Street Retreat in Hawaii

In 2006 Laura Friedman participated in a parish ministry internship in Honolulu, Hawaii. As part of that internship she led a street retreat on Saturday, November 25, 2006.

Here is what Laura has to say…

"I worked and trained and continue to work and train with Faithful Fools Street Ministry. The Faithful Fools moved and transformed me. The ministry of the Fools is so simple and so powerful. You want to know the secret to it all? It’s all about presence. You arrive. You bring your whole self as much as you can, your pain and brokenness. your warts and bumps, your beauty, your fears, your strengths, as well as your sense of humor. And you go from there.

The primary vehicle of this ministry is a program called, Street Retreats. I bring the Street Retreat to you and to the streets of Honolulu. Based on a practice of walking meditation, we spend a day walking with an awareness of our judgments, bearing witness to the joy, suffering and absurdity of life on the streets. The Street Retreat is an opportunity to personally reflect on homelessness and poverty. Join us on the streets and be ready to be transformed!

Fool

The Fool is a character of myth who stands in the royal court. A servant to the queen or king, the fool makes light of the truth, and in so doing reveals truth in a new way. The Fool says what others only fear to say. The Fool stands in the space in-between. Not noble, not royal, not common.

Faithful Fools Altar in Hawaii

The Fool delights with humor and reminds us to laugh because life is absurd. The Fool reminds us never to take ourselves too seriously, which is why we wear Fools hats.

The fool experiences life, first-hand, without academic interpretation. The fool experiences life with the heart, in a passionate, engaged way. And then engages the head in light of that experience to analyze, articulate, understand, and transform the inequities of our society.”

Laura previously founded the Faithful Fools in Vancouver.

Read Reflections from the Retreat

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