My fifth pilgrimage

This is my fifth pilgrimage with True Life in God. Of course I need to ask myself: why? Why do I continue to go to these TLIG pilgrimages?
Is it because of the many religious sites we are visiting? To be honest: no. Not at first hand at least. And I usually don't like traveling with large groups.

So then, why am I going? The answer lies rather in the community of True Life in God. We who are gathered here share a common experience of something that God has given us from heaven. This "something" is stronger than that which divides us. It is stronger than all the cultural differences that we  face here - and they are many. 
I am realy amazed how people from so different places as USA, Ethiopia, Latin America, Iceland, Papua New Guinnea, China, South Afrika - and even Sweden - (just to mention a few of the 60 countries represented) in these Messages recognizes one and the same voice of the Shepherd. It is a kind of Second Pentecost Day, when the barriers between people are taken away. Only the Holy Spirit can send a new Pentecost.

It is obvious that God from above has intervened, and wants us to be here. No human initiative, how good they might be, could have done this. It is so forceful and surprising, and God is indeed the God of surprises.

This is the real reason why I am going, year after year, on these pilgrimages and retreats with TLIG. It seems like God has called me, and probably the most of the participants on this pilgrimage, to be in this specific "river" of the Spirit that God is sending to call humankind back to Himself, and the Christians to be One.