The long and winding road to Navarrete

The pain in my left foot had reached a new level this morning. I started late had breakfast, walked a just a little bit through the city of Logroño, with all its little art installation spread through the town.

But I noticed right away that instead of getting better, with all the Cremes and painkillers I got, it was the hardest start into the day so far.

Leaving the city, I thought I was not even going to rave to make the halfway trip of only 16km today. But with everyone that walked by me and waved or gave me a thumb up and wished me a buen Camino, I felt the energy come back. Yesterday, I felt great and was able to share some of my energy through song with that other pilgrim, today I received many little gifts of energy from strangers passing by.

So, after the first km, I was still not pain free, but I am certain I will make it, and it became much more bearable.

I left the recreational area just outside of Lagroño had a little lunch and met these two other pilgrims. Jörg and Luise, and started to walk with them. Jörg was from Germany, and at the age of 36 had found his way to Jesus, after he hit rock bottom, as he said.

He asked me wether I believed in God? My response was easy: No! But I started to think about the day and said, but my believe in energy and sharing it, and the externality of it has grown even stronger in the last two days. But I am a science guy.

Since I had told them about how much pain I am in, he went on to ask me if he was allowed to pray for me. We’ll, I thought, he cannot break it more then it is already, so why not…

We get to the top of the next hill, and he Get’s on his knees and starts: “God please take away the pain from this guys foot.” Then he said something about “stripes” that did not make sense to me, but I guess it was lost in translation. (So if this does not work, cause he had to pray in English, and not his native tong German, which would have made perfect sense to me, I will be pissed 🤪)

So he tells me, Jan let’s make a… Jan how do you say Pakt in Englisch – I said: Deal… yes, Jan, let’s make a deal! (Again, if he messed up the healing because of transalation issues, I will be seriously pissed! 😂)

“If today at 7pm, your pain is gone, you go thank Jesus.” I said: deal, I will stop by the church and thank him! He said, “you don’t have to go to church, Jesus lives in you”. So I replied, “Naa, he does not live with me, plus it is unpolite to make some one you want to thank come to you, you go to his house!” He laughed and said ok.

It was much easier and less painful walking the rest of the day, wether Jesus or our lord Ibu profene did. the trick I don’t know, but it is 3 Minutes to 7pm now, so we will find out soon, I guess!

7pm: it is sooo much better, but not all done, so I will give Jesus one knee for sure!

If this works without me believing, I gotta keep this guy close!!!! Wonder where he is….

Anyway, wether it is our Lady Arnica and her friend IBU profene, or that Jesus loving friend of mine, I just hope it stays like this tomorrow. The pain is there but I can handle it!

And if I have to I will kneel – on one knee 😉 – I ever church along the way… Because today’s pain was driving me to tears!