Camino II — Day 10

This Is Us

We’ve been walking together for ten days. The weather has been a mixed bag. Our first day was sunny, with a wonderful breeze coming off the ocean. Then we had six days of rain, one of which, the 5th, was gale force winds with a hard rain. The last two days have been sunny and bright.

We’ve encountered difficulties with finding the trail. This was especially true for the first seven days. When we entered Spain it got better, but there were still decisions to be made about which way to go. Now, as we draw nearer to Santiago the trail is more clearly marked, plus the number of pilgrims on the road with us has increased at least 100 fold — and I’m not exaggerating. If anything I’m being conservative.

We are a group of seven different souls. We have much in common, especially around issues of politics or social justice. And we are kindred spirits in our commitment to family and country and matters of faith. We get along pretty well most of the time.

Vern

Vern is from an Amish and Mennonite background. He is wicked smart when it comes to anything mechanical. I swear he could fix anything. Vern was educated at the U of Minnesota with three years of advanced work in Mechanical Engineering. He’s good headed and good hearted, this guy, big hearted. Vern worked with prosthetic limbs. I mean he helped design them! He’s helping me with a foot issue. And he’s going to teach Sally and me how to make beer!

Janet

Janet is, as someone said just tonight, a problem solver. She sees something that needs doing and she jumps in to do it, and does it well. She too has a great heart, and a good mind. When she walks alongside of you then you know the conversation will be deep, and that she will add something to whatever it is you thought you knew about something. Oh, and she has her own mind about mindful things. She is going to help drink the beer that Vern is going to teach Sally and me to make.

Bob

Bob is steady. He is content to be out front, which he does often, or he can be walking in the back, acting as our sweeper. Bob will sit quiet and then say something that will make you laugh or think, or most likely both laugh and think. Unassuming often gets confused as unremarkable — Bob is unassuming in the very best way possible. He doesn’t need attention, but you can’t help but notice him. He has a servant’s heart. We might gift him with a bottle of the beer that Vern is going to teach Sally and me to make.

Susanne

Susanne is grit and go and get out of my way. And she’s able to be each of those and more in a way that is not offensive or off putting in any way. In fact, you can’t help but admire her. She will often be the first to stand and patiently wait for the rest of us to get up so we can get on our way. “Okay, let’s go.” And we go. She too is a problem solver — a decision maker. In many ways, Susanne is the groups den mother. She looks out for us, makes sure we get up in line for stuff, remember our poles and packs.

Leanne

Leanne is tough. She’s had to be given the life she’s chosen to live. On the Camino she often puts her head down and pushes one foot in front of the other. She’s had to learn how to do that. And she laughs often and loud and with such joy. She’s done so much leading in her life that on this trip she is just enjoying being led. Leanne knows how to step in when it’s needed. I appreciate that in her. And she can swear when it’s appropriate and I like anyone who knows when the only word that will work is one that your mother would not approve of.

Sally

Sally is the heart and soul of our group. We all love her because she is so easy to love. Sally is easy to be with and almost always has a smile on her face. When she greets others on the path with the familiar “Buen Camino,” it is always with a wonderful, cheerful tone. And she’s passionate about so many important matters and fearless in talking about them. She too is tough. But it is Sally’s tenderness that defines her best to those of us who know her and have walked with her. And she will be very good at making the beer that Vern is going to teach us to make. I’m counting on it.

Me

I’m the one bringing up the rear trying not to be too much of a pain in the ass, and mostly succeeding.

What distinguishes this bunch is that each of us has faced challenges in our lives, some by choice and others by circumstance. The Hostetlers were Mennonite mission folk in Uganda shortly after Idi Amin left power. The Jordans have succeeded both in career and in adventures. They actually biked across American! Leanne Van Dyk has broken ground for women in so many important ways and she’s paid the price. Sally and I are just two kids from little towns in Iowa who have found themselves in places that we never imagined we’d be.

We are good people. And that’s good enough, my friends.

And There’s The Saint

Buen Camino