Two Spanish guys helped out during the Irish trip to El Camino, which I mentioned yesterday. Samuel Palacios (photo above) works with Agape in Barcelona, and he brought along a non-believing friend. One day the two Spaniards were running errands, and Samuel's friend, Dani, asked an interesting question: "Are you different because of your religion? Or is it just something about you?"
Samuel's response was: "If you have observed anything in me that is good or noble, that difference is entirely a result of my relationship with Jesus Christ, and has little to do with anything special about myself". This led into a great conversation about the difference Christ can make in our lives.
This is what the El Camino project is all about. As people bring non-believing friends along, they see the Christian life lived out -- not in a super-spiritual, detached from reality manner, but rather in a very down-to-earth way, amidst sore feet and tired bodies. As day after day rolls by, with everybody carrying heavy packs all day, people can see the difference Christ makes in one's life.
Several El Camino projects will be taking place this month, so be sure to keep them in your prayers.
Just got word that 15 people from Dublin joined Kate and Kelly Mulholland along the Camino de Santiago in northwestern Spain. They left the fair shores of Ireland on 16 June and journeyed 100 miles along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Chloe Hanan described the trip thus: