There’s no seven degrees of separation in the Camino
Here’s the brief story of five strangers who coincide in the camino:
• Going up one hill; long, but not one of the hardest climbs, One falls down while the other four try to revive him. Unbeknownst to them, he has a cardiac condition and unfortunately he does not recover and quickly, silently and peacefully dies. After the authorities arrive, the remaining pilgrims sadly resume their westward journey. That could have been the end of the story.
• But, One remains concerned that the family of the dead pilgrim would never know what had really happened to him. Upon her return home (in Adelaide, Australia), she searches the internet for information and finds his name and city of origin. She then, posts a message on the forum asking for help to contact the immediate family and convey her message.
• Another (in Pamplona, Spain) reads the message and miraculously provides a link to a YouTube video in memory of the dead pilgrim.
• Another (in San Juan, Puerto Rico) after reading the message, watches the video and contacts the video maker.
• The friend (in Malaga, Spain), is a close friend for the past 27 years and “brother” of the dead pilgrim, sharing in the same Cofradía. No one in town, his friends or family knew any specifics of the pilgrim's death so the friend is so relieved and grateful to Jane for the having stayed with him, helped trying to revive him and for going through the effort to provide the news. Relieved that his friend and brother had not died alone in the camino and found later, the friend provides photos and more info on Manolo.
Manolo, 42, was a veteran pilgrim on his fifth camino; a good man, very religious and single, with no close family. His extended family are his friends at the cofradia who feel confort knowing that he died doing what he loved and that God must have picked him right up from the camino.
My recognition to Jane for her continued effort, for following through until she established contact! She was an angel who touched someone today! A very touching story of another of the many “miracles” in the camino. Isn’t it wonderful to KNOW how connected we really ARE! This is such a small world after all!
Saludos from San Juan :arrow:
Here's a poem that Enrique wrote in memory of Manolo "Piki"
In the memory of all Malagans will remain that thundering noise,
That shrunk our hearts,
On the morning of Friday September 25 2008
Perhaps it was you, Brother, who wanted to prepare our bodies
For something that would break our souls,
Because that thunder was perhaps the warning of what later,
BROTHER, we learned
The unexpected bad news ...
You left far away from your brothers,
As Our Lord retired to the Olive Garden,
To meet there with your Christ of the Exaltation,
He picked you picked on the camino
The camino of Hope
With the tears of friends you left behind
Our Christ of Souls once again and as He did to other absent siblings ,
He will whisper in your ear that death is not the end of the road,
Because the flesh dies but the soul remains,
Your soul will live in the memory of all your brothers and friends,
Life deals us blows that open wounds which are difficult to hide
BROTHER you felt how life escaped you by moments
But you were accompanied by Our Lady of Major Pain (Mayor Dolor),
This was your fifth
Camino de Santiago,
Perhaps He knew that your path began in Saint Jean,
That you knew well from a very early age,
Perhaps that's why he picked you up and guided your steps toward
The feet of your Christ of the EXALTATION
"Piki": Brother, this is not goodbye but until forever ...
In memory of Don FRANCISCO LOPEZ MANUEL PICASSO "Piki"
MAYORDOMO OF SECTION OF CHRIST Santísimo exaltation in Malaga on November 29, 2008