Dear parents, today is a big day! We’ve now been walking for 20 days, which means we’ve done half of our pilgrimage. And to think that barely a few weeks ago we were still meeting at the parish, planning everything, wondering what the experience would be like... It’s incredible!
Early this morning, as we left Villarrobledo, we crossed the town’s main square. There were loads of young people having a drink in the bars, who were blown away when they saw us and asked us where we were going. It’s really disconcerting to start your day when some people are still finishing theirs…
One of the most remarkable events of the morning was Andreu catching a rabbit. He says it was very easy to catch, that it was docile and nice and calm. The problem was that, while some wanted to adopt it as the pilgrimage mascot, others were more in favour of cooking it. In the end it was decided, for everyone’s good, to return it to the wild.
Today the scenery was vineyards the whole way (in fact, the patroness of Tomelloso is Our Lady of the Vineyards). Jose had a little taste: he pulled off a bunch of grapes to eat, even though the grape harvest is still a while off. But it’s not the strangest thing we’ve eaten from the fields: yesterday Antonio wolfed down an onion freshly pulled from the ground.
At breakfast time, Don José Juan turned up again in his black car with the best news: a giant, fluffy sponge cake that we topped with Nutella, the pilgrim’s weakness. It would be wonderful if this generous priest could come with us every day all the way to Lisbon and take care of our breakfast…
Today’s lunch was special, to celebrate passing the halfway mark: rotisserie chicken with potatoes and a delicious ice cream. It was thanks to Luis and Jaime, who for that reason earned themselves a blanket toss from the most fanatical pilgrims.
We’re staying in a Caritas centre. It usually takes in the seasonal workers who come to work in the fields in summer, immigrants in precarious conditions who need somewhere to shower and rest. It’s impressive to see, day after day, the works of mercy the Church carries out in so many places.
For Mass and adoration, we went to a fairly newly built parish that has almost 300 children in catechesis! The parish priest, Don Antonio, told us that it is key to walk with the Church, to live the faith in community. Which of us would set out to cover these 1,300 km alone? Nobody, no doubt about it. But in community we become capable and go far. He also made us look at the image that presides over the church: a cross bearing not Christ crucified, but Christ risen, with the marks of the Passion. We will do as the Master did: we will reach the Resurrection after these days of pain and suffering.
Speaking of suffering, tomorrow is the third day of the “triad of death”: three consecutive stages of about 40 km. If we get through this, we can do anything! That’s why for dinner we just had a little glass of milk and a madeleine, to get to bed as early as possible.
Good night to you all. Tomorrow, more and better!