Almost Around the World in 120 Days

Posted on by Gregory Wood

Joelle was an amazing woman that I got to know on the voyage.  She inspires me to be a better person.   – Greg Wood

 

By Joelle Powe

In one Ghanaian Pentecostal church on Easter Friday in the city of Takoradi, dapper men and women of all ages dressed in white jumped in praise of God while surrounded by hundreds of fellow worshippers in a tent. This reminded me of many of the Portmore tents of worship at home. In the Ghanaian gathering various clans were called by the pastor to shake their tambourines and bodies for the Lord. Shake up, shake down, and shake it all around! Our band of four joined this joyous dance as prayer.

In Fes, Morocco, we had to peep from a distance. As women we could not join in the worshipping. We peeped through the archway in the Medina and got a glimpse of dozens of devoted Muslim men and boys diligently washing their bodies in a fountain and others performing the bowed ritual of prayer in the mosque. Women and non-Muslims were not permitted to enter.

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How Sugar Ray Helps in Daily Life

Posted on by Gregory Wood

Part of the goal in my stress reduction program is to get my ex-wife out of my head. My healer put me in touch with a former Golden Gloves boxer by the name of “Big Sugar Ray,” as he likes to be called.  His expression is, “No pain no gain in the Big Sugar Ray training.”  He has trained with many known boxers and has lots of stories and quotes he shares during a work out to help motivate me in a positive way.

Sugar Ray helps in my daily life in various ways: we interact man to man,  he understands  the personality of my ex-wife with validation that I may not get from other people.  We add a simple spiritual component to our work.  He puts me though a variety of drills in an hour, from weights to non-contact boxing.  Non-contact boxing for a person on the spectrum benefits from increased motor skills, confidence, social skills, core strength, and overall well-being.  Sugar Ray has worked with many men that have been in mentally challenging marriages.  He also works with people that have have Parkinson’s disease and depression. In working with me, he focuses on my Aspergers, anxiety, depression, and building confidence. My focus, endurance, balance, and spirit have improved over time with our workouts. When I work out I keep my focus on the task at hand and not the problems of the outside world.