“The Camino Provides …”

We so often hear this phrase, and we are so often on the receiving end of the deal. We get what we need, and in some cases, what we want. It is great. But I just had a wonderful experience of supposedly being on the giving side and I’d like to share that with you for your consideration.

I got an email some days ago that there was a pilgrim walking the Camino with no funds and the sender asked if we would host him for his time in Astorga. It took no time to say yes, and he showed up a few days earlier than we expected. Stanislav is from the part of Ukraine taken by force by the Russian government and because his town was destroyed, he and his family are refugees here in Spain. He has lived in a Mediterranean coastal city for the last year and a half with his wife and daughter who is now 12. So his Camino is a long one. But why is he walking the Camino now, and with virtually no funds?

His wife and daughter went back to Ukraine to seek medical treatment for their daughter who has cancer, leaving him alone in Spain for some time. He was working doing some agricultural labor as I understand it, but he wanted to make this journey. In Ukraine he taught literature in university and also has skills as an icon painter. My wife Ann has taken an icon painting class here and it was great to have him offer some comments on her painting. Someone in Santiago has mentioned a possible job painting icons or teaching that, I’m not sure. Compare that with most pilgrims reasons for walking the Camino. So his 1200km journey began.

He was a pleasure to have in our home in Astorga for a couple of days. He is Catholic and together we went to tour the wonderful Cathedral here. Having no funds means that he was not taking time to tour inside such cathedrals along the Way, so this was his first. He was blown away and amazed at the beauty of the place. It was a real great experience for me to see, hear and feel his reaction to the museum contents and the cathedral itself. He knelt and prayed at dozens of places. He also went to confession and Mass and loved it.

This morning before daybreak we walked together in the rain to Santa Catalina de Somoza, a two hour walk. After second breakfast there he continued on to Rabanal del Camino and I returned home. It was a great time for both of us.

As I walked home alone I reflected upon the blessing that it is to be able and willing to joyfully share with others the resources we have been blessed to have in our hands and hearts. He was so grateful for each meal and a bed to sleep in for a couple of nights. We enjoyed hearing his story, most of which I can’t share in this short piece. We were blessed by his prayers, in Ukrainian, and almost planned more meals just to invite him to offer thanks. We understood not one word of these prayers, but felt the spirit strongly.

As we each continue our Camino, I urge you to find a way to be a provider for people you meet along the Way. I trust that you will find the rewards comforting and memorable. I invite you to pray for him, and healing for his daughter, peace for his wife. He will be back as he walks the Camino backwards to his Spanish home and we expect him to spend a day or two with us again.

In providing love,

Ronaldo – BC in Astorga.