Last month we celebrated women in missions, and this month we’re giving it up for our guys. We’ve poured over blogs from men on the field along with those of the thankful ladies serving beside them. They’re stories of fun and freedom, challenge and compassion, honor and humility. And the lasting impression we’re left with is a man who looks like Jesus.
Every year, over 200,000 people travel to Spain to walk El Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James. For hundreds of years, El Camino has been a gathering place of religious pilgrims and adventurers. They travel for hundreds of miles together towards the Santiago de Compostela, the church where the remains of Saint James are said to be buried. Along the way, strangers become friends, and a unique community forms.
Last spring, the men of Kingdom Journeys and their mentors devoted a month to hiking El Camino. Dusty Dills, a World Racer from the September 2011 Z Squad, was a part of the Kingdom Journeys trek. He shares stories of El Camino becoming a place of camaraderie and community and how living authentically can transform the lives of the people around you.
It’s very fluid out there. People come and people go.
You’ll eat with certain people, sleep next to them, see them throughout the day as you’re journeying on The Way. Then there are times when people will be gone without warning, as quickly as they first showed up.
One evening in Santo Domingo, we stayed at a monastery run by nuns. We settled in and gathered in the dining area for supper and our nightly Bible study. A Polish man named Artur sat nearby, and we began to talk. He was doing El Camino to connect with God, or rather, to figure out what truth is.
After some small talk and food, we invited him to stay for our Bible study. I’d say from the get-go, he saw something different in our group, and he decided to stay.
Several days passed, and Artur continued to stick by our side. He became part of our team.
Every evening, without fail, 9pm Bible study would roll around, and Artur would be patiently waiting for us to start. It was beautiful!
Artur stuck with our group for a solid 5 or 6 days. One evening, Artur came to me and said, “I remembered. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my Mom’s passing. I think I will go alone tomorrow.” After a quick pause, he looked back up at me and said, “I was with her when she took her last breath.”
The next morning when we awoke, Artur was already on his way to the next city.
A couple days passed, and Artur still hadn’t joined back up with us. That night as we gathered to do Bible study, Daniel said he had something to share with our team. Upon checking in, the receptionist had given him a postcard somebody had left for us.
As Daniel read the words, I began to tear up. I was sad, because I longed to see our friend just once more. But I was also happy we’d impacted his life. My spirit rejoiced!
That night, I prayed “Please Lord, let us see Artur just once more.” I had high hopes and knew, if it was God’s will, it’d happen.
After Artur left us, Fabio joined us, and after Fabio was Alexa. Both were journeying for their own reasons, and both touched my life in different ways. Alexa would stick with us to the end.
It was community like I’d never experienced before, and it was beautiful how effortlessly it happened.
Outside of the World Race, I’d never witnessed this, even in church. Most of the folks weren’t even followers of Christ, yet we were living out what we see in Acts 2. People were sharing food and caring for one another, helping carry things for injured people. We were living and loving on one another like the Church is supposed to. Not to mention, we saw countless physical healings!
The day had finally arrived. We were just on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, the finish line for our trip.
We arose early and set out to find the Holy City, as some of the peregrinos would call it.
Upon arrival, you go to acquire your Compostela, or, Official Camino Finish Document. Before handing it to you, they ask “What was your purpose for hiking El Camino?”
As I walked and listened to the sounds of worship, I thought about that question. Why did I do this walk? As I prayed, God gave me a word. In that moment, it all made sense. “I am all He says I am, and I’m here to tell others the same.”
God had taught me what true discipleship was, and what it meant to love others with the love of Christ. He had showed me how to be a fisher of men.
As we rounded the corner, we could see the square, the cathedral, and hundreds of people celebrating the great arrival. It was like nothing I’d seen before.
Immediately, we started to rejoice and praise God for getting us to the end!
What happened next was one of the greatest moments of the whole trip. My teammate, Justin, told me there was somebody who wanted to see me.
As I turned, I saw Artur standing with our team. God had answered my prayer and brought him back to us!
We spent the next little while sharing stories from the rest of our trip. It was incredible and couldn’t have made the finish of our journey any better!
As you journey along El Camino, and also through life, some people come, and some people go. Some are around longer than others, but our goal as believers is the same. We are to love on and pour into each person we meet, regardless of the length of time. We are called to minister to them and make an impact on their lives.
That’s what we were called to do on El Camino: make disciples, love on people, and encourage them along ‘The Way.’
Many people on El Camino are like Artur, hiking for weeks in hopes that they find truth. Dusty met him in the midst of his search and was able to share with him the truth of Christ. There are thousands more on the trail every day, a mobile mission field. This summer, you can hike El Camino. You can join with people on their journey, encourage them, and show them the truth, all while growing yourself. Click here to apply.
Photos via Dusty Dills
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