Zubiri to Pamplona

After 3 full days on the Camino, I have learned a couple of things. One is to keep your eyes peeled for signs that you are still on the right trail. Sometimes the clue is a yellow arrow, sometimes it is painted yellow scallop shell, sometimes it simply says Camino de Santiago. Most places are marked fairly well, but on occasion the markings are sparse and pilgrims get nervous because we sure don’t want to walk any extra miles that are not necessary. I did download an app that shows my location up against the trail, so when I am walking in the dark that gives me some peace of mind that I haven’t strayed off the path. That’s like the map God has given us - His Word helps us to stay on the right path that leads us to Heaven.

Camino de Santiago trail marker

The second thing I have learned is that all Pilgrims greet each other with the words, “Buen Camino!” I could tell you what that means, but I’m not going to - that’s your homework assignment before church tomorrow. And then you can share the meaning with each other tomorrow. 😊

My walk began at 6:00 AM as I left Zubiri headed to Pamplona.

Coffee at Mile 6!

The walk was around 14 miles with the last 2-3 miles taking place on sidewalks in the city. I believe Pamplona is the largest city on the Camino, with a population of 200,000. It is where the “running of the bulls” famously happens every July, and also a place where Ernest Hemingway did a lot of his writing. Honestly the last miles on the pavement and concrete, even though flat, were really hard.

In comparison to the quaint French and Spanish villages I have visited, this atmosphere is like a madhouse. I am staying in a hostel run by the Catholic Church. My room (there are 5 rooms) has 28 beds, with it being mixed company. The bathroom is also mixed. Yikes. Out of my comfort zone! The showers and toilets have stall walls around them, but from my background this is a bit weird. Don’t tell anyone, but I may actually not take a shower at this stop! 😆

Last night I had 7 roomies; tonight I have 27!

But the cost is reasonable - 11 euros or $11.77. Definitely in my budget.

Tomorrow was supposed to be my zero-miles day — my body needs it, but the hostel requires everyone to be out by 8:30 and I would have to wander around with my bag until recheck in time between 1:00 and 2:00. So for my zero day, I will move on. I have made reservations at a closer village than the normal leg which means I will only have to walk 11 miles tomorrow. I know I need a zero day soon, but when I do take one, I will make sure I am in lodging where I can have access to my room without checking out and then checking back in. 11 miles is doable and is definitely a lighter-than-normal day.

Thanks again for those who are reaching out with words of encouragement. So far, no one has asked me to return to get a snake out from under their deck or a chipmunk from their downspouts, so it’s all good!

Approximate total miles: 560

Miles walked today: 14

Remaining miles: 515

Roncesvalles to Zubiri

An Early Start

Today I felt the need to get up and start my walk earlier than necessary. It was one of those days where I sensed a need for some alone time before other pilgrims began their journey. For at least one hour, in a very remote area with no light from the moon nor the stars, my headlamp pushed back the darkness far enough to see just a few feet in front of me. I think that is what God was trying to get across from the Scripture that says He is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.” He provides just enough light so we can see our pathway, but wants us to trust Him for the unknown ahead of us.

Finally a man from Croatia came up and we walked together for a few moments. I think he felt this old man might need him. But after a bit, I released him to go his normal pace, which was way faster than mine. His light soon disappeared into the unknown, and I was back to relying solely on my light, listening to praise and worship music, and praying. I was impressed to pray for the physical healing of many people today. As God brought you to mind, I tried to be faithful to pray for a Divine touch for you.

Just a note about the trail today. It reminded me very much of our own Ozarks. The trail was up and down, not super steep, but a tough enough challenge for someone like me who might circle a parking lot in the States 2-3 times to find a closer parking spot that would keep me from walking an extra 20 steps. 😆 Silly American! The cumulative pounding from the brutal day yesterday and today caused my muscles to not just complain, but scream! I learned about muscles I didn’t even know existed! Yikes! After two tough days, I probably should take a zero-miles day tomorrow for my body’s sake, but really wanted to go one more section to Pamplona before doing so. I’ll listen to my body in the morning and make that call. This is not a sprint. They say that 1-2 days of rest per week are needed for the body to recharge enough to stay healthy and complete the long trek across Spain. People have also assured me that after 2 weeks of walking, your body will get into a routine and not hurt as much as it is now! I sure hope they are right — but it depresses me to think I might hurt like this for 2 weeks.

Thanks for your prayers for my achy muscles and bones. I really need them right now. But also thank you for praying that God would do something in me and through me! Oh, by the way, if anybody would like to join me in my fun, 😂 feel free to do so!

Approximate total miles: 560

Walked today: 14

Remaining miles: 529

All I Lack is Finishing Up

I guess I would call the day exhilarating — the feared and famous “cross the Pyrenees mountains” day can be checked off of my list. Done! Even though they don’t have the elevation of the Rockies, they are tough. They have every reason to be feared, but when I finally quit feeling sorry for myself and got my eyes off the trail and up into mountains, the fear and dread turned into awe. Incredible beauty. Flocks of sheep contrasted against the green mountainside pastures. Spanish-style houses with orange roofs made everything so picturesque. But after 15 miles, I was so excited at the first glimpse of Roncesvalles, even though I still had 2 more miles to go to get to my Albergue (hostel).

What am I learning? I’m learning to slow down and listen to people like Peter, who was emotional as he poured out his heart and told me he was here to heal from a broken marriage, and to the lady who is here to process her grief after losing her father and her son. I am learning to stop and help a poor lady who could hardly walk because of a blister on her foot. I had come prepared and gladly shared what I had. This is not my nature, as I like to hurry and get to where I’m going. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but I’m trying to slow down and let God bring to me opportunities to serve.

Well, tomorrow is a new day — should be a piece of cake since it is only a 14-mile day — that is if I can get out of bed! 😆 Thanks for the many texts and emails of encouragement you are sending.

Total mileage goal: 560

Walked today: 17

Remaining miles: 543

All I lack is finishing up!

Spain and France!

Well, after my wife dropped me off at KCI, and after a long trip across the Atlantic Ocean, and after a 4-hour train ride and then another hour in a taxi, I arrived in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. What a quaint little village! First on my to-do list was to go to the Pilgrim’s Office to get my Pilgrim Passport, as it is required to stay at many of the hostels. They stamped the passport, which means I am now officially a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago! I also picked up my scallop shell, which is supposed to hang on the outside of your backpack so they know you are a pilgrim.  

As brutal as the last 36 hours have been, tomorrow will make me question why I am even considering trying to do this. The trail takes me over the Pyrenees mountain range where 90% of the journey tomorrow is uphill. On top of that, all the hostels were already booked in town, so I have another 2 miles to get to my bed. So, it looks to be a leisurely 17+-mile day tomorrow. I actually tried to cut the day in half, but other pilgrims had that idea before I did and booked the few rooms that were available.  

But I don’t want to think about tomorrow — right now I am loving walking around this French town that has every element you would expect in a setting like this — a river running through the town, church bells ringing on the hour, and architecture that you only see in pictures. I just sat down at an outside restaurant and am trying to slow my mind down and enjoy being still. Which by the way, wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to do! Try it — it might change your perspective!

“Credencial del Peregrino” — my Pilgrim’s Passport

My backpack with the pilgrim’s scallop shell

Departure Day

Well today is a day of crazy emotions. I hate leaving my family — they are amazing! Saying goodbye to my wife of 39 years (can’t believe she has put up with me this long) who is so supportive of this Sabbatical (but probably is actually ready for a break from me), to my wonderful grandkids — Jase, Claire, and Abigail — and to my amazing daughters Erica and Becca (who love me despite my weirdness) is hard. As I leave, there are tears on both sides. But if I can get past the tearful goodbyes, I think the excitement will build for this opportunity of walking where one of my spiritual heroes, the Apostle James, walked.

I have cleared security at KCI and will depart at 1:59, fly into Philadelphia, board a Boeing 787, and fly all night to Madrid. From there I take a train to Pamplona where the famous “running of the bulls” takes place. Then I jump on a bus across the Pyrenees mountains into France and go to the beginning of the Camino de Santiago at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. If everything proceeds as planned, I should arrive Wednesday evening, which in Missouri should be around noon. This all is exciting, but scary at the same time.

I’m counting on your prayers for my family, as this adds an extra load for them and for me as I do something way out of my comfort zone. Thanks for being my friends!

Goodbyes have been said. Ready to do this!

Ready to Roll!

Well here I am the day before departure. I have looked at the list of needed supplies and checked it twice. Actually I think I have checked it 10 times. I have never packed for 7 weeks, so I am a bit nervous, which makes me pack heavy. The recommended list says take two pairs of pants — I am taking 3. The list says take 2 shirts. I am taking 4. But the list says nothing about the kitchen sink, so I guess I will just leave that for my wife to use while I am gone. I also can’t believe the list doesn’t mention anything chocolate — I’m sure it was accidentally left off, so I have included generous amounts. I’ll share with others (well, maybe). My travel bag for the 7-week trip weighs 37 pounds. Feels like a ton!

The song the Lord has given me as an encouragement is the song by the Collingsworth family entitled “You’re About to Climb”. You can listen to that on YouTube if you want. Thanks for your prayers and support. It means so much to me as I begin my journey to El Camino de Santiago.

Almost ready for the Camino. Notice the M&M’s on the backpack!

Pastor Joe's Sabbatical Updates - FAQ - About This Blog

Our Senior Pastor, Joe Trussell, is going on sabbatical in Fall 2023!

What does that mean?

We’re glad you asked.

What is a sabbatical?

Pastor Joe has been serving us as a congregation for 29 years, and we are so thankful and lucky to have him at the helm leading us.

Over the past 10 or 12 years, the church board has offered Pastor Joe a Sabbatical on a few different occasions, but — we don’t know if you know this about our pastor — he wears quite a few different hats and he’s never really felt like it was the right season for him to be away.

Well, the time has come where he has agreed to take some time off to recharge, and the board has granted him seven to eight weeks off to do so. We’re going to miss him, but we believe this is an extremely important part of our journey as a church and much deserved by Joe.

What does this mean for us?

Obviously, we’re intentionally using the word Sabbatical here. Not vacation, not paid time off, not a leave of absence.

That said, we truly hope Joe takes some time to relax and enjoy being away from his day-to-day responsibilities here.

But a Sabbatical means something different from vacation.

If you haven’t heard the word before, you can probably recognize the root word within of “Sabbath,” and you likely have a basic understanding of that concept since it’s literally #4 on the list of the Ten Commandments.

The concept of Sabbath goes deeper than the weekly day of rest. We find examples of Sabbath throughout Scripture around certain festivals, holidays, farming practices, and, yes, even employment.

A Sabbatical is a time period set aside for refreshment — physically, mentally, and spiritually — IN THE LORD, and we are trusting that the Lord will fill our pastor to overflowing during this time.

What are our responsibilities as a congregation during this time?

#1) Pray for him. Joe is not going to be sitting around doing nothing. He’s going to need our prayers. Let's pray for God’s anointing on his time away and for God’s protection.

#2) Commit to not trying to contact him. And don’t just hold things to bury him when he returns. If you need something from the church during this time, don’t text his phone. Don’t leave him a voicemail. Call the church office (417-876-2200), and we will do our best to assist you with your needs.

(An aside here: don’t be bothering Faith either. Just follow this blog to stay updated on his progress.)

#3) Keep coming to church while he is away. If you’ve been paying attention on Sunday mornings, you know we have some very exciting growth happening, and the Holy Spirit has been faithful to meet with us every Sunday.

Don’t miss what the Lord is doing here.

You’re needed here just as much as the Pastor. Just because Pastor Joe is gone for a few weeks, doesn’t mean the mission of our church changes.

We’re still going to do our best to transform nonbelievers and casual Christians into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

What will Joe be doing?

Q: Where is Joe going?

A: Joe has chosen to spend his sabbatical time on a spiritual pilgrimage of sorts. He’s going to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It’s a trail that has incredible history behind it — following the route that Christians and others have followed for centuries, starting in southern France and walking across northern Spain westward toward the coast. It ends at Santiago de Compostela — the traditional burial site of the first missionary to this part of the world: St. James.

There’s lots of info on the Camino to be found here, and you can watch a fantastic documentary film about two best friends — one wheelchair-bound — who did it together here.

Q: Will he be safe?

A: Conveniently enough for this particular trip, Joe has been hiking in mountains his whole life. He was born in the Andes mountains in Bolivia, and has climbed some of the world’s highest peaks, including Mt. Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Nevado Sajama, and many others. This trail will be far less strenuous and dangerous than many of those.

Joe is also fluent in Spanish (again, he was born in Bolivia), so he’ll be able to communicate easily as he crosses Spain.

Also, the Camino de Santiago is known as a safe journey. It’s not uncommon for people to walk it alone, but it’s also a communal experience — strangers on the Camino traditionally help each other if someone runs into trouble.

Q: Why did Joe choose to spend his Sabbatical this way?

A: Well, this is not Joe writing this, but here’s our take. Mountains renew Joe’s spirit. It’s one of the ways he can feel Jesus close beside him. He’s also a bit naturally introverted, and having time to think and pray without being “on” socially as a pastor is a wonderful thing for him. He’ll have a month and a half of walking to spend praying, thinking, listening to/reading Scripture, and letting God speak to him. In the evenings, he’ll be doing some writing/journaling and maybe connecting a bit with other Camino travelers.

He’ll also get to connect with the centuries of history of followers of Jesus who have journeyed the Camino — in a sense sharing the journey with them and learning from the times of prayer and reflection they wrote about during their times on the trail.

Q: How do the logistics of this work?

A: Joe will stay in some hostels, and a few times in monasteries (some of which have been hosting Camino travelers literally for centuries).

He’ll have cell phone coverage almost the whole way (but again, don’t text him with questions if you can possibly avoid it).

He’ll be carrying a smaller and lighter backpack than he’s used to carrying in the mountains, since he doesn’t need to bring a tent or all his food.

Q: How can we pray for Joe?

A: Ask God to restore his soul and that he would be re-created rather than just having recreation.

Ask God to protect him.

Ask God to give him strong legs and freedom from pain (he’s got kind of a history of foot problems, especially here recently).

Ask God to help him not take a wrong turn and end up in Moscow. (No, uh, that’s not actually a concern. Look at a map. See how that would be pretty much impossible? Yeah.)

Ask God to give him divine appointments along the way to bless others and be blessed by people he meets.

Ask God to give Joe freedom from worry about what Pastor Jim and Pastor Patrick are doing back home!

Who is preaching while Joe is gone?

Besides our church staff, God has blessed our church with several fantastic retired former pastors and missionaries. They’re all gifted communicators and teachers of God’s word. Pastor Richard Beckham, Pastor Dennis Painter, and Pastor Mark Surbrook will be filling in, as well as our staff pastors.

If you have further questions, please email Pastor Jim at jimpurtle@yahoo.com.