Reflections – Camino de Santiago

Camino de Santiago, the Way of Saint James, is one of the three major pilgrimages in the Catholic religion. The other two are the pilgrimage to Rome (tomb of St. Peter) and Jerusalem (Holy Sepulcher of Christ). I had a unique opportunity to experience this journey, also known as the Way of Forgiveness, earlier this year. On Sunday, April 12, 2015, ten of us from the ESM and KSM ranging in age from our mid 20s to mid 70s embarked on this journey to walk 110 km of the full 800 km route which pilgrims have travelled for over 1,000 years.

The Camino was a true blessing.  To take a break from my busy life and to walk this ancient pilgrimage in Europe was something I never imagined I could do.  I was thankful to God and to my family, especially my husband, for giving me this opportunity.  I had the best vacation of my life.  No husband, no kids, no responsibilities, and no cooking for 10 days!  I never felt so free.  I felt as if I was in my twenties, physically and emotionally.  It was a true awakening for me as I realized that I don’t have to be there for my kids 24/7.  That I can be separate from them and they will be all right.

Our eventful journey started by nearly missing our connecting flight in Paris due to some airport strike. Just like an episode of Amazing Race, we were taking belts off while running to the security check to catch our connecting flight to Madrid. After almost 24 hours of travelling we arrived at La Coruna airport and from there we took a bus to Sarria.

10 of us had a great adventure travelling from Pearson Airport in Toronto to Spain.  3 others joined us in Spain, making it a total of 13 in the group.

It was a beautiful sunny day when we started from Sarria to Portomarin.  We walked 23km that day.  We ate a hearty breakfast of bread, ham, yogurt and coffee.  Excitement was in the air. For the next 5 days, we were led by the sign of the Camino – a yellow arrow, a drawing of a person walking and a scallop shell, the symbol of the Camino.  Some of us purchased scallop shells and attached them to our backpacks.  The ancient path we took was beautiful.  There were wild flowers blooming everywhere, birds chirping and green trees lined the path to provide us with welcoming shade.  As I walked, I was overwhelmed by the thought that so many spiritual giants walked this path ahead of me.

The next four days it rained.  It was the wettest part of Spain and that’s why it was so lush and green.  We were prepared with ponchos and waterproof hiking boots.  It would rain on and off throughout the day.   We all became experts at putting on and taking off our ponchos as we walked.

Each day, started with a devotional led by Rev Kim and we finished the day with a pilgrimage meal and a sharing time.  It was at this time that we learned more about each other, what brought us here and what we learned about ourselves as we took this journey.

We walked another 23km to arrive at Palas de Rei, then another 35km on day three to arrive at Arzua.  By this time, people started to feel the effects of the pilgrimage.  Some had blisters on their feet and others had problems with their legs.  One of the oldest members of our group after walking close to eight hours said he wasn’t walking anymore but his legs were just moving on their own.  The last two days were relatively easier.  We walked 19km to Rua and then another 19km to arrive in Santiago, our final destination, where it is believed that the bones of James the Apostle, one of Jesus’ disciples, are buried. As we got closer to our destination, I could feel excitement mounting within our group.  We first walked to the Cathedral for photos and proceeded to the Pilgrims office to receive our Compostellas – our certificates.

Next day, we went to Finisterre which literally means the end of the world.  St. Paul wanted to spread the gospel to this part of the world in accordance with Jesus’ great commission to spread the gospel to the ends of the world.  Rev In Kee Kim led us in a Sunday worship as we sat around the cliff overlooking the Atlantic ocean.  The view was breathtaking and I was in awe of the wonders of God’s creation. I was overcome with feelings of thankfulness and freedom.

I would like to thank Rev In Kee Kim for his leadership, Rev Yong Mi Kim for making travel arrangements, and to my Camino teammates for sharing this wonderful adventure with me and being part of my spiritual journey to fullness. I encourage everyone, especially women, to jump at opportunities to experience different things and visit different places when the opportunity comes knocking.  Knowing what I know now, I would have regretted for the rest of my life had I passed up on this opportunity to travel to Europe and walk the Camino.  The memories and experiences from this trip will be with me forever.  Nourishing my soul and lifting me up when dark clouds come my way.