Today was a very emotional day for me! Even though I had been preparing myself for this stage of the Camino for the last 2 months, it still brought out a lot of emotions. Let me tell you about it.
Today’s walk on the Camino took me to the top of a mountain pass. My early departure got me there way before sunrise, but the moon’s brilliance was spectacular and offered a good amount of light.
At the top of the mountain pass was a cross that I had read about and researched called the Cruz del Fierro or in other words, the Iron Cross. For years, pilgrims have passed by this cross, and have symbolically left a rock at the base. By leaving the rock, some pilgrims were saying that they were leaving their burden of sin. Others chose to leave a rock in memory of, or to honor, a loved one that had passed.
Close to two months ago, I was explaining this to my family and asked if they would want to paint or inscribe a rock that would represent someone in our family who had passed. And so before I left, my wife Faith had given me a rock that would represent her grandparents who passed several years ago - they were just wonderful, Godly people. She also had prepared a rock in memory of her dad. The one-year anniversary of his passing is coming up soon. My daughter, Erica, prepared a rock in memory of my dear mother, her grandmother. And then my three grandchildren each had prepared a rock for my dad, who they lovingly called Grandpa T.
As I carefully placed those rocks in my backpack last evening, I knew that today would be very emotional. And it was! The perfect trajectory of the moon added not only to the beauty but also to the intrigue of the moment.
As I walked up to that cross, the tears started flowing! And thankfully at that early hour, I was alone and no one heard this grown man weep. To document this special moment, I placed my headlamp on the rocks to shine some light on my face and videoed a short tribute to these precious people who are with Jesus today.
Again, this is one of those instances where to catch the full emotion of the moment you just had to be there. But for me, two months of anticipating this moment ended up making it a very moving experience!
Back sometime ago, I also asked my wife, who is a way better writer than I am, if she would be willing to write a tribute to each of those I honored. And so today, please respectfully read these tributes for these amazing family members.
Dad (David) Linville went to heaven after a difficult 3-year battle with serious health issues. Dad taught his children the value of hard work, which he learned early in life as part of a large, poor family in the hills of Kentucky. His continued work ethic at Ford Motor Company for 30 years enabled him to raise his family while faithfully pastoring a small church. Dad loved people! He could talk to anyone and especially enjoyed having a good laugh. His eyes were truly fixed on the goal, and he reached it on December 7, 2022. We’ll see you again, Dad!
Mom (Mary) Trussell had an unassuming voice and was shy in public, but she was a strong woman who raised her three children in the Andes mountains and high plains of Bolivia in primitive living conditions, for eighteen years. She may have been quiet, but she was highly intelligent — a meticulous bookkeeper and a student of the Word. She knew how to touch heaven when she prayed! We miss her dearly, but are so glad she was released from the cruel grip of Alzheimer’s disease when she finished her race in 2011. We can’t wait to hear her contagious laugh again one day in heaven!
Dad (Leland) Trussell set an example for us in his disciplined life of prayer. He was known in Bolivia as the missionary who walked many, many hours to reach churches in villages far beyond any roads, and was known in El Dorado Springs as the retiree who walked miles each day. Mostly, he was known as a man with unabashed, pure, contagious JOY! After his death in June of this year at age 94, we found ourselves standing on holy ground when we stumbled upon multiple prayer journals which are publish-worthy, convicting and challenging us to live closer to the Cross!
Thank you, Faith — perfectly said! All I can add is — I thank God for the incredible heritage He has given our family!
Regarding the trail, as a whole, it was a very nice secluded trail away from busy highways. But it was so long and hot! In fact, it seems I am in a really tough stretch of the Camino, simply because of several long stages in a row. As I understand that there is unseasonably warm weather in Missouri this week, it is the same way here in Spain. Even though I am leaving in the pre-dawn hours, I still have two to three hours of slogging through brutal heat at midday. The pilgrims who don’t leave before dawn are really taking a beating.
Plus, the trail today had 2”-8” rocks and it was a challenge making sure I didn’t step on one wrong and twist or roll an ankle. But I made it to Ponferrada, a city of 69,000 people. And as some of you would likely guess, for my early-morning departure tomorrow, I am already trying to figure out how to miss the commercial areas to save some steps! 😆
Major prayer request of the day: you may have never prayed a prayer like this, but would you pray for my shoes? My left shoe is showing signs of an imminent blow-out! I bought these shoes before I left, and besides breaking them in a little bit, they were brand new! The last thing I want to do is try to find some shoes that might miraculously fit my odd feet, and then have to break them in along the trail. That’s almost guaranteed blisters! So, you might pray for that shoe to be healed! 😁 I’m going to try to pamper them and hopefully they’ll give me 200 more miles of service. Remember, they are the only hiking shoes I brought! Yikes!
My roomie last night — a doctor from my birth country of Bolivia
Approximate total miles: 560
Approximate miles walked today: 17
Approximate miles remaining: 204