The Devil Has Many Faces (from May 26, 2014)

THE DEVIL HAS MANY FACES

The Camino story I am about to tell you was a great reminder to me.  We had made it to the sleepy little village of Zariquiegui, hungry and haggard. The guide book said there were no Albergues, bars or stores here.  I began to panic and dreaded a repeat of Roncevalles where I had collapsed because I had not taken in enough carbs or protein to power me over the hills and down the steep inclines.

(Elevation of Hill of Perdon)

We were facing "The Hill Of Perdon" (The Hill Of Forgiveness) with our  fuel  tanks on E-M-P-T-Y. But when we turned into the little village there was a new, small Albergue, a Bar and a store.  Halleluyer!!!  I was saved!

  

(Maria and Alexa who stayed with me)

We ran into Maria and Alexa who stayed with me when I collapsed. We keep running into each other.

Izabela and I headed for the Bar to load up on sandwiches, fruit and water. Now comes the story...  When I was a child there was a popular song called, "The Devil With The Blue Dress On."   In this case, it was "The Devil With The Blue BLOUSE On," and her name was Stella. Stella was all smiles, bubbly noises and jumping with enthusiasm. She came right over and sat with us, gushing out more information than we knew what to do with. She had bleeding blisters and other gross stuff... And she just couldn't climb that Hill! She was going to have to take a taxi to the next village. Then she looked at my knee brace and exclaimed in the time of a speeding bullet , "You can't go either!!! You mustn't try to Climb the Hill Of Forgiveness. You'll never make it with your knee. And even if you did, you'd never make it back down the other side because the incline is impossible!!!"  As Stella went on and on, I felt doubt and fear creep in. Maybe I couldn't make it.  My knee was hurting... My backpack was heavy... And I was exhausted. Whoa!!! That isn't my normal way to face things. Athletic friends had told me before I left that the Battle of the Camino is Won or Lost in our head rather than in "the field."  I stopped and thought, would God be the messenger of fear and doubt?  Of course not. Stella was that energy within ourselves that allows a darkness to take hold and spring to life. We left Stella behind and started our climb. I decided to use the Hill for the purpose it was intended and started asking God to forgive me for ways I have unintentionally hurt my dear husband Wayne; for my ignorance in raising CJ, Jerry and Brett and hurts I had caused them; for hurting my siblings; slights to my friends.... The hill was tough... It took all the wind out of my sails and left me weak and limp... But, before I knew it, we were at the top!  My heart opened up; I felt pure and truly forgiven.

(Sidney with metal Pilgrims)

On top are metal figures if Pilgrims struggling against the obstacles. Obstacles aren't always The Hill," they can be the Stella's of the world who do not want to fail alone. I committed to make my decisions from my own experience and not based on someone else's fears.   Izabela and I went over to the edge to check out the descent. Gulp... It was pretty vertical... But we reminded each other we had been blessed by my church Family and they were praying for us... we would just have let their prayers help us make that descent.
 
So, my lessons were clear... Don't let someone else's fear and doubt make my decisions.... And since I believe in the power of prayer, I TRUST that the prayers of others will sustain me.

LIONEL IN THE GIGGLE WEEDS

We have met so many wonderful and exciting people on the Camino. They represent many countries: England, France, Spain, New Zealand, Lithuania, Germany, Australia, Korea, Poland, Texas, Ireland, China, Scotland, El Salvador, Japan, Senegal and others. There are quite a few Australians walking "The Way."

(Lionel and Family)

Lionel, his wife Joy and daughters Belinda and Jessica are doing this as a family (though there are 5 more children who couldn't come). I believe Lionel is at least 6'5" tall and Joy is about 5'2" short. He did the old "collapse almost in view of Roncevalles" like I did. He told Joy, "I don't feel so good love, I better sit down."  Next thing Lionel knew he was on the ground unable to hold himself up. On the Camino, the custom when you pass another Pilgrim is to say, "Bueno Camino."  So there he lay, all 6'5" of him and little Joy couldn't help him up.  She ran for help. While he lay there in the "giggle weeds" pilgrims passed by, looked down at him and said "Bueno Camino!"  Lionel tried to move his mouth to respond but he just didn't have the strength to get the words out. He then decided he should at least get out of his backpack instead of laying there with his legs partly in the air like a helpless turtle. Lionel wiggled out of the pack. He said, "I got me self out of that pack and tried to get me self up on a stump so I could at least sit up. Then I could sort of move my mouth when the other Pilgrims wished me 'Bueno Camino,' and not be so rude saying nothing."
Well, at least the Pilgrims are friendly.

THE TEENY TINY TUB AND THE MONK'S PRISON

just to let you experience some of our conditions, I chose just a couple of our sleeping places to share with you.

All the Albergues were full... There was no room at the Inn in Puente La Riena. We were in big trouble. Our feet hurt, our legs hurt, our hair hurt... And we couldn't find a bed. We walked on into town and finally found a really small hotel/Restaurant that had one room left up some windy stairs. It was close quarters, but it was a bed and it was clean. Then we looked into the bathroom. That was the teensiest, tiniest little bathtub I ever saw.

(Teeny, Tiny Tub)

It had a shower head so I settled on a shower. BUT MY FEET WERE STILL BARKING. Then I got to thinking. I could just scrunch up, ease down into that tiny tub and soak something. So I got down. Big Mistake!  I couldn't get back up and I wasn't about to call Izabela and let her find out I had done such a thing. So I sat there several minutes trying to solve a new problem with old answers. Usually, I can roll over on my knees to get out of my bathtub.  But, NOOOOO!!  Not with this one. There was no room for turning. I was STUCK. I contemplated the situation and knew I had to work fast because Izabela was going to suspect something if I didn't come out soon. Finally, I used my elbows to inch my way up, then slid my back end on the tiny lip of the tiny tub til my legs could get under me. And I casually walked out and told her it was her turn. She never suspected anything.

Now the next one was scary. We were in Azofra, and there was only one Albergue in town. We got there late because of my slow walking with my bum knee and the main building was "complete" as they like to say.  The little gal walked us around to the "overflow" building. I'm already getting anxious.

She took us down a long hall and opened the door to an 8 X 12 foot room. There were 4 beds and a 1 X 1 foot window and a solid door. My heart began to race. Did I tell you I am ever so slightly claustrophobic?  There were going to be 4 people in this old Monks cell. OMGoodness!  I frantically weighed my options... Sleeping outside in the pouring rain; sleeping in an unoccupied shower; suicide; or maybe insisting on keeping the door open all night. At least I was by the door. If I had been in the back no telling what would have happened. As you might guess, I hid my head under the covers, slept like a teenager and jumped at the first peep of the alarm.  That was a close one.  Normal Albergue offers a bed with one sheet and a pillow with a community bath (truly).

THE GALLANT YOUNG SPANIARD

Let me tell you about the day we were struggling to get to Viana. The sun was beating down on us and even the insects took cover. It was a long day of walking with the "forever UPS and DOWNS."  I was planning how to make it across this field... Setting small goals to reach the top of a hill or reach the next tree... I was thirsty, but would have to take my backpack off to get to my water and I wasn't sure I'd have the strength to lift it up to put it back on. So, I just continued to drag one foot in front of the other.

(Sidney by hwy)

I approached a rather busy highway when suddenly out of nowhere a young and gallant Spaniard roared up and handed me something that glistened in the sun.  He was so handsome, and with a mysterious smile reared back on his great white horse and thundered off as quickly as he had appeared.  Izabela had stopped and watched the whole thing and I said, "Did you see that?  Did you see the big white horse??"  She said, "wall (she says well like wall)  I saw it.  But that wasn't a horse, it was a white motorcycle."  I said, "But the gallant young Spaniard gave me this thing that glittered in the the sun."  She looked at it and said, "that is a business card for La Villana Restaurant and it says 'the best Peregrinos meal in town.' And tomorrow you must drink more water."  Snatched dream right out of a poor old woman's head....  Just to let you know, we did find the La Villana in Viana and went there for dinner. My gallant young Spaniard was lying on the sofa. When he roared off, a bee got under his helmet and bit him next to his eye. Just to think, he did all that for me.  BTW, it was really good food.

(Gallant Spaniard)

 A CROSS IN THE FENCE ON THE CAMINO

I've always wanted to say this... "On the way to Azofra, Spain one day..."  There I said it and it is true...  On the way to Azofra, there is a fence that runs along the highway for over a mile.  The thing that is different about this particular chain link fence is all the hand made crosses that Pilgrims have made from twigs, rope, pieces of plastic or whatever they can find and woven them into the fence.  At first it is just something nice to look at. But the further you walk,  you realize this is sacred space, and you feel the hope, the pain, the desire, the regret in all those rough little crosses. It is really a "Fence of Prayers" left there in the form of a cross made with care and love by a Pilgrim. Each one stands out as a magnificent thing of beauty. I had two deeply painful worries for family members who were in need of prayers. 

One was my brother Troy who had an issue with his heart. I was very afraid for him because we aren't spring chickens like we used to be. So I carefully made a cross and prayed while I wove it into the fence. Then I walked for a little while specifically praying for God's angels to look over him and carry him through a successful procedure. 

(Making Troy a cross)

After a few moments I concentrated on my great-granddaughter Leeiagh. At 9 years old she had a brain tumor and had to be operated on. Though it went pretty good, there have been a few complications, so she (as are my three beloved children) has been in my nightly prayers for some time. It was a great pleasure to also make little Leeiagh a cross and leave it on the El Camino for other Pilgrims to witness and perhaps add a prayer too. So a cross is woven in that chain link fence for Troy and Leeiagh and it will be there for a long time.  How peaceful it is to be able to "make a prayer" for a loved one and ask God's protection, healing and love for them. It made my heart full.

THE TOUGH WAITRESS WHO CRIED

We found this little place to eat called Virginia's bar and they served  Peregrines. Three Pilgrims coming out laughing and happy told us it had great food. Izabela and I went up to the bar to see all the surprises under the glass and this tough little waitress who spoke no more English than we spoke Spanish "acted out" what the food was. It was like charades. We finally got it that the one we thought to get was octopus.  We said No, No!  She said, Bueno, Bueno!  We ended up with ensalad and a stew kind of thing with potatoes in it. Then we had an exquisite fruit dish - strawberries, kiwi, bananas covered with cream with drizzles of chocolate caressing all of it.  Yum, Yum. We asked, "Quanta este?"  And she told Izabela that I was a strong woman to be doing the Camino at my age. I had to smile. She showed her muscles again.

(Card on backpack)

Then she saw the card on our backpacks and I said, "para Ninos."  (For the children).  She understood... tears shot to her eyes and she started petting my arm and saying something in sweet, endearing terms.  Though neither of us could understand each other's language, we understood each other's heart. This stranger in a foreign land reached in, and for such a brief encounter really touched me deeply.

THE CHICKEN BLESSING

(Cathedral in Santo Domingo)

There is a legend that says that in the Middle Ages a handsome young man, Hugonell, went on Pilgrimage with his German parents. When they came into Santo Domingo, the Inn Keeper's daughter fell in love with Hugonell. He did not respond to her advances and angered, she put a silver cup in his bag and accused him of stealing. He was sentenced to the gallows and was hanged...BUT, miraculously Hugo did not die though he hung there for a very long time. His parents went to the mayor and said, "Our Hugo is alive, and we want him cut down."  The Mayor who was about to eat roasted chicken, said,"That boy is as alive as these roasted chickens we are about to eat," and suddenly the chickens jumped up, grew feathers and beaks and began to crow.

(Sidney Chicken Pilgrim)

To this day, Pilgrims come into the Church hoping to hear the chicken crow so they can receive the "chicken blessing." So, here Izabela and I sit in de Santo Domingo De La Calzada waiting for that placid, mute chicken to crow so we can get our chicken blessing.

(Rooster & Hen in Cathedral)

If that darn thing doesn't crow soon, we'll have to go without our blessing, as we are very sleepy and tired.

We continue on our journey and will update you soon.