Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions:  Rick and Kitty Pachucki, in thanksgiving for healing and continued health and blessing. 

Today (Monday October 10th) we took a taxi from Burgos back to San Juan de Ortega to pick up where we left off on Saturday.  What a blessing it was to walk this 16 miles without our backpacks, being able to leave them in our accommodations back in Burgos. In 2016 when we walked the Camino this was an area where Lisa had a real struggle and breakdown because of so many rocks and jagged edges to walk on. 

This time around without the extra weight of the backpack we both made it through with smiles! The tree that Lisa is standing next to in her blue poncho is the exact spot she had a breakdown in 2016.  ‘May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy!“
— Psalms 126:5

We have come to have a certain rhythm to our day. We get up, have our breakfast, pack up what we need (today a day bag but on most days our backpacks), and then we say our initial prayer in the morning offering our day to be united to Jesus’ cross for the intentions of that day.

At some point in the morning we pray the rosary together and then later pray more rosaries on our own. Sometimes when we’re praying the rosary out loud together and also climbing a small mountain it can give you the sense of either how steep this climb was or how bad of shape I am in! 

The rest of the day included a lot of agricultural views including huge hay bale structures, flocks of sheep, and sunflower fields which were past the season but we did see still a few bright colored sunflowers holding on!

As we neared Burgos we had a long walk along an industrial area and the Burgos airfield. We happily found out there was an alternative route into the city which followed a river rather than the industrial area. This was a very welcome view at the end of the day.

After arriving back in Burgos it was time to do some laundry at a nearby laundromat. I was able to experience my diaconate calling as I sat in the laundromat waiting to use the machines. I met a fellow pilgrim, Nautica, who was from the Netherlands. We talked about her anti-religious views mostly because of how she viewed the exorbitant beauty of the churches in the area, and how she felt those riches could be used for the poor. I offered that it is a common misconception that these are actually plated with gold and suggested that the beauty and art is meant to draw our hearts towards God. (Not to mention that the Catholic church is the largest charitable organization in the world).

After she went to run some errands, another woman who is a local to Burgos, sat down and started talking to me. I explained that I understood Spanish a little if she would speak slowly. What ensued was about 20 minutes of her pouring her life’s problems out to me and me attempting to understand her story.

I realized that even if I did not understand all of the words, I felt her emotions and her frustrations, and as I sat there quietly listening and praying I thought perhaps I could just be the presence of Christ to her to be a listening ear in her life.

Sometimes on the Camino I almost forget that I have been ordained a deacon of the church. I guess moments like these at a local laundromat remind me that ministry happens wherever we are because Christ is with us and wants to reach people through us wherever we are.

Buen Camino 🙏❤️

Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions:  Rick and Kitty Pachucki, in thanksgiving for healing and continued health and blessing.