to use the bus app we put on our phones.  It was just a short walk to the bus stop.  We showed our phones to the bus driver and we were on our way.  A short time later we stepped off the bus and walked just a few blocks to the Jupiter Hotel.

At the Jupiter we checked in at the LYNC center.  We signed up for a shift at the Jericho March and talked to Lance who was sitting at the desk.  I called my husband and learned that the garden and pets are all still alive.  He even covered the garden on a cold night.

We walked over to the convention center and found the first aid station.  I got some bandaids (for the finger I sliced on Monday) and Sarah showed her swollen ankle to the attendant.  He told her to go to another room so she could be taken to urgent care—she decided to wait.  We walked over to the Inn for the volunteer lunch—soup, salad, fruit, and cookies.  We sat with a couple from California and had a good visit.

Sarah and I had planned to attend an Aids vigil but instead we got a LYNC message about a flash tabernacle.  We arrived at the designated location and I helped put up a canopy on a mound of grass.  People wearing rainbow colors began arriving.  We were soon joined by several people in traditional Filipino clothing.  They told of the struggles of their people, the resistance to militarization and plunder in Mindnao.  One woman was a survivor of the recent massacre of farmers who were asking for rice and got bullets instead.  We signed postcards of support and took photos with signs.  This event was part of an effort of intersectionality; people struggling for rights need to support each other.

Sarah and I were scheduled for the 2:00 p.m. shift of the Jericho Walk.  We picked up signs from the previous walkers.  Mine said “Boycott Divest Sanction” and Sarah’s said “Black Lives Matter.”  We began our walk around the convention center, passing other walkers going the other way.  By the time we made it around once, Sarah’s swollen ankle was really bothering her so she went inside to get transportation to an urgent care.  My blisters on the bottom of my feet were hurting but I was determined to finish my hour walk.  A guy named Mike offered to take Sarah’s place and I gratefully accepted. 

I learned that Mike is a pastor who is retiring in just 7 weeks.  He has a gay daughter and officiated at her wedding.  He had a complaint lodged against him but there was resolution without a church trial.  Mike began doing camp outs, his statement about LGBTQ people being left out by the church.  He has been sleeping outside since November.  When we finished our shift we talked a few more minutes.  He showed me his daughter’s wedding photos.  There was so much joy on their faces.  We hugged and said goodbye.

I hobbled into the convention center.  My blisters were much worse.  I sat down and took off my sandals for a while.  Reluctantly I put them back on and made it to the exhibit hall.  I had some good conversations with exhibitors.  There were two pastors from Kentucky and Tennessee with a display about an environmental group.  I scored a free book, video, and leader’s guide for a study that we might want to try at our church.

While I was walking with Mike, a woman in a car stopped and told us about a United Methodist Kairos event.  I learned more about it from a couple of people in the exhibit hall.  When Sarah returned from the clinic (with a prescription) we decided to go even though it had already started.  There were drinks and really good food (this was dinner for us).  While we ate we listened to a Palestinian Christian woman from Bethlehem who told us about the reality of life under the Israeli occupation.  After her the Filipinos we heard earlier in the day spoke.  We left after a little bit so Sarah could fill her prescription. 

Using the bus app we successfully made it back to the church without too much walking.  There were a lot of people in the room next to us when we walked in.  Sarah went to bed in the middle of the yelling and drumming.  It sounds like some sort of drama group.  I moved to the office.  The noise has died down and I think all will be quiet soon.  Sweet dreams. . .

Written on 5/11/2016