Kindness is Never a Wasted Act
Kindness is Never a Wasted Act
by Judy Tsiang | Bozeman, MT
The name of the village is Hospital de Bruma at the site of an old pilgrim refuge along the Camino Inglés, established in 1140, and where Charles V of Habsburg spent the night in 1520. On a Sunday in October 2025, I also spent the night there.
Arriving at the small albergue, I claimed my bed and made a beeline to Casa Graña, a bar and restaurant across the street, adjacent to the 16th century Hermitage of San Lorenzo. These three buildings comprised the entirety of the settlement. Refreshed, I poked around the bucolic surroundings before returning to the albergue to set up and do laundry.
While I was getting organized, my stomach suddenly disappeared. My toiletry bag was missing! I still had to do laundry, so I put my panic aside and hand-washed my clothes. I only had two sets—the one I was wearing and the ones for the next day. I then discovered that I was missing another bag, containing my underwear and socks.
I returned to the bar to have a think and a bowl of caldo Gallego. The proprietor explained that the nearest store was too far to walk and probably closed. But wait, she said, and left. Then I realized that my medications were in my toiletry bag so I dashed back to the albergue where the hospitalero called a cab for me. Within 15 minutes, I headed back to Betanzos, where my day began. Seven hours of walking was a 30-minute cab ride.
The hospitalera who had greeted me the night before knew exactly why I was there. She handed me both of my bags, which had been found in the common area. As I was heading back, a pilgrim friend staying at Bruma called to tell me that the proprietor at Casa Graña had gathered provisions for me from her friends and neighbors—everything that would have been in my toiletry bag!
I returned to the bar and I hugged this kind woman as my eyes welled up. But I felt bad that her efforts were wasted. I gathered my Camino friends at the albergue to come and celebrate with the best wine in the house.
I realized later that this woman’s efforts were not wasted at all. I and my fellow pilgrims will never forget her and the kindness of the people in Hospital de Bruma.
