Florida Hospitality

The success of our exploration into the gator infested Florida territory is directly correlated to the hospitality of Jason LaLonde and the other Florida Parousians. Jason, the leader of the recently established Parousian group at the University of Florida, hosted a small band of LSU Parousians. Saturday evening, January 13, 2007, our posse (six in all) from LSU invaded the foreign campus of UF. Shortly after our landing, our guide Jason quickly appeared.

We ventured to a local restaurant and popular college hang-out, the Swamp. Here we met other members of the Florida Parousians: Mark LaBelle, Amanda Arick, Cliff Whitty, and Kevin Jones (the next morning Ben Burwell would rally with us to St. Augustine). After engaging in small chat and sharing a common meal the culture shock rapidly faded as our new found friends cheered with us as the Saints played on the big screen television.

After dinner all six of us raided Jason’s house where he generously offered us his bed, couch, and floor for sleeping accommodations in his two bedroom apartment. Although his house was neat and well-kept, he never once complained about us messing it up and destructing his normal routine as he slept on the floor.

We couldn’t have asked for a more gracious host. Thank you Florida Parousians! We are humbled to have you join our vision.