Psalm 126:5

Day 3 – Zubiri – Pamplona, Spain

Started out raining again today, but got much lighter and scattered as the day progressed.  Probably start back up again later, though.  Hard to stop to read my devotional in the rain.  Going to try to find a dry place to rest and read and reflect. For now...keep walking…

I met two Argentinian priests and a Swiss Argentinian(?) along the Way today.  Had a great conversation about their take on the state of the South American church. Fun meeting up with South Americans and speaking South American Spanish!  They are holding mass for folks along the Camino.  Neat guys.

I met up with another guy – North American.  Started talking.  Quickly progressed to tears.  His oldest son died.  He is struggling with God, with anger, with everything.  Said that priests and nuns had really “pissed him off” with all their talk about leaving family and friends and the world behind and “Follow Me”.  Said a missionary friend had called him from Central America to say his condolences and invite him to come spend some time serving in Central America.  But, he admitted to having a string of excuses for not doing it… too involved in family, work, making extra money for the other kid’s college funds, etc.  Then one of his other children said that he wanted to go to Central America with him to serve.  Then a second child wanted to go, too.  Then the stock market jumped up and he made enough to cover the college tuitions.  So, they started serving together.  Now they do short term mission work with a priest who is a missionary in Haiti.  He is hiking the Camino with those two kids right now.

He asked me about my story.  I told him about my walk in faith, about my own struggles.  We had some really pivotal things in common in our stories as fathers.  We cried together quite a bit. 

God and I are having a great walk.  It is hard, emotionally and physically.  But it is great.  I’m watering a lot of plants with tears along the route.  Psalm 126:5  Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.