Support & Solidarity Two Ways
Support & Solidarity Two Ways
by Sonya Varea | Greenville, SC
On the expansive lawn at the albergue where I was serving, I observed a man in his early 60s having his picture taken with a little toy dinosaur. There had to be a story behind the dinosaur. My curiosity outweighed my hesitation and fear of intruding, so I approached him and asked about the dinosaur. He explained that the dinosaur was his three-year-old grandson’s, lent to his grandpa for companionship and protection on his Camino. Grandpa was taking pictures along the way, sending them to his grandson to show the dinosaur’s progress, mimicking the “Flat Stanley” adventures.
The tenderness and innocence of this story brought tears to my eyes. I thought of my own grandchildren, about the same age, and felt an immediate connection to Grandpa. We continued chatting, and as pilgrims often do, we got around to the story behind his decision to walk the Camino. The dinosaur story, though sweet, paled in comparison to the reason for his Camino.
I discovered that he was one of a trio of old friends hiking together. The friend whose dream it was to experience the Camino had developed multiple sclerosis, which led to his blindness, a bad enough blow, and trashing with it his hopes of walking the Camino. That is, until his two buddies told him that they would walk with him, one on each side, guiding and supporting him, enabling him to realize his long-held wish. Now my tears really started flowing.
As a Ribadiso Welcome Service volunteer, and later as an hospitalera, I’ve had the opportunity to hear so many more personal stories like this one than I did on my own Camino. Serving, connecting, listening, sharing. Such blessings that the Camino provides.
If you are interested in becoming an Hospitalero, please visit our Hospitalero training page for more info, an FAQ, and our upcoming training sessions.
