1998 Arizona Rainbow Gathering: Photos

 
Chasidic Jews from the Kosher Kitchen pose in front of a picture of their teacher Lubavitchev Rebbe. They attended the 1995 Gathering in New Mexico. This year they started a kitchen that fed as many as 300 people a night. "Our philosophy," they explained, "is to manifest g-dliness in the physical world to bring the ultimate redemption."

A group of Hare Krishnas chant and sing as raindrops fall on the Arizona Gathering for the first time.

Rev. Chuck Perry of Telluride, Colorado and his wife Linda pause for a moment in front of the Bread of Life Kitchen.

Run by born-again Christians from several churches in Western Colorado, Bread of Life is one of the most prolific kitchens at the Gathering, coming as close as possible to the Biblical command to be "ever-serving".

Perry, who used and dealt every drug imaginable in his youth, came to Colorado 25 years ago searching for inner peace. While living in a tipi with his wife and their first child, he was born-again in Jesus. With his soft, serene, honey-flavored voice that leaves all comers feeling welcome in his presence, Chuck Perry is a natural leader. He has traveled to Russia, Uganda and Rwanda as a missionary. And when the Gathering came to Paonia, Colorado in 1992, he helped organize the first Bread of Life Kitchen. Since then, Bread of Life has traveled to Rainbow Gatherings in Wyoming ('94), New Mexico ('95), Oregon ('97) and this year in Arizona.

When their yougest child turns 18 in three years, the Perrys look forward to hitchhiking across the country. "We have complete faith in the Lord," Chuck said. "He has much for us to do."