Hi All!
Reporting in on our mission trip to the Camino de Santiago. We met so many
amazing people who passed through our albergue, “El Fuente de Peregrino”, from
all over the world. The United States was representing as pilgrims over in
Spain and made us very proud! I even met people from Dallas and San Antonio. We
met people from over 42 countries and 21 of those countries we were able to
serve by housing, feeding, and sharing with one another. Our daily routine (varied from which task you
were assigned) was waking up around 7, breakfast was laid out for the
Peregrinos “pilgrims” the night before because they would wake up as early as
5am to start their daily trek usually around 20-30 km but one determined guy
was doing 60km in one day. By 8:30am we were open for business! We had a
chalkboard outside for all the passersby to write their nationality, which was
fun for everyone. Even had some guys leave a message for some girls they’d met,
hahaha. Everyone made Camino friends and I’m pretty sure some found Camino
LOVE. Depending on where they started, some people had been walking for 2 days
and up to 3 months. If they weren’t family (and even if they were) they would
not walk together. You start out together, but the different paces and personal
journeys many people ended up walking alone and making new friends each day, at
their pace. Some people would try and stay with their new friends and others
kept going. Several people walked alone, people as young as 17. How I admired
their courage and strength. Anyways, back to the day to day. So, from about
8am-3pm we would invite people in for sellos, baños, agua, café, té (stamps,
bathrooms, water, coffee, tea). We were an official stamp albergue (hostel)
along the way of the Camino. Each peregrino had to have a certain amount of
stamps by the end of their journey.
While this was going on, the rest of the hard working team was either
making sure the place was immaculately clean, laundry done, beds made,
bathrooms in order or cooking away in the kitchen for our lunch and for our
nightly 30 person dinner (13 adult volunteers, 7 kids, and 10-15 pilgrims). The
hard work and love put into each activity was definitely felt by everyone whom
encountered our place and by the volunteers Around 1pm we would start signing
people up to stay for the evening. At 5pm outside we would read the previous
day’s prayer requests left by the peregrinos with the new peregrinos and give
them a chance to write their own, which we would pray over after they left. We
would read Psalm 121, which perfectly related to their journey. A volunteer would play the guitar as he did
all throughout the day, which really brought everyone together. The power of
God working through the music was strong. All throughout the day people would stop
and run up to El Fuente and dance and laugh and smile and sing and film the
happiness. It was amazing how even though we all couldn’t communicate in the
same language we were still communicating.
At 5:30pm we would show a film about the life of Jesus. Both those
things were optional and almost everyone came down from their bunks and
attended. Dinner was at 8 and my favorite part. My plan to get skinny was
thwarted by the gallons of bread but dinners were delicious. After dinner,
during dessert someone would lead everyone in sharing what he or she had experienced
on his or her Camino journey or why he or she were doing it. Again, it was
optional and most everyone shared amazing things. Even if they didn’t know that
“feeling” was God, we did and it was very cool. I wish I could follow up with
them and see if and how their lives have changed. A couple people had bad feeling about the
albergues they were staying in and left and walked back to ours because they
felt a pulled. After dinner everyone
would hang out and listen to music and play games in the yard until 11pm silent
hour. We’d wake up every morning to amazing notes in the guestbook in every
language on the love and feeling of family they felt while staying with us.
Since the
day I found out about the mission trip to Spain, I knew God had placed it in my
heart and it was part of His plan for me. As the days drew closer I started to
panic and have horrible anxiety (which if you know me is quite normal in most
all situations). At first it was more so the flight and then it was the actual
work with my always-increasing neck and back problems. I was going. It was a
done deal. But I knew I could NOT do it. I barely leave my apartment more or
less am able to go out and see my friends more than once a week. I’m not
telling you this to feel sorry for me; I’m telling you this so you understand
why I physically could NOT do this. The physicality was a huge part but it was
also mental, spiritual and emotional. My cousin knew to a certain extent my
limitations and was more than accommodating. I was able to do the least
physical task of stamping Peregrinos “Pilgrims” credentials all day. This might
sound simple but it was still hard on my neck and back and I was “somehow” able
to push through it. By somehow I mean God. This trip was all God. It was so
amazing to see him working through me in a way I’ve never seen before. Talking
to the Peregrinos, smiling, getting to know them if even for a brief second I
could do, but the Peace and Strength He gave me is hard to put into words. That
was not me on the mission trip, that was all Him. Pushing me for 16 hour days
when I can barley stand up for 10 minutes without being in pain. Giving me peace
when waves of anxiety would hit me throughout the day. I had a since of
calmness and peace I’ve never had before. I was able to take less anxiety
medicine than before. The courage and bravery He gave me to let the other
people know what was going on with my health issues; I would never have done.
Most of you know me as the least shy person you’ve ever met; however, if I
don’t know you I’m very shy and it is very hard for me to let people in and
bare my soul. I became especially close with one of our Pastors and his wife,
who were literally a Godsend. I know with Him I could have done it without
y’all but I firmly believe he placed y’all on this mission trip with me to not
only show others the love of Christ but also show me His love through each of
y’all. Through prayer his wife was able
to lift burdens off of my neck and back that I didn’t even know I was holding.
I should and did forgive people whom I’m angry with who did/do/don’t believe me
about my neck pain. Also, going back and forgiving myself for other things. It
was a true healing process and I am forever grateful. I am usually bed ridden
1-2 days a week in a dark room not moving with my neck and the Lord’s strength
and peace ran through me enabling me to just keep pushing through the pain for
TWO WEEKS. I’ve never fully just leaned on Him and had no control over a
situation (I may or may not have control issues J)
and it was amazing to see and do. I am SO much stronger than I ever thought I
was or could be. I pray every day that His strength and peace and the things
I’ve felt and learned carry over to my every day life, it’s invigorating
thinking about it. I have a huge smile on my face as I write this. I’m so glad
I went it was very tough on me but I’m so beyond grateful for what I have and
it was so spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally rewarding. Colors
are brighter when I look outside and around me. The “rose colored glasses” are
real and they are God. I’m blessed by how much my parents do for me and how
much I can actually do with God, myself. I will try and let what other people
think of me go because God knows the truth and we are made perfect in His eyes.
I’ve never more firmly believed “I can
do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Happy Monday!
Xoxo,
B
