— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
On October 26, 2025, a group of 19 Buddhist monks from Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, set out on a long-distance pilgrimage, a “Walk for Peace”, to promote peace, compassion and non-violence.
After 109 days of encounters and 2,300 miles, they arrived at and were hosted by Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde and The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith at the Washington National Cathedral (Episcopalian) during an interfaith service. See photo above. Just one of their many stops along the way.
Throughout this grueling endeavor, which also saw one monk being severely injured in a car accident, the monks were accompanied by a dog, Aloka, who soon became one of the most famous dogs in the media.
The story of Aloka fascinates me. Not just because he continued throughout the march, despite himself having an injury. [In Charleston, South Carolina, he required surgery on his leg and would join the monks a few days after his convalescence.] It is his pre-march, pre-US story that intrigues me…
Wikipedia says, Aloka is “believed to be a Pariah dog originally living as a stray when he encountered a group of Vietnamese-American Buddhist monks in 2022 participating in a peace pilgrimage across India. According to the monks, Aloka began following them during their walk and despite facing hardships – including being hit by a car and falling seriously ill during the journey – he repeatedly rejoined the procession. The monks then adopted the dog and brought him back to the United States“. A stray who grew up on the streets of Kolkata.
I imagine here are two converging stories. First, of course, Aloka’s. Imagine, you have only experienced hunger, violence and stress on the streets of a mega city. You encounter a group of quiet and caring individuals and are immediately attracted to them and begin to walk alongside them.
Secondly is the aspect of the monks who adopted Aloka. Recognizing his special gentle manner and loyalty, despite his probable background, they took him in.
It is said that, during this recent Walk for Peace, the Buddhist monks combined professional veterinary guidance, structured physical rehabilitation, careful monitoring, and compassionate attention to care for Aloka, balancing his recovery needs [after the injury was diagnosed and surgery required] with participation in the Walk for Peace, ultimately allowing him to safely complete the pilgrimage alongside them, sometimes riding in the accompanying support vehicle.
It is as if Aloka himself felt a calling and, without questioning, followed his destiny. It brought to mind what we recently heard during a Wise Ones evening. One of our congregation felt, on the occasion of her adult baptism and confirmation, pulled toward something greater and more precious than herself. What a gift. What delight!
And what an enrichment for the monks along the way. Walking beside them was a living symbol of God’s love for all creation, all species. No wonder his name means “Enlightenment“.
May we all be like Aloka: knowing that we are right where we belong in God’s company. The trials and tribulations are over. All our needs met in His blessed love. We need only continue the journey….and trust.
I suspect too our heavenly Father rejoices, like the monks, in our presence walking alongside Him. He will meet our needs and nourish us.
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 