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Travels with Wesley P. Guin

Jack Baker

Hi! My name is Wesley P. Guin (the “P” is for Patrick). I was born in the year 2000 in a factory in China. There were a lot of us there and we all traveled to a place called the United States. WOW! What a country! I was excited. A wonderful person picked me and I went to live in a real nice place called Newburg, Oregon. My lodging was cool and fun.

After a while I was placed on something called a garage sale. It sure seemed busy, people coming and going. One person walked over to me and grabbed me up and hugged me until I thought I could not breathe. She kept saying, “I love him”. I felt loved and warm all over. I think she must have won the lottery because when she left I went with her.

Little did I know at the time that this would become the beginnings of my travels. I had been adopted into the special loving Worldwide Marriage Encounter family. That day I traveled to several places - an Air Museum, a Casino - and I sure had a grand time! My new home became Vancouver, Washington, and I loved it there.

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Travels with Wesley by:
Ken & Cheryl Nagel
Truckee, California, Section 12

January 17, 2004

On January 17th, we went back over Donner Summit to what they called an Admin meeting and then Exec Board in the Sacramento area. There was lots of hugs and love amongst the couples. I got to meet John & Regina Ruport who invited me to stay with them for a while. I hugged Ken & Cheryl good-bye (Cheryl had tears in her eyes). I will miss the snow and the beautiful pine trees but I will be a lot warmer here in the Sacramento area.

December 19, 2003

Ken & Cheryl packed up the car and the dog & we headed back over Donner Summit & over to Santa Rosa, CA. I got to meet their two daughters, son-in-laws, and 4 of their grandchildren, ages 13, 4, 3, and 22 months. We had an early Christmas. I guess this was my first Christmas. Boy, was it exciting opening presents!! Brenna, the 22 month old, pushed me around the house in her new doll stroller. I got lots of attention. The next day we celebrated Korianna's 3rd birthday party. What a fun time! Then we headed back up to Truckee to get the house decorated for Christmas in Truckee. We had several snowstorms including over 2 FEET on New Year's Eve. I've never seen so much snow.

December 15, 2003

I said good bye to Fr. John Rashford. Ken & Cheryl put me in the car and we headed over Donner Summit. The Sierras are beautiful with snow this time of year. We started out going to their doctor but ended up at something called a Zone Board and they later told me it wasn't even their zone. It was a lot like a Love Circle. I went around the group and received lots of hugs and love & gave them candy in return. After a couple of hours we headed back up to Truckee.

December 10, 2003

Travels with Wesley by:
Fr. John Rashford
Seattle, WA,
Seattle Encounter, Section 13

Father John Rashford picked me up from Dan & Charlotte and I saw a lot of snowy hills on my way to Salt Lake City. The sun looked brilliantly on the hills as I got nearer to Las Vegas. I got to see the lights of downtown and also the strip. Then it was time to sleep because I could only see headlights and tail lights.

When I got close to San Diego I saw darkened hills from recent fires.

I spent Friday 12/12/03 at the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the LA Cathedral.

When it started raining on Sunday I left LA for a trip to Truckee, CA. The snow wasn't just in a distance but underfoot. I met Ken & Cheryl Nagel in their beautiful home. The trees around their house were all covered with snow. I went to stay with them for a while.

November, 2003

Travels with Wesley by:
Kevin & Barb Acker
Boise, Idaho
Snake River Encounter, Section 13

In November, we were pleased to begin a special mission with Wesley. At the request of the Bissey's, we were to deliver Wesley to Dan and Charlotte Ackerman in Idaho Falls, Idaho. We took him from our section meeting in Spokane, Washington, to meet our host family in Post Falls, Idaho. Wesley enjoyed meeting Ray & Karen Daigh and their children, Alex, Goeff, and Mandy. He offered everyone treats. This was Wesley's 2nd trip to Idaho.

The next day Wesley returned to our meeting in Washington and began the long seven-hour journey for his third visit to Idaho. Unfortunately for Barb and Kevin, but to Wesley's delight, we encountered pure penguin weather on the trip to Boise. After an hour of snow, icy roads, and dense fog, we made a stop in Donnelly, Idaho for the night. People weather returned the next morning and the roads were good and wet. Lucky it was the Veteran's Day holiday and Acker's didn't have to work.

The next Saturday, Wesley was on his way from Boise to Idaho Falls, Idaho, for the Snake River Encounter team meeting. It was a five-hour trip with a stop for dinner. Wesley met Fran and Kerwin Hassing and their children Elizabeth and Brenna. He learned a little bit about playing pool. On Sunday, Wesley was presented to Dan and Charlotte Ackerman. He was able to join the group for birthday cake and balloons for Charlotte. The Acker's special mission was accomplished.

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Standing: Keven & Barb Acker, Fran & Kerwin Hassing
Seated: Charlotte & Dan Ackerman

16 October, 2003
Father Jim Stephens is a kick! We left Madras, O. yesterday. On the way back we stopped to see the Crooked River Gorge - just spectacular on a beautiful fall day.

Guess what happened this afternoon? I'm going to another Love Circle. A cute young couple, Dan and Kristine are going to host for the first time.

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Bill & Sandra Anderson, Rick & Sandy Morris, Dan & Kristine Ginger, Jennifer Thoene-Burket with baby Christopher and Daniel & Suzanne Bissey. The photo is in Bissey's back yard in Ashland, OR.

14 October, 2003
Well, fluff my feathers! We just got back to Oregon last night and here we go up to Madras to see Father Jim. He's going to become a presenting priest and am I glad because he is such fun and full of love. Today I learned what a trialogue is: that's when a couple and a priest dialogue together.

13 October, 2003.
We head back to the United States today. I said Au Revoir to the ducks. We didn't see any penguins or Marriage Encounter folks. But we did see a lot of friendly people. I would say this is fertile land for recruiting weekends.

24 September, 2003
Bonjour, la France. That's French. And I have a problem. I'm staying at a house where there are a lot of ducks and they only speak French! I've learned three French words: "Vivre et Aimer". It means "to live and to love". That's what they call Marriage Encounter here. I wonder if I'll meet some more of those hugging and kissing people.

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Wesley with Suzanne, Agnes, and her husband

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Wesley with a bottle of bubbly

23 September, 2003
They told me I was going to travel a lot with this couple but I had no idea how far. I've seen the Pacific ocean and now I'm flying - who said penguins can't fly? - over the Atlantic.  Daniel & Suzanne Bissey from Southern Oregon brought me on their trip. The Manoir (house) is their new retirement home near Normandy, France!

September 20, 2003
Portland, Oregon
Hi, it’s me Wesley. My plans changed, I didn’t go to Houston, Texas after all. Instead I made a return trip to where I started my journey. There was an Executive meeting of the Section 13 Coordinators and the Section Pillar heads, so it was an opportunity to do some traveling, meet new friends and visit with my dear old friends, Russ & Carolyn Carpio. It took about 7 hours cooped up in a car to get there, but at least we stopped for a picnic at the beautiful Multnomah Falls. The waterfall is 620 feet high and Indian lore tells of a handsome young hunter, Coyote, who wanted to win the village chiefs beautiful young daughter. One thing the young girl wanted was a pool, in which she could bathe, hidden from all eyes to see. Coyote worked for seven suns, digging a pool, surrounded by trees and bushes and ferns, and from the high rock wall he channeled the river, falling over the slanted rock wall, with spray and mist to hide the beautiful young girl. Watching the water cascade over the rocks in its spray and mist, it was easy to get lost in thought of how Lewis and Clark came by this very same waterfall 200 years ago, and it looked the same then as it does today - except without the crowds of people. I have included a picture of the falls for you to see.

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Multnomah Falls

At the meeting everyone talked about the challenges of helping Marriage Encounter accomplish its objectives by building up strong pillars in each encounter. This is how they hoped to rebuild weak Encounters and strengthen others. I can sure understand pillars supporting a building or a temple, but how can pillars build up a movement? Marriage Encounter sure has some strange language to describe what they are doing.

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Tom & Kathy Dauer, Steve Somnitz, Carolyn & Russ Carpio,
Daniel & Suzanne Bissey (holding Wesley)

Before breaking up I was passed on to some new people. Daniel & Suzanne Bissey from Ashland, Oregon. I got really excited when I they were leaving from the meeting and packing to go on a month long trip to France.

Wow, I've hardly been around the United States and now I'm going to France! I have to quickly practice some French so I will be able to talk with some sweet mademoiselles in a Paris café. Oui. I am off on another adventure.

Click here for a printable page (September 20, 2003) (PDF, 32KB)

August 9, 2003
Is it time to get up already? I attended my first Catholic mass today, I guess, because I am not a real person that requires baptism, that I am now Catholic. As I listened I learned I was attending a special meeting of the Section 13 Board. This was a very special meeting because they do not usually meet at a campsite and bring their families. While the meetings were going on there were other special people there to offer support by cooking fantastic meals and doing all the cleaning of the dishes and tables. Children laughed and played under the guidance of this people who offered so much love. The meetings were very interesting. Topics were brought up and the people in the meetings would listen to each other and offer different opinions and then they would discuss what was best for the other people they represented. I felt something special and heard people talk about the blessings of the Holy Spirit. The families all got together and did what they called family dialogue and then after dinner the day ended with people singing songs about God. I heard someone say they were going to a place called Houston, Texas, I sure hope I can catch a ride. My time with Russ & Carolyn Carpio of Columbia Encounter of Section 13 has been filled with love. They are so filled with a joy of loving and giving to others. I hope the rest of my journeys will be as loving.

August 8, 2003
My bags are packed and I’m on my way to Warm Lake, Idaho, Whoopee! Wow, we traveled 553 miles today. I saw the most amazing things like trains, deer, huge rivers, cows, a lot of horses and a lot of bales of hay. I enjoyed the road trip, but I think we got lost a little. We made several stops at little stores to ask directions. It was neat because even though I could tell we were lost and things could have gotten nasty Russ & Carolyn talked about how much they loved each other and this was just another of many detours they had traveled together in their 38 years of marriage. By the Grace of God we arrived at Warm Lake with time to spare.

August 7, 2003
My new friends, Russ & Carolyn Carpio, told me I was going to do some traveling. It was time for me to see the world. Well it sounds like I’m about to do just that. Tonight I got filled up with lots of Goodies to share on the Journey.  Carolyn told me I would have a journal and pen and that I was ready to go. When I go from home to home I am to share my goodies, especially with the children. I am to stay for a while in each home and meet the friends of the people I am staying with. They are to write in my journal and take photographs of me with their family and friends. Then they are to email the photos and a story about where I have been staying to . When they do this my new worldwide family will able to travel with me and experience my travels with me.

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Carolyn & Russ Carpio with Wesley

Click here for a printable page (August 7-9, 2003) (PDF, 61KB)