Niilo, your life has been an inspiration to me in so many ways but what stands out beyond all else is your life as a Quaker. It is not likely that I would have discovered the Quakers without your lighting my path in that direction. For that I am grateful. So, as I followed the footsteps of George Fox through Northwest England last fall you were very much in my thoughts and with me in spirit. I thought of you so often on that trip – at the British National Train Museum at York, exploring the dungeon under Lancaster Castle where George Fox and many other Quaker were imprisoned, or during Meeting for Worship in the Great Hall at Swarthmore. I want to share just one of the many incredible experience I had during four days of visiting 1652 Country Quaker landmarks guided by local Friends from the Kendal Meeting. The story I wrote of our climb up Pendle Hill is too long to post here so I will e-mail it to you via Heather.

Thank you Chena and Heather for sharing your thoughts through this website and for allowing all of us at such a great distance from Chena Ridge who care so much for Nillo – but who cannot come too see him – to be part of your homestead family during this time.

–Bob Betts

2008/05/05 at 3:20 PM