Big update. We completed a third of our trip and a portion of the Camino Frances, beginning in Leon and walking 315 km to Santiago. This pilgrimage was partially to prepare us to serve, welcome and love pilgrims well, alongside Pilgrim House. However, we each came away with glimpses of God’s goodness and creativity in unique ways. We encountered so many different individuals. While there were many different reasons for doing the Camino, I found it a comfort that there were many of the same reasons. It is beautiful that amongst adversity and division, people can still find connection amongst reasons to celebrate, ways to mourn, and lessons to persevere. My team was humbled by the opportunity to represent the Lord through our smiles and service.
The nature of the Camino was something I was not prepared for. It was incredible and breathtaking and vast. There were days where we were walking through beautiful farmland and saw cows and goats. Sometimes we were in the middle of lush forest trees on dirt pathways. Surprisingly, the biggest gift of all was the hard days. For our portion, 3 days are known to be pretty difficult because of steep climbs and descents. Of course, those days arrived early, when our blisters had yet to callous and our feet were still sore. Still, those climbs were by far the favorite days on the Camino. The mountains, with springtime flowers, and the sunrise I hope are seared in our heads forever. When we were exhausted and felt as though we could not continue, some unmapped cafe would appear and we would sit and sip coke with lemon until we recovered. Though the walking was demanding, the rest that the nature provided sustained us.
Because of the structure of our days, we were left with a lot of time to think, pray and talk. Doing the Camino before the rest of our trip was a sweet way to get to know each other through intentional quality time. We were further bound together through navigating stressful situations, where we had to lean on each other for support. God’s protection and care for us was so clearly displayed to us. I saw him orchestrate moments that I would have never even thought to pray for.
Now, as we transition into our time at Santiago, we ask for prayers that we would be gentle listeners and have curious hearts. Pilgrim House is an incredible space where pilgrims get to heal and process their Camino in spiritual and tangible ways. Please pray that our cups would overflow with love for Jesus, so that even the small tasks are viewed as important service rather than redundant needs. We are excited to continue to explore the city, get to know the team at Pilgrim House, and further experience Spanish and pilgrim culture. Honestly, I am still wondering how it is that we get to do this, but incredibly grateful and humbled all the same. More to come soon!
