There are people along El Camino de Frances from all corners of the world, speaking every conceivable language. Yesterday, I met two people from Macau – a Chinese Island, I did not know anything about.
This afternoon, I walked into the albergue and met Vincento, from Italy. Vincento speaks Italian, a few words of Spanish and no English. We introduced ourselves and said where we were from. Vincento said “no English,” meaning he does not speak English. I said ok and pointed to the medallion of a saint around his neck and asked him the name. He took off the necklace to show me that it was a saint on one side and the angel Gabriel on the other. Vincento and I carried on a conversation for at least 20 minutes, he spoke slowly in Italian and I used Spanish with some English sprinkled in.
This is Vincento’s 7th time walking one of the routes along El Camino. He owns a camp ground in Italy and is able to leave his family to care for it when he goes on pilgrimage. He said several times that it does not matter how many days it takes you to get to Santiago, it’s about looking, listening, smelling and experiencing what Dio (God) wants you to see that day. He said he never knows He will stop each day until God tells him to stop. He passionately seeks to spend time with the Lord.
Acts 2:1-11 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
This gift of tongues, I have asked the Lord for so many times and He is always faithful. I’m so thankful that Holy Spirit works in and through me, to allow me to have a conversation with a man who does not speak English but is a fellow believer! To encourage one another and glorify our Father in heaven.
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