I'm here!

I am now at Taize! I arrived on Sundqy morning after a shuttle ride to downtown Lyon, a train to Macon, and then a bus to Taize! It is beatiful here and quite qn experience. If there are typing errors in this message, you will hqve to excuse them: I am using a French keyboard and the layout is quite different from an American one. I am at a library in the village next to Taize, and they are only open on Tuedays from 3:00 until 4:30. There are probably a couple of thousand people here, including a contingent of approximqtlet 68 that came with Bishop D. from the New Jersey Conference. The prayer times are quite an expereince: there is no way to describe how a couple of thousand people of different tongues can unite their voices so beautifully singing songs in languages other than their own. The landscape is beautiful and the weather is very pleasant: warm with a gentle breeeze. Everyone is part of a small group. The one I have chosen is a group which wishes to spend the week in silence. We have separate sleeping quarters and we eat separately from the rest of the adults (all adults eat separtely from the youth). Instead of group Bible study, we have a one hour introduction session and then we are given an assigment for reflection on our own. We have been asked to set aside two one-hour blocks for personal prayer and reflection. These are to be designated times at designated locations. I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. Since today is the only day that the library is open, I probably will not be able to make another post until I reach Vezelay (the beginning town for my Camino pilgrimage) on Monday. I am well and keeping your all in prayer. Blessings.