What a crazy time it has been, these past 3 weeks! I have been in so many new places, and have met so many wonderful people. God has been and continues to be good!
At the end of March bible school ended, and on March 24th, I officially graduated from the 2 1/2 month program (with honours!). On March 26th, I left for Madrid, and spent 3 nights there. One really neat story about Madrid: I was in a huge city, and I was having a few days of... sadness. I had just left bible school, and a lot of friends, and I was in a huge city where, for some reason, it was so chaotic, and I was having a really hard time seeing and feeling God. They told us that we would be most vulnerable to Satan right after leaving bible school. And I would say that is very true, because I had left the comfortable bible-school setting. In Madrid, everywhere I looked I was upset by what I was seeing, the beggars on the street, all of bars being open so late at night, hearing people running around, talking about nothing other than partying, and the general busy lifestyle and living up to standards was something I had almost forgotten about at bible school. Then being back in what is actually normal life... I was so unprepared for it! Well, I decided not to take my bible with me while I am backpacking, because it is pretty big a weighs a lot. So I didn't have a bible, which, interestingly, made me feel distanced from God. I really wanted to find a travel size bible, so I went out to look for a store (I thought that Madrid must have one!). I finally found one on the map, but on my way there, I got lost and was very close to breaking down. Then I turned the corner, and there it was. The bookstore was called, "The Love of God Bookstore", located of "Amor de Dios" (The love of God street). It was so cool! I went in there, and I found the perfect bible. I felt like crying for joy, and I really wanted to tell the store owner how much this meant to me, but he couldn't understand anything I said in English. So I just smiled and said thank you over and over again, and then left, definitely with a new outlook on the city! So that was Madrid.
After Madrid, I had an amazing experience... I got to walk down a pilgrimage trail, dating back to the 10th century. It goes across the North of Spain, and the whole way is 700km long. I walked the last 110km of the trail over a period of 5 days. (For more information you can look here: http://www.santiago-compostela.net/ ) The walking was not difficult... the terrain isn't ever too steep or hard to walk on, but some challenges would be carrying a backpack, walking 25+km in a day, not having food for a long time or struggling during the heat of the day. To do the whole pilgrimage, it would take so much strength and endurance! But it was also such an inspiration, my friend and I met so many people! Everyone who does the trail has a different reason for their pilgrimage. We met a 62 year old German woman who has done the whole thing, and is just getting over cancer. It is her goal now to make the most of her life, and this has been one of her dreams. There was another lady who we saw limping everyday because of her knees, but she is so determined to get to the end, that she kept going. Two Irish guys we met, are doing the camino to raise awareness on suicide, which they said is an issue that is growing in Ireland. The community of people walking is so close, and we met so many people from all over Europe. We were actually saw a lot of the same people over the 5 days because everyone you are with is at the same stage of the trek, and will get to the same point at night, so you might lose each other one day, and see each other again two days later, but you're all headed in the same direction. So when we go to the very end (the town square in front of the church in the last city), there were several different groups of people who we had seen the whole way through. Everyone was genuinely happy for each other, and congratulating each other on finishing the trail. I do think that one day I'll go back and either do more of the Camino de Santiago, or a different trail, thats leads the same finishing point.
After doing the Camino de Santiago, I spent a restful two days in Barcelona, slowly walking around to all of the most popular sights, but also spending time sitting in the hot sun eating ice cream and people-watching. And now... I am in Germany. Through a hectic series of events (catching the wrong train, missing my flight, having a small thing stolen from me and sleeping in an airport)... I am at a friend of a friends house. It is nice to be in the same place for more than two days, in a house where I know the bed and shower is clean! But God has been so good to me in my travels, and he has kept me safe and has provided in so many ways! On Tuesday I am leaving for Austria, and then Italy, and who knows what will happen after that? Life keeps moving on, and God keeps changing it from what I have planned. So I guess what I have learned the most through travelling is this: You can have as much as you want planned, but God's will often have something totally different in store for you! So be open to change and don't be afraid to give it up to Him.
Well, that is all for now! I will do my best to update again in a week or two, and let y'all know how everything is going! Once again, thank you for all of the prayers and thoughts! I was reminded of this today when I called home and my dad said that people are asking about how was doing... what a reminder of the support of friends and family! Thank you all so much!
...Until next time...
Christi
Sounds like quite the adventure.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about that pilgrimage is a good metaphor.
Glad to hear you're doing well!