Spanish Missionary Update

Isn't suffering the whole point?

This past summer I spent two weeks away, hiking in northern Spain on the Way of St. James, (Camino de Santiago in Spanish) and to be honest, it was difficult for me. I enjoyed lots of it - the conversations along the road, the scenery, the adventure, but my knee hurt a lot, the temperatures were much higher than normal, and I won’t even mention that I had just recovered from covid.

Afterwards, over coffee with my neighbor Miguel (former neighbor now), I mentioned that I had wanted to enjoy the hiking and not suffer through it. He asked “isn’t suffering the whole point?” The Camino is traditionally a religious pilgrimage route, and his view of Christianity is that we have to work and suffer to make God like us.  Whether it's the Camino de Santiago or lengthly religious processions, people try to earn God’s approval through hardship or being good.

What a great opportunity! I replied that the essence of our faith is that Jesus suffered in our place. He suffered so we don’t have to. All we do in believe. I’m having coffee with Miguel again later this week, and I’m hoping he has more questions. But if he doesn’t I want to give God time to work in his heart. Pray for him.

Even though summer is history, I feel like I’m just recovering.
After covid and the Camino I was really worn out and got sick again. Then I had to pack up the house and move to an apartment. Eleven years and four kid's worth of stuff had to be reduced to what a 9th floor apartment could hold. I am so grateful for friends and colleagues who helped. Somewhere in there I said goodbye to Lucy and Annie as they went off to Black Forest Academy. And then I made a quick trip to the US to see my parents. My mom had a fall and needed to move to a nursing home, leaving my dad alone. I wanted to make sure I spent time with my Mom in case her dementia got worse.

I’m very glad to be back to a regular schedule. I’ve been helping my Comunicando Vida colleagues move into larger office spaces. We’re also preparing for a two-day exposition in a downtown plaza that showcases all the social services that Protestants provide in the city of Málaga. Most people aren’t aware of the contributions these ministries make, whether helping immigrants, feeding and clothing needy people, providing job training, emotional healings, reading material for the blind, bringing smiles to kids in hospitals, and more. I’m putting together a video that highlights the fifteen organizations that are participating.

Please pray!
Remember my family with all the transitions, discussions with Miguel over coffee tomorrow, and that the exposition Oct 28-29 will encourage people to seek the help they might need.

Thanks so much for praying.

In Christ,

Rolly Walter