Monday, October 31st

Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions: today we prayed for all those who have suffered the loss of a child through miscarriage.

Today was another windy rainy day! In Spain the clocks also set back this weekend so we woke up with the hour change for daylight savings.  The temperature outside when we woke up was just around 40° with high winds and heavy rains. But thankfully, because we don’t start walking very early, by the time we did start the rain had died down.

We still found joy even in the midst of the challenges. As I was getting ready to take a picture of the little bit of a vista we could see through the clouds, Lisa jumped into action to give the daily weather report.

In moments when the clouds dissipated we saw incredible views. And then just again within minutes the clouds would roll back in. It was a strange feeling being in an elevation above some of the clouds.

Just as we came up over a large hill we were hit with heavy winds. So we quickly ducked into a local bar and found it packed with about 30 other pilgrims. Everyone was soaking wet and freezing. But it was amazing to get that sense that we are not alone on this journey. We stayed just long enough to grab a hot drink and let the chill pass and then we headed out again.

We found this ancient chapel at the top of one of the hills. The sign next to it read,

This hermitage and the Parish Church of Lamas (and other parishes in the area) used to belong to the commandery that the Knights Hospitalier of the Order of Saint John, or Order of Malta, once had in Portomarin. These knights would appoint ordinary judges and had jurisdictional domain over the area. The chapel, measuring six by eight metres, was built with slabs of slate and limestone (which is extracted in the surroundings…)

We stopped again at another albergue so I could change my socks. I have been wearing sandals because my sneakers gave me some blisters. But on days like today the socks soak through and the cold sets in, and the pain got bad enough that I needed to stop within a mile. However we had the chance to meet a couple new pilgrims. One young man named Carlos from Mexico and a young woman named Polly from Russia.

Polly and Lisa hit it off and they walked ahead of me for the rest of the way all the way to the end of our stage this day. I could hear them laughing and chatting and sharing stories. I think the company and conversation helped Lisa for the rest of this day’s walk.

As we made it down the rest of the hill, traversing through a mixture of mud, stone, and manure, we were delighted to see the sunshine finally break through at the end of the day.

We got settled at Triacastela in our room and said goodbye and Buen Camino to Polly. What turned out to be a very difficult and challenging day to begin with faded into joy and happiness by the end. Lisa was blessed to find her first taste on this Camino of one of her favorite dishes – Pimientos de Padron.

Throughout the day we prayed the Rosary in particular for those who have lost children through miscarriage. We prayed for the grace and mercy of God to fill their hearts and heal the wounds. We prayed for the strength of the Holy Spirit to encourage them for the future.

It’s a difficult subject we don’t often hear about. It can be a lonely journey for both women and men. As we prayed for this intention this one scripture kept coming to mind:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 
who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. † For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Our prayer is that all of those who have suffered in this way, would find healing, hope and comfort – and in turn be able to share that with others.

Buen Camino ❤️🙏

Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions: today we prayed for all those who have suffered the loss of a child through miscarriage.