Trail of Dreams World Peace Walk…
Sharing Our Journey
By Audri Scott Williams

Walking for peace, walking for love …The Trail of Dreams World Peace Walkers began their journey on October 21, 2005 in Stone Mountain, GA. As I write this article we are now in Ville Platte, LA, about a four-hour drive west of New Orleans just off highway 190. By the time you read this we will most likely be leaving Beaumont, TX continuing westward on our walk. That’s a lot of miles! It is also a lot of living and learning. We have so many stories to tell… funny ones, as well as touching ones.

A Funny One: Thanks to one of our Trail Angels (blessed ones who show up as an answer to our prayers) we received our “sweet chariot,” the Turquoise Turtle, a beautiful RV, perfect for six people (Tony Shina, Lessie Pat Randall, Karen Hunter Watson, Chandelle Binns, Audri Scott Williams and of course, Mama Natalie--Natalie Scott Williams), the evening before we were to leave for our journey. Now, imagine, none of us have ever ridden in, much less operated a motor home – not just any mobile home but a “BIG” diesel pusher mobile home.

The funniest story yet was the first time we had to do a sewage dump. First of all, we waited until the “black water tank” (booboo tank for those who are not familiar with RV lingo) was absolutely full, hoping we would wake up one morning and it would be emptied by one of our Spirit Guides, needless to say, it didn’t happen that way. One day when we had absolutely no choice, equipped with all of our stuff, we head to the dump site. Lessie Pat steps up to the plate. The Turquoise Turtle moves into position next to the dump site (basically a hole on the ground, I am sure there is a tank under the hole) Lessie Pat steps out of the RV equipped with rubber gloves, Tony is in tow with rubber gloves and a big plastic bag. From the bag Lessie Pat pulls out our dump hose, a big hose that came with the RV, and attaches it to the tank thingy. For the sake of the story it might be important to know that the RV is a 1994 model and the hose came with it.

With the hose attached to the black water thingy, she opens the tank and let’s the waste flow. Tony has now eased his way to about ten feet away, still with gloves and bag, Audri is standing well behind Lessie Pat cheering her on, Chandelle is leaning out of the window watching. All of a sudden the hose, with Lessie Pat bending over it to make sure everything is going well, pops off the tank thingy and waste begins pouring out. Lessie Pat grabs the hose, gets it back in position but now has to hold it there. Karen is coming around the corner asking, “What can I do?”   Audri shouts ,   “Not now Karen.”

Karen is adamant, “ But I need to learn.”   Audri shouts back, “Yea, but this is not the time!” Chandelle leans through the window (remember the RV is BIG…about 12.3 feet high, so she is well out of the way), “Can I help? Do you need anything?” And, Tony has backed up another ten feet.

Audri is behind Pat shouting above all the activity, “You got it Pat! You go girl! You are the best!”   Then all of a sudden pin holes begin to open in the hose and now we have a sprinkler system with booboo water streaming in perfect arches all over Lessie Pat.

We still laugh about this story every time we think of it. Point: on a journey like this, you must have a good sense of humor. Having great stories, with good visuals helps you make it through the times when things are anything but funny. When in fact you are so torn you even begin to question how you could possibly make a difference in the world around you.

Touching Story: After being in the gulf region of Alabama and Mississippi and being a part of relief efforts there, we thought we were prepared and ready to face New Orleans. When it was time for us to move on to New Orleans, connections seemed impossible for us to make. I mean nothing was coming through; even the highways seemed to be conspiring against us being able to walk into New Orleans. We did not realize of course that we were emotionally filled and needed a break. In session with our spirit guides/angels, the Grandmothers, we were told that we were being redirected to a campsite northwest of New Orleans along the Mississippi River for two days to rest and recover. We were also told we would drive through New Orleans on our way to Vidallia, LA.

 …Packed up and driving in the Turquoise Turtle, we head along highway 10 towards New Orleans. Just before we get to New Orleans, Lessie Pat asks Chandelle to put in Marvin Gaye’s CD, “What’s Going On.”   As we begin to cross the bridge into New Orleans, traffic slows to a crawl because one of the bridges is blown out and so there is only one lane in and one lane out. As we enter New Orleans the stillness and silence becomes a backdrop for the destruction surrounding us. Mile after mile for as far as we can see homes, communities, businesses, nature, even the air itself were ripped apart. Three months later, three months and it could have been yesterday that Katrina hit.

And Marvin Gaye sings, “Mercy, mercy me, things ain’t what they used to be …”  

Inside the Turquoise Turtle Chandelle and I move in silence to get our cameras, what else can we do? Tony drives on fighting back tears and indefinable emotions. Lessie Pat sees a lady sitting on what is left of her porch with destruction all around her…left behind…no where to go…no means…no options…and she begins to moan and then to wale. Karen moves across to comfort her. We move on.

And Marvin sings, “…make you wanna holla, this ain’t living…”

We move on in a heavy silence. Through the camera lens I wonder if this is what it looks like after bombs drop? Click. Click. I put the camera down.

And Marvin sings, “Mother, Mother there’s to many of you crying… we’ve got to find a way to bring some loving here today…”

Even now, one week later, as we are preparing to return to New Orleans, the Lower 9 th Ward, for a sunrise ceremony for healing and resurrection our New Orleans family, we are filled with Divine Grace and an overflowing sense of love and compassion for those returning to their communities, some for the first time since Katrina. From our experiences in other communities affected by the storm we have come to know the importance of being present to those going through so much trauma. Being present provides a sense that someone cares. It is also a great opportunity to be available, to provide a hug or a touch, maybe even hold a hand.

And Marvin sings on, “Come together … Holy. Holy. People we’ve all got to come together because we need the strength, the power, all the feeling… holy, holy holy… get together one another… holy, holy, holy we should believe in one another … we hold the key to our salvation...”

Moments of Grace:

 ¨When we left Atlanta, I was clear that we were not to take the “World Peace Flame” with us. I was surprised because we carried this flame in a lantern when we walked from Pennsylvania to Georgia in 2000, our first Trail of Dreams Walk. I was therefore curious, “ Where would the light come from for us to carry?” I have learned the power of a single flame on so many levels. A “Trail Angel”, Umoja, connected us to Shanti Villa in Tuskegee. It was there that Sri Charles and Harriette Davis presented us with the Agnihotra ceremony, a fire ceremony that is as ancient as humankind itself. Agnihotra, if practiced regularly, yields great healing power to the atmosphere, (through the science of bioenergy) as well as the individual. We now conduct our Agnihotra ceremony at sunrise every morning and sunset every evening and on occasion throughout the day.

¨In Mobile, Alabama, we met with Rev. Howard of the True Light Missionary Baptist Church. He connected us with church efforts to provide relief efforts to Bayou La Batre, Alabama. During this time our financial resources had dwindled to nearly nothing and I was getting concerned, really concerned. Rev. Howard invited us to his church. We went, were immensely inspired and financially blessed.

¨Finally, through the blessings of our families, friends and communities we are continuing our journey with ease and comfort. Everyday we know how blessed we are because were it not for the grace of LOVE moving through each of you, we would not be here and being here has become the most important commitment we have ever made.

Generally we are not aware of our impact on others, nor the communities we pass through but we hear all the time that we have made a difference, that we have changed something for the better, that we have left a trail of hope, love and compassion. That, indeed, is an answer to our prayers.

Special thanks to all of our Trail Angels from Atlanta and beyond. We love and appreciate you and all that you do.