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| Kayaks for hire |
After
almost a year off the water, a couple of weeks back, I hired a kayak for an hour’s paddle on Wellington Harbour.
Not pushing myself, I was still surprised by the speed I cruised at. That was Thursday 31st May (beginning of winter in New Zealand)
On Friday 1st
June I risked it and got in touch with the Systema martial arts contact person to
start training again. But by Sunday, I wished I hadn’t. Rheumatics had set in
and I could not raise my right hand above my waist. It eased a little during
the day, as it usually did.
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| Fr John Rea SM |
Monday 4th
was D-Day, exactly six months since I had to stop martial arts training in
Christchurch because of vertigo. John Rea, who is known internationally for his
prayers for healing, knocked on my door. He does not usually offer to pray for
healing, but he did now. He prayed: “In the name of Jesus I rebuke the
rheumatics in my brother’s body. Rheumatic’s in Neal, in Jesus’ name, go from
him forthwith and never return. Amen.”
By about
midday, I was moving freely enough to decide to go and meet the Systema
practitioners. Before I reached them I felt freed enough to do some warm-up
exercises with them. By the time we got into training, I was holding my own.
Praise God!
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| Training beside the Harbour |
This group
met at the “Bucket Fountain” in the heart of Wellington and then walked the
400 metres down to the harbour’s edge and trained in the park.
Having been introduced to martial arts as a teenager in central Wellington this
was a real homecoming for me! To date, the vertigo and the rheumatics have been held at bay. Long may it last.
