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Published: June 30th 2013
It is difficult to know where to start. I am without internet frequently as I am staying primarily at municipal or donativo albergues (public or donation volunteer run hostels). Last night was absolutely amazing, and I don't know that anything I share with you here can do just to the night and the great blessings I experienced.
Once again I took a little bit longer stretch and rather than stoppinng at Santo Domingo de la Calzeda I went on to Granon. The Lord's hand was most definitely involved in this. Tired and foot sore from the two previous hard days I really could have taken the shorter course, but I stayed determined and pushed on. Thank goodness. We stayed the night at the albergue run thru the church by the church thru volunteers. The albergue was literally in part of the old church. When I am able to post pictures you will see. As I entered I went into this cold dark damp dungeon like place ascending a rock staircase that held no promise of good things. After leaving my shoes at one level we proceeded on only to find the most amazing redone kitchen and family area! It was
unbelievalbe! There was an upper room and lower room for sleepinng - I was in the lower and we literally slept side by side on mats on the floor! Best sleep I have had in days.
Mass was at 7pm, dinner (yes they fed us dinner and breakfast) was at 8, and then a gathering in a "special" room at 9:30 after dinner and cleanup. I got unpacked and cleaned up and went to the "mini" mercado with my friends from Korea, China, France and Australie. We bought some snacks which we shared and ate in the plaza. Then it was off to mass.
These amazing MASSIVE stone structures all seem to have the floor to ceiling amazing pieces of guilded artwork behind the alters that depict numerous saint, stories from the Bible or scenes with Christ. After mass the pilgrims were called to the front and given a blessing. I don't understand a word of it but it is indeed a moving and blessed occasion. After we were allowed to look around the church and even go up in the balcony which was roped off. Unlike many similar cathedrals there was not a massive pipe organ but
rather a beautiful staned glass iwindow depicting a perrigrino (pilgrim) and symbols of the way. There was also the interesting chairs that encircled the room that I don't quiet understand. When you see pictures maybe you will know?? There was a door at one side of the balcony that we discovered opened into the very room I was staying! Wow can you imagine. Oh and before mass I had done my laundry in an upper room of the church - more like a cave - it was quite interesting. I even hung my laundry in there after hand washing it as I am now accustomed to!
Then there was a delicious pilgrims dinner and singing and wahing of dishes at the tables after. There were 51 of us and some 16plus countries represented! Then we gathered in the special room - we marched thru my bedroom and yes went thru the door to the balcony of the church! WOW!
So we gathered there and sat in those weird seats and hhad a mass in many languages and then by candlelight in that cathederal that was well over what 100 or 200 years old we shared our story of
the Camino. We shared in our own languages. It mattered not that I could not understand all the stories I knew the meanings! We then closed with a blessing and many hugs. The Lord was truly in that place. Just imagine that happens night after night with pilgrims in that place in the middle of nowhere on the Camino!
After that was bed on my mat side by side with my fellow pilgrims. Each with their own reason for being there and their own story to tell. Breakfast was at 7am. We broke bread with our friends this blessed Sunday morning, thanked our amazing volunteer hostesses (people volunteer for 2 weeks of service at this place at a time) and then bid each other Buen Camino and then headed back on the road - some alone and others in a group.
Today I had decided to separate from my friends that I had walked with the past 2 days. I longed for the solitude again and my talks to God. However He had other things in mind. I started the day with the two young Catholic girls - Chanelle and Emily. I have so enjoy them. One morning
I followed them listening to them sing their Ava Maries and lifting up their morning prayers to the Lord. They are amazing inspirational young women of great faith. Soon we had with us Hun from Holland. Hun (I have no idea how to really spell his name) literally walked from his home in Holland and has now been walking for almost 90 days. He is walking on behalf a great organization that assists people in Aftica. We tease him and call him dumbshit (he told us we could call him anything) or Jacob, which he hates. The teasing is in love as he is a very good young man! I am proud to also call him my friend. We were joined by Columbia too (that is his country - sadly I don't know his name). He confesses that he is literally walking the Camino as a vacation yet he shared many of the blessings he has encountered on the Camino as we walked today. Soon we caught up with HeHun, one of my Korean friends that I have been walking from for a few days and part of the group I cooked dinner for in Najera. Ultimately it meant the group I was trying to separate from - who HeHun is a part of - was together with me again - Jean from France, Eva from Taiwan, Leem from Korea and ultimately Geri my friend from Australia too. I want you to know they are all amazing people and I love them deeply. They have become my friends and I enjoy my time with them. I had just been longing for the alone time. As I said God had other plans for me this day!
So Emily and Chanelle had decided to make this a short day walking only 12 k (roughly 7.5 miles) to Belorado today. Although I felt great today I agreed that was a good idea as I needed to give my body a break. Also it is the Sabbath and a day to rejoice in the blessings of the Camino and give thanks for the glories God has shared with us. In the suffering of the walk are many good things! So we came to the albergue with the pool and joined old and new friends and celebrated this day. We were here by around 1pm and enjoy the time together. The only friend of mine that did not stay was Geri who wanted to move on. I was tempted. As much as my feet ached yesterday, and as sore as m back ached this morning from sleeping on the floor, I discovered as I took to the road that I was not hurting and full of energy. Truly a miracle! However I stayed here knowing my propensity to push too hard!
What I really want to share with you is a conversation from the road today. Towards the beginning of the day I shared with Emily and Chanelle my musings about people who stayed at the church albergue but did not participate in mass or the meditation time after dinner. It was all optional and I get that you cannot force faith and that making it manditory can run people away, but it did distirb me some that people came and stayed at this place and then did not participate in part of what was offered them. At this point Chanelle (or perhaps it was Emily) shared with me a powerful insight. In my life I have heard the story of Jesus' crucifixion 100s of times and his words to the two men executed with him. Chanelle (yes it was her for sure) shared that in New York in a church there there is a crucifixion scene behind the altar that depicts Christ on the cross with one criminal on one side with his fiace turned to Jesus and the other on the other side with his face turned away. She spoke of how this depicts what Christ has to offer us and some receive and others choose to turn away. Just so at this albergue they offer faith and commpanionship and a sharing of spirit on the Camino and we each have the choice to accept or turn away. Very powerful and so true.
With that I wish you God' s grace and peace. I also ask that you lift up your prayers for those I walk with. In particular Emily's mother Melinda who has MS and is declining in health, for my friend Rusty facing knee surgery and having issues with her liver, as always my friend Andrew whom my walk is dedicated to and all those in your lives that you know that have need. Also please pray for me to continue to be open to all The Camino has to teach me.
Buen Camino!
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Thank you for sharing the stories...
which are the true miracles of the Camino. I would find it hard to separate from friends once I had formed a bond along the way. As for the story about Christ's Crucifixion, He died for both thieves, but only one said that Christ hadn't done anything to deserve this as both of them did. For those simple words, Jesus told the thief that "Today you will be with me in Paradise." All it takes for salvation is very simple faith and acceptance of the gift offered. Some have hard hearts which cause them to reject this gift. So please continue to share your stories of those you meet along the Camino.