Camino of Shalom 2023

It's been a while, but it looks like the pandemic might be easing up just enough so that I can head back to the Camino. Just as importantly, I'll be graduating from Bexley Seabury seminary next year in 2023, so I'm going to want to celebrate with a walk along the Camino Frances from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

I'm calling this pilgrimage the Camino of Shalom. Shalom is a word that means peace, but in a much broader, more wholistic way than we think of the word peace. It also implies wholeness, satisfaction, reconciliation. As I finish my MDiv degree, I think this prayerful focalpoint will help me discern how my ministry adapts to my world.

And this Camino of Shalom is open to all! Everyone is welcome in shalom. If you are interested in participating in this pilgrimage, please contact me. We will leave mid-June, starting the walk around June 16. If you wish to walk the whole 800km, join us then. If you wish to meet us and do a shorter walk, we can tell you when and were we are likely to be, as we intend to do 25km per day average - with rest days in Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon - and walk into Santiago de Compostela on July 22.

I will be offering monthly Zoom meetings for those interested. We'll be talking about different topics each month. Our first meeting on May 23 was an introduction. Future meetings will be a short presentation on the topics below followed by Q&A.

• June 20 - Training
• July - Accommodations
• August - Travel to and from and within Spain/France / Insurance
• September - Mobile phones and gadgets 
• October - Learning: Books and Language
• November - Food
• December - Spirituality
• January - Touristy stuff
• February - Meeting people
• March - Music, Meditation, Yoga
• April - WHAT WILL I PACK?!
• May - Health Care / Emergencies 
• June - Bon voyage party!

These are the anticipated dates in 2023:

• Mon June 13 – Leave home
• Tue June 14 – Arrive Spain
• Wed June 15 – Rest Day / No Jet Lag Please!
• Thu June 16 – St Jean Pied-de-Port DAY 1
• Sat June 18 – Walk into Pamplona
• Sun June 19 – Rest Day in Pamplona
• Tue June 28 – Walk into Burgos
• Wed June 29 – Rest Day in Burgos
• Thu July 7 – Walk into Leon
• Fri July 8 – Rest day in Leon
• Sun July 10 – Walk into Astorga
• Tue July 12 – Walk into Ponferrada
• Thu July 14 – Walk into O Cebreiro
• Sat July 16 – Walk into Sarria
• Fri July 22 – Walk into Santiago de Compostela

So for example, if you wanted to join us in Sarria for the final 100km, you could depart from home on July 14, land in Spain on July 15, rest (to avoid jet lag while walking) on July 16 (and meet with us for dinner!), and start walking on July 17 with us.

Hope you can join us or at least follow the blog as we prepare and next year when we walk.