Jul 15, 2017

Back to the dream, the matter

It has been almost 2,5 years ago that I wrote a post about a dream I have for the building on the top of the hill on the peninsula in Caracasbaai.

The reason was that I had other dreams that took the place of this one, and my prayers and focus shifted to those. As one of those dreams came thru and others didn't, this dream for this building still remains. It only got a bit sharper! Which is good. Hence I should continue to pray for it, but also seriously write down the concept and then leave a link for that here on the blog.

I remember at first I wished this place would be a place where all sorts of creative disciplines would take place: a place for artists to do an artist-in-residence program, workshops for ceramic, for wood, a cinema and an art library. An organic folk garden and an organic restaurant. But in a way just a small group of the population would benefit from this case. I want larger groups of local people to use this building on a regular basis.

Then I thought it would be a great place for churches to have retreats, a place churches would rent to get away from it all and to meet with God again, a place to awaken, to refresh. Above would be dorms and below a large hall where the group gathers, a dining room, and a well equipped kitchen to prepare large meals. The hall is also equipped with a sound installation, a beamer, a little corner with great Christian literature and games.

I still love this idea.
But now I'd love to see this building, still as  retreat place, as a silence retreat place.
There already is a catholic monastery  on the island for this purpose, which is of course run by nuns. But I'm not a catholic nun and in the future neither is the staff. So that's the only difference: the denomination. This silence retreat place has again the same purpose as it always had: to restore, to gather new energy, to heal. The only difference is that the treatment is individual and not for groups. So individuals come for, for example a week, and stay in a room in total silence. No phone, no internet, no books to read, no music, nobody to talk to, nothing. They only get a special detox diet for food (food from the organic garden and restaurant).  Which each meal they get a Bible text, food for thought. (the spiritual food). Each day they are allowed to write down prayer request to the staff (who is Christian) and they will pray for them. So a bit like a catholic nun's job. At the end of their week they can follow in silence yoga exercises (optional) and at the last day of their stay they can take a boat trip, there will be minimum of talk, just to get back into the normal world. Then they return to their lives.

a picture of the design of the bathrooms, connected with the dorm:

The rooms have a feeling of openness and the only thing you see is the ocean, the only distraction you have.

I think the old quarantaine hospital can have 2 new functions in one: the retreat place for groups, by having just bunkerbeds in a one dorm, and in other seasons, the rooms are just for 1 person. It depends of the season and how many churches (groups) book, next to how many single people book for a silence retreat. In any case the purpose of the old building is crystal clear: a place of retreat, of renewing the body and mind and of healing. I want this place to become a place where God truly breaks thru in lives of people, because they allow Him. They are open for the idea to listen and hear Jesus Christ speak into their lives. The rooms can have names that are attributes of God. For example room "Jehova Rapha". The room God heals. Also God comforts or God the Creator etc. Individuals who come for the silent treatment can choose a room in advance. This building, as run by Christians like myself, is a ministry of course, but it is for everyone. Also for people who are into angels, or into Universalism or into 'the Light' and do moonlight mediation sessions. So basically these people are looking for the spiritual and as the staff doesn't preach, they are always ready to share the gospel and pray the prayer requests for the guests. Because the desire for this building is that people can meet and encounter God the Healer and get restored.