Pilgrimage, People, Privacy and Patience! Part 1

By Susie Shimmin
Photos by Neroli Duffy

A Personal Journey in a Crowd!

It is difficult to know where to begin when describing the recent sojourn through Italy … so perhaps at the beginning … it took me some time to make the decision to attend the pilgrimage part of the journey. Summit University was a “given” for me … Assisi, Saint Francis and Saint Clare … Magnet of the Heart in their heart, but the PILGRIMAGE with so many people, now that would take some work on my perceptions, patience, privacy, physical stamina, and…

I sat at my computer, contemplating whether to hit the button to say “yes” to the pilgrimage and it felt like someone pushed my finger … well that was done now!

I set off on July 28 with my friend Robin, on an adventure that would prove to be life-changing. First stop, Rome for three days to adjust to being in Italy. I hadn’t been there for 30 years and remembered that back then as the train crossed the Italian border, everything seemed to slow down and fall apart! Surely, after 30 years this would not be the case! Well, we got off the plane at Fiumicino Airport, walked what seemed to be an interminable distance, to get to customs/immigration, when lo and behold, they had forgotten to open the doors. So an entire aircraft was standing in a passageway while someone went to find a key … so not much had changed in 30 years!

We laughed! We hopped on the double decker bus and toured Rome from the top floor … what a great way to get around. The best way to orient yourself. The food was excellent, our hotel was great, and their breakfast extraordinary and their coffee the best (real espresso) I had had since leaving Australia (sorry U.S.A.) This augured well.

Friday came and we headed out to the airport again to meet the shuttle for Assisi and all our friends, some from Australia and many news ones we were eager to greet! We went to the Terminal and waited, waited, waited, and waited under the Meeting Point sign …. No-one came for us! Fortunately I had purchased (at great expense, and don’t do it if you go there) a local sim card at the airport on the way in and was able to contact Neus (Assisi), who contacted her people, who contacted their people, who contacted their people and so it went on …. David Tonkin to the rescue (not the only time in the journey either). Again, the wheels had not quite turned with the communication with the tour guides and we headed to another Terminal to greet the bus and all our friends who were on board.

We journeyed with great joy and happiness to Assisi, arriving at our hotel, tired, thirsty but joyful to finally be there … our rooms were fabulous (although VERY hard beds.) Time to investigate Assisi and buy some supplies.

What a beautiful town – one of the locals told us that it is too religious for them to keep living there, and how hard it is for them …. Always good to know how the locals view their town.

Slowly each day, more and more people arrived until we were at our full complement – 250 people from 32 countries …. Wow! There were people there I had never met at the Ranch and what a delight that was to get to know so many new faces.

Summit University – this was an extremely wonderful experience for me. Lifting the bar higher in consciousness for me, deep, deep experiences … communion with the Masters, God and my Holy Christ Self. I could tangibly feel the presence of Kuthumi and Mother and those they brought with them to share the experience. I suspect that the first Magnet of the Heart was experienced on the etheric level and this one was very physical…

Feeding 250 people was always going to be a challenge, but the hotel rose to the occasion (eventually) and we even managed to get Charles the head waiter to smile and laugh … no mean feat I might add. The staff melted in the light and we could see a spring in their step and happiness in their demeanor.

Our Summit University team, Carla Groenewegen, David Drye, Peter and Neroli Duffy, Linda Worobec and the AMAZING translators, presenters – Sharon Shaw – all delivered an SU to remember. Thank you one and all. But we must take our hats off to Neus Perez and her team for finding the location and arranging everything for us – when there was a hurdle to overcome, they did it – quickly, efficiently and quietly. God bless you, Neus and your team – SU was a resounding success due to your efforts!

Next, Part 2, The Pilgimage…