NOVEMBER 2, 2020 ~ As many of you know Ipsissimus Dave and Divina Franca Lanyon and the staff at the Modern Mystery School Western World Head Quarters have been long time, year-round supporters of the Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke located close to the MMS Centre just outside of Toronto Canada. This organization assists Women and their children that have been experiencing domestic violence and abuse. They assist with everything from emergency shelter, escape plans, food, basic needs for living, legal advice, counselling, therapy, job training, and so many other things that are desperately needed for those in these unfortunate circumstances.

We may not yet know every detail of Shamballah, but we do know that it will be built upon a foundation of taking care of one another with love and compassion.

For the past several years we have supported this organization in many ways including donations of requested items (such as winter clothing), volunteering at events, huge financial support, ensuring that all of their clients have continued access to any food items needed, program supplies, funding of entrepreneurship training, gift cards that can be used to purchase medicine for sick children or any additional items needed.  Also, special occasion gifts, as well as event organization and facilitation, and so so much more!

Along with everything else for many years we have also provided everything needed for “Trick or Treating” and a Halloween Party for the 10 families that are living in the shelter during October.  For a North American child Halloween is a very exciting time of year.  It means dressing up in a costume of a favourite character, participating in celebrations at school with classmates, and going door to door in their neighbourhood collecting delicious treats with friends.

Our support includes for every child a costume (also worn to school celebrations), a pumpkin to carve, decorations for their rooms, activates to make and save, candy (of course), party supplies, etc.  Whatever the request is we will deliver, even if we have to scour the whole city looking for a costume from a TV show popular in the early 90’s.  We will make sure it happens.  We do this because we understand how important this piece is for a child, especially in this dynamic where they and their family have been suffering.  Whatever their wish is, we have delivered without fail because they deserve nothing less then our best efforts.

There is a saying that “children are resilient”, and while this may be true they still need to be able to hold a vision where they can see Joy and experience it in order to keep pushing forward day to day no matter what is happening around them.  So, ensuring that these children have these same experiences of fun and joy, that other children do is integral for their future development.

Even with a global pandemic, this year is no different.  Actually, it is more important now then ever to help these children to feel that everything will be ok.  That no matter what they have been experiencing as the ways of the world are shifting due to Covid protocols that they can still experience a bit of normalcy for a North American child by dressing up in a costume of their choosing, decorating a pumpkin, and enjoying some fun treats.  It can seem simple and to some people unnecessary, but as initiates we know how important these times are when you’re a kid.  If you’re the only child in your class that doesn’t have a costume this can feel devasting for a child.  The children in these situations had to leave most, if not all of their belonging behind because their Mom had to sneak them away from an abusive family member in order to keep them safe.   This often means leaving home quickly without much notice, taking very little if anything with them.   The Moms in these situations in an effort to attempt to keep herself and her children safe leave an abusive situation with no belongings and no financial support.  This translates into focus on meeting basic daily needs and nothing else.  Allowing no room for extra items like costumes and treats and very little ability to focus on fun and Joy.

This is where we as initiates come in.  These foundational years in a child’s life are integral to their perspectives and understanding of what is possible.  So, we help them to know that no matter what is going on around them, there are people in this world that care about them and that their wants and needs are also important.   Even with upheaval in their personal life and upheaval around the world they can still be a kid and experience Joy.   Mom wants a costume too – no problem!  Your family has 6 children, no problem! Ipsissimus Dave, Divina Franca and the staff at HQ will ensure they receive everything that they need to have a terrific Halloween.  This is just one way as Initiates in the Lineage of King Salomon that we hold the Light.  We will continue to do so for these families for as long as they need the support.

There is a saying that “children are resilient”, and while this may be true they still need to be able to hold a vision where they can see Joy and experience it in order to keep pushing forward day to day no matter what is happening around them.

For the Moms of these families this can offer a huge relief in many ways.  As you may imagine making the decision to leave an abusive and violent situation is not easy.  For most in this position gaining the courage needed to leave has taken a very long time.  For many others the fear of not being able to provide for their family has caused them to stay with the abuser perhaps longer then they may have otherwise.  For these Moms the ability to see their children smiling, laughing and enjoying themselves along with all the other support provided can help them to feel like just maybe everything will be ok.  The more that we can help them to feel this sense of relief and support the better the chance there is that they won’t go back into the abusive situation for the sake of their family’s future stability.  Every time that we accomplish this, we win a part of the battle.  With enough of these positive experiences we can even help them to win this war.

We may not yet know every detail of Shamballah, but we do know that it will be built upon a foundation of taking care of one another with love and compassion.  Helping even one person in any way that you can is contributing to helping the world.  Please know that if you are in a position that all you can do is help one person you are also contributing to world peace.   We just need to take action ~ for one person or for thousands, it’s the actions that you take on a daily basis that is one of the key pieces that will aid in the bringing of Shamballah.