Is all I have to write something real quick. So I think I left my last post off without any kind of closure on the situation of my Korean friend. Yesterday afternoon I saw her, and she gushed to thank me for "whatever you did to my foot" and said it felt much better. Praise the Lord! We talked for a while and I got to tell her all about my girlfriend (she thought the story of how we met was "the cutest" she´d ever heard) and she told me all about Korea. I would really like to go somewhere in Asia to teach English for a year or so, but I wonder if God would allow it until after I´ve been in Spain for a long season.
We went to mass at the beautiful church in Viana, and after the service the priest asked all the pilgrims to come up for a special blessing. This guys really seemed to be full of the Holy Spirit, because he preached (from what I could understand) a very good sermon on John 14:1-7 and about how Jesus is the center of the Christian faith and life. Awesome. Anyway, after he doused all of us with holy water and laid his hands on all of our heads to bless us, he kindly asked where we were all from. Very cool.
For those of you who are keeping track, I´m in Navarette, which is another relatively short walk. I met my friends from Nebraska, Quebec, and Ireland when I arrived because they had all stopped due to various injuries. Met another American from California who is a Vietnam veteran and very interesting. Also met a couple from Gainesville, FL. All of them are older and seem very rich and well-travelled. Can´t really tell if the Camino is a Christian retreat for them or if it is just an escape from their otherwise hectic lives. Having dinner with them this afternoon, though.
Talked to my friend from Quebec and discovered she is an atheist. I got to explain the difference between Anglicans and Catholics to her, while the Nebraskan listened in silence, and told her a little bit about the Bible, but I really hope to talk to her more. She has a very bad infected blister on one foot, so I might use healing pray as an entry point. Or literature, because she studied French Lit. in college. 1 minute left, got to go, God bless!
I am enjoying your blog very much ! It sounds like you are definitely having a "Christ" driven trip.
ReplyDeleteI am asking our small group and the Prime Timers to pray for you and your mission.
Jan Stillwell
New Grace Church
Good stuff dear one...wish I was there with you, but know I am praying for you!
ReplyDeleteIn my prayers for you this morning and even as we talked about Luke 3:21-22 & 4:1-19, I wanted to share a word, perhaps it may be of use for later or for now, or for your entire time on the camino(?).
It is for you to sit under and meditate on, to be still before the Holy Spirit, and to even pull out when in trial big or small.
May you hear the words as you are in your "wilderness" in Spain as Jesus heard from His Father at his baptism before he went out into the wilderness: "You are my son (Hunter) in you I am well pleased." May you continue to listen to his voice from heaven louder than any other "wilderness" voice(s) you may hear in your wilderness, whether it be from other pelegrinos, townsfolk, or random people you pass. May you be sensitive to others who may be struggling with the temptaion to listen their "wilderness voices" on why they are on the camino, or just their life in general. Finally, may you see a way to bless them with God's words that he said to His Son, and that He says over you: "You are my son/daughter in you I am well pleased."
Grace and Peace!
Paul Morales
Blessing and peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am so excited for you and your journey outward and inward. I bore great witness to your laying on of hands using the BCP and rejoiced to hear today of how well God confirmed His word. These signs shall follow them that believe, they will lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Pam and I and the twins are praying for you. May the Lord bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine down upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift his countenance to you and grant you His peace. And the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus!
ReplyDeleteGeorge Gretton