The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage that has routes all over Europe that meet at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Here’s a quick history on the Camino from followthecamino.com.
“A shepherd named Pelayo found remains of a body at a place in a field that he was led to by the stars of the Milky Way. The local bishop declared the remains to be of The Apostle St. James and with this, the Camino de Santiago was born. The bishop ordered a church to be built on the site to house the remains of St. James or Santiago. Then, as word spread pilgrims started walking from all across Europe and even further afield to visit the sacred burial site of one of Jesus’s apostles. Over the years that small church grew to the epic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela that it is today.”
Before coming on the race we were told that we would need to do 10 days on the Camino. I wasn’t really looking forward to these 10 days because we would have to walk miles and miles. I also kept telling myself “Man, I rather spend 10 days engaged with locals than just walking a Catholic pilgrimage.” I found myself trapped within my own frustration and even bringing some of it into my team. My team knew how I was feeling but they always encouraged me and never dismissed my feelings. I began to pray and ask God to change my heart for this journey. Every moment of the day was different. Sometimes we would get the chance to meet other pilgrims from other parts of the world. Other times we would walk talking to each other and getting to know one another more. And other times we would walk in silent meditating on the goodness of God as we would pass through the incredible landscapes and picking fruit from the trees.
We started in Porto, Portugal and walked North towards Spain. On the 6th day, I got shin splints really bad. They went away for a day and then stayed with me for the rest of the 10 days. On day 10 I could hardly walk from the pain and we needed to walk 21 miles to make it to Santiago de Compostela. You can only imagine how mad I was that I had to walk in these shin splints. Even at this point I still didn’t understand why I was walking on a Catholic pilgrimage.
When we arrived in Santiago de Compostela we went to the Cathedral where all the pilgrims from all the routes meet. It was an incredible feeling to be among so many who have walked days and some perhaps months. One way or another we were all connected by the same experience. It was emotional but I still didn’t understand why I had to walk a Catholic pilgrimage.
Yes, we met many people on our journey and in the Albergues we stayed at every night. We had the opportunity to connect and share the gospel with these people but in my head, I was still struggling to understand “why here?”. I kept telling God “I could meet and talk to people out in the city why am I doing this Catholic pilgrimage Lord?”
We finished the Camino, picked up our certificates, got on a bus to Madrid and God still didn’t give me an answer until 2 days later. Our team took a Sabbath and I went to a coffee shop to journal. I walked in and it was packed so I went downstairs and found a table for two. 10 minutes later a guy walks in and can’t find an empty table so he walks up to me and asks if he could sit in front of me. I told him yes and asked him what his name was. He’s from Israel and moved to Spain to study abroad at the University. He asked me about my travels and I shared with him about the World Race. He told me he was also a Christian and worked with Young Life in Israel for years. I got excited cause I also did Young Life in Atlanta! I told him we had just finished the Camino de Santiago. He asked me what it was and I told him, “It’s a Catholic pilgrimage that people walk to seek answers.” and he stopped me and said, “You mean a Christian pilgrimage cause why does it matter if it’s Catholic? We’re still the Church and Catholic is just a label that divides the church.” That was the moment where it all clicked! He left and I sat there in awe with God.
God had me walk 165 miles before He sent a guy from Israel to sit at a coffee shop in Madrid to put some sense into my brain. WE ARE THE CHURCH!!! I didn’t walk a “Catholic pilgrimage”. I walked a CHURCH PILGRIMAGE. A journey that thousands and thousands walk every year to seek answers. NEWS FLASH! We have the answer! We got to share the light of Jesus with every person that walked the Camino! How cool is that? Do you also struggle with understanding why God has you in certain seasons? I want to encourage you to keep praying and trusting that He knows the “WHY”.
Please don’t forget that I still need your support to continue on the field next year! You can pray and donate any amount by clicking on the DONATE button at the top of my blog: www.ronnysison.theworldrace.org. Thank you for taking the time to read this! Your support means the world to me so keep me in your prayers. Also, let me know how I can be praying for you by text, email, facebook, Instagram, ect..
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