In one month I will being walking the 500 mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain! The decision to do the Camino came quickly but really it had been brewing for many years. I have wanted to walk the Camino for a long time, but for one reason or another (who has time and money to fly to Spain and travel for a month?!) it hasn't happened until now.
When my good friend Emily came to visit the first week of June she suggested us walking the Camino together. I was immediately excited about the prospect, but after looking at flight prices and such decided it wasn't very feasible. Funny how doing volunteer work for 3 years in a row doesn't leave you with a lot of extra money to spend on flights to Europe!
A month later the Camino was still on my heart. Besides the money, everything else about it just seemed so RIGHT. The right time of year (Oct. will be nice and cool for walking 16 miles a day, but not too cold for this little Belizean girl), I don't have a job lined up and nor do I know where I want to live when I move back from Belize, and spiritually and emotionally it's a great time for a pilgrimage since I'm transitioning back to the U.S. after 3 years of serving in Belize. Since I was still thinking about it I brought it up with my good priest friend and spiritual director and he was completely for it! He said "Just go, you can come home penniless!" haha That was just the push I needed, so I contacted Emily and we set the date!
My flight to Paris leaves Oct. 7th and arrives the morning of Oct. 8th. Emily and I will probably do some touristy things in Paris that day, Eiffel Tower anyone? I mean, why not?! Then we'll take a night train down to Lourdes. I've been to Lourdes before and it's probably my favorite Marian apparition site. I'm excited to see it again, even for a day, and to be with Emily as she experiences it for the first time. After that day we will hop a train to St. Jean Pied de Port where will will begin our little 500 mile walk!
If you haven't noticed, I'm super excited about this trip! I know I'm going to be dog-tired and after about day 3 I'm going to wonder why anyone in their right mind would do something like this! But for now, I just can't get over how blessed I am. God has given me so many awesome experiences; it's just incredible. And when I think He can't outdo Himself anymore... HE DOES!
I want to make this pilgrimage to thank God for my life, my family, my friends, my faith... for everything he has given me, which is a lot, like I said, I'M SPOILED! Also, I know there are many many people in my life who would love to walk the Camino de Santiago and may never get the chance. I also know there are many many people who have supported me spiritually, emotionally, and financially the last 3 years while I have been in Belize... not to mention those who have been supporting me for all 33 years of my life. I want to thank people, I want to give them some of what I receive from God. The only way I know how to do that is to pray and sacrifice for them... for you. So, I'm blogging about the Camino as I walk it... at least I'll try. I don't know how much internet access I will have along the way. More importantly, I'm taking you and your specific prayer intentions with me. I'm making a calendar and praying for each person and their intention by name. I'll have plenty of time to pray for you and plenty of long tired days to offer up for you! If you would like to be on this list please email me or send me a message on facebook. If there's a certain day from Oct. 10th - Nov. 10th that's special to you than let me know I'll put you down for that day! Even if you feel you don't know me that well, or even if you've never met me (you can comment on the bottom of this post to get a hold of me) I'm telling you, I want to do this for you! It's my way of passing on some of the amazing blessings that God has given me in my life. So please, no intention is too big or too small! And you can say "special intention" if you don't to tell me your personal stuff :)
One of my "life scriptures" is
"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
It reminds me of all that I have been given. My supportive and loving family, my education, always having a roof over my head and food to eat, my faith, my Church, the Sacraments, my friendships with so many amazing people... I could go on and on all day, literally, ALL DAY. So the question of what is being ask of me, what is being demanded of me, is always in the back of my mind. Please send me your intentions, it's one small way I can "give back" or rather "pay it forward" for all the blessings of my life!
This is my pilgrimage partner, poor girl's gonna have to put up with me for 500 miles!