One of the requirements for our squad in Europe was to do a 10-day journey on “The Camino”. What is that you might ask? (I know, I had never heard of it either).
The Camino de Santiago, “The Way of Saint James” is a network of pilgrimages or roads/hiking trails leading to the burial site of the apostle Saint James the Great in Galicia, Spain. There are paths that go across many other European countries as well leading up to the endpoint at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Many people follow the routes as a form of spiritual journey or they do it seeking spiritual growth, but it is also very popular among hikers and cyclists.
Our squad was originally supposed to do this 10-day journey in Spain but due to our remaining long-distance transport budget my team decided to do the path in France, “The French Way”, (Saint-Jacques de Compostelle). This route goes from the town of Le Puy en Velay to Conque, France. During our hike, we walked over 100km. That’s at least 10 miles a day! This is by far the most I have ever walked, let alone hiked. We carried our big hiking packs with our tents and just enough clothes, toiletries, water, and food for the trip which means we each carried up to 30lbs. Now, this route/hike is not easy. The trail contains many hills, rocks, steep inclines, unpaved places, and even mountains! On day three, the hardest day of the hike for me, we climbed up two mountains. We also camped every night. Most nights we just found a place in the forest to pitch our tents for free. The other nights we stayed at a paid campsite. We camped for a total of 15 nights before reaching our next destination in Spain, also the most I have ever camped before! By the end of it all, I was ready for a real bed, real shower, and real food to say the least.
With all that being said, there is one thing I know; that when the conditions are rough, you are down to nothing but a backpack, and only have your legs/feet to carry you from town to town miles away, you learn to rely on the strength of Jesus to get you through. Here are some of the reflections I had while on this incredible journey:
God’s love for me is never-ending
On some of the days I would walk a bit in front of my group so I could spend some time hiking alone. In this time of solitude, I had the chance to draw near to God for hours each day. He reminded me that His love for me was further than even my eyes could see. What a privilege it was to be able to walk this beautiful journey alongside God and know of His never-ending love for me.
God’s mercies are new every morning
Most mornings I literally dreaded the thought of putting weight on my sore feet and legs again just to walk another 10 miles for the day. However, after the first hour or so you started to pick up a rhythm and walked with more ease. Each new day brought new spectacular scenery. God’s creation and breathtaking nature completely surrounded me. New and beautiful every morning. A great reminder that no matter what may happen that day, tomorrow would bring a fresh start. This is something to remember at the start of each new day in our lives.
It’s ok to miss the ones you love
While walking alone, I also got a little sad and teary-eyed at one point thinking about my dad and how he’s been passed away for eight months now. At that moment, God comforted me as I looked at the big white puffy clouds in the sky and I was reminded of my dad in heaven. I thought about how he has a birds-eye view of me now down here on Earth, hiking this beautiful trail.
Sometimes you have to walk through pain to get to your destination
By day two of the hike, my feet and legs were already very sore. Day three we climbed two mountains. The downhills were particularly hard for me. Putting more pressure on my feet and knees. Even my hips were hurting in places I had never felt pain before! But even despite all the pain, I had to keep going to make it to the next destination. There is a quote that says “no pain, no gain.” This is true for both hiking a long-distance trail and for life.
Here is the scripture verse I clung to and meditated on during the painful moments…
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
– Romans 5:3-5
I am stronger than I think I am
Now I have had to persevere before. It took perseverance, dedication, and endurance to get me through all those years in medical school and residency training to become a doctor but this was a different kind of endurance. This required physical endurance and sheer strength to get up and down those hills after walking miles on end. At the end of each incline and downhill, I was amazed at my little feet, skinny legs, and what I had just accomplished.
God’s grace is not earned, it is a free gift
One night in my tent I was listening to music and a song by Lauren Daigle came on called, “Love Like This.” The song is about God’s love for us and in the lyrics it says, “I can not earn what you so freely give”. I loved these lyrics and this song so much I began to play it on repeat. Throughout the rest of my time on the Camino, this truth about God’s love and His grace became more and more evident to me. Only God’s grace and the acceptance of His salvation get you eternity with Him. The beauty of walking alongside pilgrims in search of spiritual meaning is that it provides a chance to share this light and truth with others along the way.
Some people you meet for just a moment but the interaction can have a great impact
The community on the Camino is very special with everyone on the trail for a different reason but going after a similar hiking goal. We had the chance to meet several great people from all over the world but the majority of the people doing the French Way were from France. I’ll never forget the enthusiastic greeting of “Bonjour!” with each person passing. Whether it was a two minute, two hour, or two-day interaction, we got the chance to tell others about our reason for doing the Camino. That we are missionaries sharing the love and good news of Jesus to whoever we meet.
Well, that sums up some of the moments and insights from my journey on the Camino. I would like to leave you with a link to the Lauren Daigle song, “Love Like This”. My hope is that you can take time to really listen to the lyrics and feel God’s love for you. Be blessed!
