ExWayDaryl

Greetings everyone. Matters more urgent have kept me away, however, I am back. Thank you one & all who took the time to respond to my post - it will take a little time to go through the whole topic and address every response. That said: Hope, Thank you for responding! Yes it is unfortunate you won't be able to attend Steve & Cindy's wedding, however, some the pictures, as I understand it, will be posted here. (For everyone's info, Hope and I were WOWs on Long Island in '82-'83.) Be well, be prosperous, be at peace! Daryl

I admit I'm entering this discussion a little late, and this is in reply to a previous post... Is it necessary to have a .com site rather than .org to sell things? National Public Radio (npr.org) sells things from their site.

Greetings one and all. My name is Daryl Lamkey, and I’m known in the chat room as ExWayDaryl. I’ve been told I should post my story here, and that is my intent. But first, some background. I’m a WOW vet, ‘82-‘83, Long Island, New York, with one aborted year as a WOW in Philadelphia, in ’80-81. PFAL (‘78) & Advanced Class Grad, (‘83). I’m also a Vietnam era veteran – USAF, active duty 1968-1972, honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1974. I’ve worked in Way Productions directly and peripherally. I was the crane operator on the video “Athletes of the Spirit”, and I worked on David Savatteri’s video, “God’s Royal Household” where I did special effects photography, calligraphy (for titles), some of the cinematography, film editing and conforming. I also worked with David at ROA (’85 I think) when “God’s Royal Household” premiered. In October ’82, during my WOW year, I was called to HQ to work with Steve Budlong and Susan Miller to work on Steve’s film, “The Teacher,” as key grip and crane operator. This included filming at the handover (or should that be hangover?) of power from VPW to LCM. I even got mentioned in the Way Mag for that one! For a variety of reasons, I’m no longer with TWI. The straw that broke the camel’s back, however, was my sister. After I got in the Word, I told her all about it. She became enthused, took the class, as did all 4 of her children. So did my mom. Another story. In 1989, when I was already drifting away from TWI, my sister, a single mom raising those 4 kids, was discovered to have a brain tumor. They removed the brain tumor, and after pathologic analysis, the neurosurgeon delivered the verdict: Cancer. He went on to explain that cancer, as with most things, happens in degrees. He added that on a scale of 1 to 10, my sister’s tumor was a 10. He said, “When it comes back, and it will come back, we could remove it, but that would just be a holding action.” I went home and made phone calls, to everywhere I could think of where “believers” lived, or used to live, or might someday live. And I asked everyone to pray for my sister. I called Headquarters in New Knoxville. And CG’s place in Scotland. I thought that there was a certain advantage in having many praying, praying perfectly, for her. After all, doesn’t it say, “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”? I prayed too. I spoke in tongues when I awoke. I did so all day long. I did so going to as I drifted off at night. I might have done it in my sleep as well. After about nine months, the tumor returned, times three. When my brother showed up at my apartment to deliver the news that our sister died, I stopped speaking in tongues then and there, and haven’t done so since. My sister was buried on June 2, 1990. She was 49, younger than I am now. In November I turned 55. Of all the people in the world with whom I could have entrusted my soul, my sister was well within the top five. But she never lived long enough for me to come to some sort of maturity to try to trust her. All the time I had been in The Way, all the time before then that I had been living my so-called “life”, I was living a lie. And I could not bear it anymore. No one knew the real “truth” about me. Even the “Reverend” in Philly (WOW year ’80-’81) who accused me of causing division in the family didn’t know, which, frankly, surprised me. I had expected more discernment on his part. Or, later, on the part of Rev. Joe Fair, (with whom I actually struck up a friendship after my NY WOW year! He is actually a decent, loving individual when you get to know him!) No one had a clue. I originally “came out” to a wonderful girl, Sue L., (my first Twig, Wilmette, Illinois, in 1979,) who immediately told her twig coordinator. Then they told me that it’s God’s will for me to be “straight,” “heterosexual,” so-called “normal”. They knew about me because I told them. OK, so here’s the truth. I’m gay. Always have been, always will be. It’s not something I can explain in words that someone who is straight will understand. I just am, that’s all. My studies on the matter since have illuminated this subject. Anyone who has Internet access can look it up for themselves. (And, if you’re reading this, you have Internet access.) Look, I was taught by TWI. I know how to study the Bible. I know what Romans chapter 1 says about me. And you couldn’t fit me there with a 1-megaton tipped Cruise missile coming in at rooftop level. The steps don’t fit me at all. I will detail this if asked. I’ve known I’m gay since before I had a pubic hair I could legitimately call my own. And I’ve tried everything short of a lobotomy to become the “straight boy” that society (and TWI) would have me to be. But hey, it ain’t gonna happen. If the same deity who brought order to a chaotic universe in six days can’t make me heterosexual in THIRTEEN YEARS, then, well, I am the way I am, and you will have to accept that. I have. Or at least, I’m trying to, still. “Coming out of the Closet ” is not an event. It is a process, and that process can, for some, last a lifetime. I know who I am. I know what I am. The “God” part, I’m still working on that one. Please bear with me. Thank you, gentle reader, for your attention. I wish you peace, long life, prosperity. Daryl J. Lamkey (Currently living in Franklin Park, Illinois, a suburb just west of Chicago.)

I was so depressed last night! I was going to take a thousand aspirin and kill myself! But after I took the first two, I felt a whole lot better!

Hi! I'm looking for Eilleen Wood. She is now married and I think her married name is Diers. I've been told she might be in Indiana now. I would just like to know if she's alright, happy, healthy, prospering. I met her while I was a WOW in LI, NY, during WOW year 82-83. She was one of the most wonderful people I've ever met. Thanks for any information. Daryl J. Lamkey dlamkey@sbcglobal.net

Then there was the time the prophet Abraham wanted to upgrade his PC to Windows 2000. (2000BC that is.) His son Isaac said, "Wait a minute, dad, you can't do that!" Abraham said, "And why not, my son?" Because your computer doesn't have enough memory" responded Isaac. Abraham thought for a minute and replied, "Not to worry, son. God will provide the RAM."

I met her while I was WOW in LI, NY, during WOW year 82-83. She was as besutiful as she was wise, loving, forgiving and intelligent. We lost track of each other at some post-84 ROA or other. I would very much like to find out that she is happy, prosperous and doing well in her current situation. If she does not want to hear from me, I will understand. I just want to know she's OK. Thank you for any information! Daryl Lamkey ExWayDaryl