I live in the Houston area now, but didn't in the 70's. Of all the exway folks I know here, I can't think of any that were here in TWI way back then. Sorry I can't be of more help.
I'd like to know about the couple that ran the twig in spring branch. Then there was a couple that came as wow's in 76 and stayed, his name was Nate and I have gone blank on hers. A girl named Olivete Donahue. Then Karol Freeborn. I think I may be one of the few people who liked her. The more I think the more I remember faces but few names.
I lived in a one bedroom aprtment off the Gulf Freeway with Larry and Mike Clepper. Cheap rent with three guys in one apartment. We had a wow team of two couples and a single guy move in for 77/78 term. The single guy was a little crazy name was Wayne. They finaly ask him to get his own apartment. It was a little differant that year. We were thrown in with the WOW team for a twig. We were students at University of Houston and ask to register as a group so we could get free room for large meetings.
I remember once setting up for a meeting and they ran me down to get something out of Dr, W. bus and we caught him in his underware. (NO SEX STUFF AT ALL) Its a funny memory though. My greates memory is him standing in the back of the bus pulling up his pants.
I'd like to know about the couple that ran the twig in spring branch.
Are you thinking of the Castellis? They've been in Spring Branch for a while, though I doubt it's been over 20 years. Sorry I can't help you with any of the other names.
WG, I think I remember a wow family in a crappy Hulen apartment. Two guys and two girls in the family? I can't remember names but I might recognize them if I heard them. A childhood friend of mine took piffle in that apartment. I remember Susan Bouldin being the leader of the whole crew, now that you mention it. Wasn't there a family who pretty much left except for one person? I remember a girl named Linda being in a family in a crappy apartment on Maplewood in northeast Ft. Worth. Ouch...my brain hurts from trying to remember.
This train was headed for Houston but has been diverted to Ft. Worth. Oh geez, I just remembered witnessing to a friend and a cousin and we went to what was supposed to be a fellowship in Arlington and some guy did this big hard sell on the colon cleanse! He had charts with disgusting pictures of distended and misshapen colons. I was so embarrassed at the time, but it was enough to keep my cousin from going to any other way events, so it was a blessing in disguise.
Sorry, Tonto, I was one of the girls in the crappy apartments on Hulen Street, with disgusting green shag carpet (the guys had disgusting orange shag carpet). Susan was the other girl.
quote:I remember once setting up for a meeting and they ran me down to get something out of Dr, W. bus and we caught him in his underware. (NO SEX STUFF AT ALL) Its a funny memory though. My greates memory is him standing in the back of the bus pulling up his pants.
I also have fond memories of the 'doos' at the Turner's place in Livingston Tx.
Lee, John, Shelly Turner and their folks.
When I took that Houston PFAL class, the people I remember besides you, Donald and your roomies, were these two Twigs I frequenced. Mike and Mickey Richardson (both hairdressers by profession.)
Then there was this Gal who is now married to a guy named Glenn (her name keeps slippin my mind).
I remember friends I made like, Mike and June Sierling, Robert Gant (who I spent time with in a WOW family home in Springfield MA). There were many others, like Houk Hitchcock, who I have just learned is in the Houston area, and so is Leslie Wind. Leslie is STILL very much in the WAY INTERNATIONAL, with no desire to EVER leave. Two years ago I went to Texas to find ol friends, stopped to see him, and even went to a fellowship. They no longer call them Twig Fellowships. I always thought the 'Tree' concept was cute.
I went WOW that year following my PFAL class, was sent to Holyoke, MA. From there I went back to Austin and served with Rev and Nancy as a 'Fellowlaborer'. What an experience that proved to be.
Met more wonderful people. One of my roomies names was Carla Dupree, I've wondered what ever became of Carla, and others like, Ron Fisher, Wayne Sears, and there were two other roomies both name Debbie (can't recall their last names.)
I'm living in Missouri momentarily and plan to move back to the Austin Area. I am hoping to find SOMEWHERE to fellowship -- but not hoping to reconnect with the Way International groups.
Donald K, did you know your ex-roomies were living in the San Antonion area?
One is living in the same little town I grew up in as a child. Interesting?
This post is so old I doubt anyone is still looking for Houston folks from the 70s. I was just a kid, 15, when I got involved in 1975. The guy who witnessed to me was Earl Saxon. His family had recently moved to Houston from Emporia KS and had been involved in some of the early outreach there. I stayed involved way too long, mostly because I eventually married an abusive, controlling "PFAL Grad" and didn't have much experience with how to be an adult human without the cult telling me what to do and how to think ;) I'm not whining, that was just how it was. Once I figured out that I could leave I did. Both the husband and the cult.
Every once in a while I run into former Way folks, usually friends of friends on FB. I haven't found a single person who thinks like I do. So far, without exception, politically they are far right leaning people who post juvenile memes like dogs lining up to pee on a poster of Biden/Harris. If not juvenile then they are freaking out about antifa and the leftist socialists who are going to cause the USA to collapse into a god-knows-what kind of dystopian hell. As for Christianity I see people still wanting to have been right about their faith and seem to wish for the good old days. Most still use the same Way language from decades ago. Cool, but not me.
Hopefully there are some 50-70 year-olds out there who got some benefit from the Houston Way. I am absolutely not a Christian now. I can see how I believed in Jesus and I know how much I wanted the Bible to be God's Word. I learned some great values and developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing, not sure exactly what to call it but it is very real. I've been an RN for over 25 years now, mostly in pediatric critical care. The years I spent truly trying to help people strengthened my ability to care for kids and their families on the worst days of their lives. For that I am thankful.
Anyway, here I am, decades out from TWI in the '70s. I think I finally quit going to fellowships in around 1990. It's amazing how much has stuck with me over the years, mostly confusion over how I stuck with it for so long... lol!
This post is so old I doubt anyone is still looking for Houston folks from the 70s. I was just a kid, 15, when I got involved in 1975. The guy who witnessed to me was Earl Saxon. His family had recently moved to Houston from Emporia KS and had been involved in some of the early outreach there. I stayed involved way too long, mostly because I eventually married an abusive, controlling "PFAL Grad" and didn't have much experience with how to be an adult human without the cult telling me what to do and how to think ;) I'm not whining, that was just how it was. Once I figured out that I could leave I did. Both the husband and the cult.
Every once in a while I run into former Way folks, usually friends of friends on FB. I haven't found a single person who thinks like I do. So far, without exception, politically they are far right leaning people who post juvenile memes like dogs lining up to pee on a poster of Biden/Harris. If not juvenile then they are freaking out about antifa and the leftist socialists who are going to cause the USA to collapse into a god-knows-what kind of dystopian hell. As for Christianity I see people still wanting to have been right about their faith and seem to wish for the good old days. Most still use the same Way language from decades ago. Cool, but not me.
Hopefully there are some 50-70 year-olds out there who got some benefit from the Houston Way. I am absolutely not a Christian now. I can see how I believed in Jesus and I know how much I wanted the Bible to be God's Word. I learned some great values and developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing, not sure exactly what to call it but it is very real. I've been an RN for over 25 years now, mostly in pediatric critical care. The years I spent truly trying to help people strengthened my ability to care for kids and their families on the worst days of their lives. For that I am thankful.
Anyway, here I am, decades out from TWI in the '70s. I think I finally quit going to fellowships in around 1990. It's amazing how much has stuck with me over the years, mostly confusion over how I stuck with it for so long... lol!
Welcome to Grease Spot, Laura ! Thanks for sharing your story - and parts of it I can relate to – probably a lot of other folks as well – especially the “developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing” you said; is it self-determination? Or whatever it is, I think it’s some vital ingredient for our mental well-being – where we feel we’re in control of our own destiny and not following the dictates of some organization… I got out of TWI in 1986 but it took quit a few years afterwards for me get a lot of the TWI-mindset out of my head.
Being an RN has gotta be extra rough during the pandemic – you are a brave and caring soul – all the “war stories” I hear on the news from doctors and nurses on the front lines just worries me to death – how long is this going to go on? My wife and I are both retired and we got our second dose of Moderna recently…I’m still concerned about folks getting “battle fatigue” and not following CDC guidelines – since some states are calling off the mask mandate and letting businesses open to full capacity.
Anyway it’s good to hear about your life. We don’t go to any fellowships or a church – if anything we might listen to some preacher on TV – we usually prefer the no-nonsense type who preach on the basic Christian tenets.
Hopefully there are some 50-70 year-olds out there who got some benefit from the Houston Way. I am absolutely not a Christian now. I can see how I believed in Jesus and I know how much I wanted the Bible to be God's Word. I learned some great values and developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing, not sure exactly what to call it but it is very real. I've been an RN for over 25 years now, mostly in pediatric critical care. The years I spent truly trying to help people strengthened my ability to care for kids and their families on the worst days of their lives. For that I am thankful.
Anyway, here I am, decades out from TWI in the '70s. I think I finally quit going to fellowships in around 1990. It's amazing how much has stuck with me over the years, mostly confusion over how I stuck with it for so long... lol!
Hi Laura,
I have some old HS friends who live in the Houston area. There are also a couple of GSCers who live around there.
Nurses, IMO, are very special people. Thank you for serving those around you in that capacity.
I recently picked up a book, The Tao of Psychology, by Jean Shimoda Bolen MD. I've realized that inner guidance thing IS real and is a big deal, but in no way is it exclusive to Christians. Dr Bolen describes it in that book. Charlene Edge, whose memoir about her time in TWI and her escape, Undertow, mentioned Bolen's book (as one her favorites) in a newsletter Charlene sends out by email from time to time.
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ex10
Donald
I live in the Houston area now, but didn't in the 70's. Of all the exway folks I know here, I can't think of any that were here in TWI way back then. Sorry I can't be of more help.
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Watered Garden
Well I was a WOW in Ft. Worth in 1974. Guess that doesn't really help much, does it?
WG
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tonto
WG, was it '74-75? I was in Ft.Worth in the summer of '75, right before I went WOW.
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GeorgeStGeorge
I've been here since late '81. Are you looking for anyone in particular?
George
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Watered Garden
Yup, 8/74 to 8/75. We lived in a crappy apartment on Hulen Street. (I thought it was crappy at least).
WG
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ex70sHouston
I'd like to know about the couple that ran the twig in spring branch. Then there was a couple that came as wow's in 76 and stayed, his name was Nate and I have gone blank on hers. A girl named Olivete Donahue. Then Karol Freeborn. I think I may be one of the few people who liked her. The more I think the more I remember faces but few names.
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ex70sHouston
I lived in a one bedroom aprtment off the Gulf Freeway with Larry and Mike Clepper. Cheap rent with three guys in one apartment. We had a wow team of two couples and a single guy move in for 77/78 term. The single guy was a little crazy name was Wayne. They finaly ask him to get his own apartment. It was a little differant that year. We were thrown in with the WOW team for a twig. We were students at University of Houston and ask to register as a group so we could get free room for large meetings.
I remember once setting up for a meeting and they ran me down to get something out of Dr, W. bus and we caught him in his underware. (NO SEX STUFF AT ALL) Its a funny memory though. My greates memory is him standing in the back of the bus pulling up his pants.
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GeorgeStGeorge
Are you thinking of the Castellis? They've been in Spring Branch for a while, though I doubt it's been over 20 years. Sorry I can't help you with any of the other names.
George
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Watered Garden
Did you know Susan Bouldin, who was the leader of the WOW team of 28 people in Ft. Worth in 74-75?
WG
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ex70sHouston
WG
I never met many people from DFW area.
Met a few of the WOWs who left Houston in Aug. 75
Looking through old pictures last night and one WOW couple was the Powalskis. Her name was Sally and I think he was Bruce but I wouldn't bet on that.
I need a scanner. Goning through old stuff last night I found my ROA ticket stubb for both 76 and 77. Old pictures.
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tonto
WG, I think I remember a wow family in a crappy Hulen apartment. Two guys and two girls in the family? I can't remember names but I might recognize them if I heard them. A childhood friend of mine took piffle in that apartment. I remember Susan Bouldin being the leader of the whole crew, now that you mention it. Wasn't there a family who pretty much left except for one person? I remember a girl named Linda being in a family in a crappy apartment on Maplewood in northeast Ft. Worth. Ouch...my brain hurts from trying to remember.
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tonto
This train was headed for Houston but has been diverted to Ft. Worth. Oh geez, I just remembered witnessing to a friend and a cousin and we went to what was supposed to be a fellowship in Arlington and some guy did this big hard sell on the colon cleanse! He had charts with disgusting pictures of distended and misshapen colons. I was so embarrassed at the time, but it was enough to keep my cousin from going to any other way events, so it was a blessing in disguise.
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Watered Garden
Sorry, Tonto, I was one of the girls in the crappy apartments on Hulen Street, with disgusting green shag carpet (the guys had disgusting orange shag carpet). Susan was the other girl.
Thanks for remembering. Sorry to derail!
WG
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tonto
WG, check your private topics.
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excathedra
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fahy
Hey Donald
Remember painting that little green house in Spring Branch where fellowship was held?
How about the volleyball games?
Theresa is the name you were trying to remember.
I’m not Theresa, but our families shared a house after the green house.
Go to your private topics.
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ex70sHouston
I've talked with three people from the past.
Never realized how much the hick came out in me.
Just remember the three inaliable Rights
The Persuit of Life, Love, and Liberty in a Pickup Truck
Don't ask youd never understand
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Dori
Hi,
I got in Twi in the 70's in Houston.I knew Karol freeman and I liked her too.I was thrown out in 1998.
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jetc57
Yeah, Hey there Donald K
I know you know I remember you.
Sure remember Larry and Mike too.
I also have fond memories of the 'doos' at the Turner's place in Livingston Tx.
Lee, John, Shelly Turner and their folks.
When I took that Houston PFAL class, the people I remember besides you, Donald and your roomies, were these two Twigs I frequenced. Mike and Mickey Richardson (both hairdressers by profession.)
Then there was this Gal who is now married to a guy named Glenn (her name keeps slippin my mind).
I remember friends I made like, Mike and June Sierling, Robert Gant (who I spent time with in a WOW family home in Springfield MA). There were many others, like Houk Hitchcock, who I have just learned is in the Houston area, and so is Leslie Wind. Leslie is STILL very much in the WAY INTERNATIONAL, with no desire to EVER leave. Two years ago I went to Texas to find ol friends, stopped to see him, and even went to a fellowship. They no longer call them Twig Fellowships. I always thought the 'Tree' concept was cute.
I went WOW that year following my PFAL class, was sent to Holyoke, MA. From there I went back to Austin and served with Rev and Nancy as a 'Fellowlaborer'. What an experience that proved to be.
Met more wonderful people. One of my roomies names was Carla Dupree, I've wondered what ever became of Carla, and others like, Ron Fisher, Wayne Sears, and there were two other roomies both name Debbie (can't recall their last names.)
I'm living in Missouri momentarily and plan to move back to the Austin Area. I am hoping to find SOMEWHERE to fellowship -- but not hoping to reconnect with the Way International groups.
Donald K, did you know your ex-roomies were living in the San Antonion area?
One is living in the same little town I grew up in as a child. Interesting?
Blessings
Jeannette
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LauraT
This post is so old I doubt anyone is still looking for Houston folks from the 70s. I was just a kid, 15, when I got involved in 1975. The guy who witnessed to me was Earl Saxon. His family had recently moved to Houston from Emporia KS and had been involved in some of the early outreach there. I stayed involved way too long, mostly because I eventually married an abusive, controlling "PFAL Grad" and didn't have much experience with how to be an adult human without the cult telling me what to do and how to think ;) I'm not whining, that was just how it was. Once I figured out that I could leave I did. Both the husband and the cult.
Every once in a while I run into former Way folks, usually friends of friends on FB. I haven't found a single person who thinks like I do. So far, without exception, politically they are far right leaning people who post juvenile memes like dogs lining up to pee on a poster of Biden/Harris. If not juvenile then they are freaking out about antifa and the leftist socialists who are going to cause the USA to collapse into a god-knows-what kind of dystopian hell. As for Christianity I see people still wanting to have been right about their faith and seem to wish for the good old days. Most still use the same Way language from decades ago. Cool, but not me.
Hopefully there are some 50-70 year-olds out there who got some benefit from the Houston Way. I am absolutely not a Christian now. I can see how I believed in Jesus and I know how much I wanted the Bible to be God's Word. I learned some great values and developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing, not sure exactly what to call it but it is very real. I've been an RN for over 25 years now, mostly in pediatric critical care. The years I spent truly trying to help people strengthened my ability to care for kids and their families on the worst days of their lives. For that I am thankful.
Anyway, here I am, decades out from TWI in the '70s. I think I finally quit going to fellowships in around 1990. It's amazing how much has stuck with me over the years, mostly confusion over how I stuck with it for so long... lol!
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T-Bone
Welcome to Grease Spot, Laura ! Thanks for sharing your story - and parts of it I can relate to – probably a lot of other folks as well – especially the “developed a strong sense of listening to my inner guidance thing” you said; is it self-determination? Or whatever it is, I think it’s some vital ingredient for our mental well-being – where we feel we’re in control of our own destiny and not following the dictates of some organization… I got out of TWI in 1986 but it took quit a few years afterwards for me get a lot of the TWI-mindset out of my head.
Being an RN has gotta be extra rough during the pandemic – you are a brave and caring soul
– all the “war stories” I hear on the news from doctors and nurses on the front lines just worries me to death – how long is this going to go on? My wife and I are both retired and we got our second dose of Moderna recently…I’m still concerned about folks getting “battle fatigue” and not following CDC guidelines – since some states are calling off the mask mandate and letting businesses open to full capacity.
Anyway it’s good to hear about your life. We don’t go to any fellowships or a church – if anything we might listen to some preacher on TV – we usually prefer the no-nonsense type who preach on the basic Christian tenets.
Edited by T-Boneformatting and typos
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waysider
Until now.
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LauraT
Nice to meet you! I knew GSC existed but wasn't interested in anything related to TWI. This seems like a very well run forum and I appreciate y'all.
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Rocky
Hi Laura,
I have some old HS friends who live in the Houston area. There are also a couple of GSCers who live around there.
Nurses, IMO, are very special people. Thank you for serving those around you in that capacity.
I recently picked up a book, The Tao of Psychology, by Jean Shimoda Bolen MD. I've realized that inner guidance thing IS real and is a big deal, but in no way is it exclusive to Christians. Dr Bolen describes it in that book. Charlene Edge, whose memoir about her time in TWI and her escape, Undertow, mentioned Bolen's book (as one her favorites) in a newsletter Charlene sends out by email from time to time.
It's nice to "meet" you.
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