Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Healing Miracle on the Aragones Route


In 2015, was walking the Aragones route, 

I stopped for the night in Sanguesa. 

I had fallen and broken a small bone 
in my hand that day 
and it was very painful.

The hospitalero showed up around dinner time, 
stamped our credentials, 
and took everyone's money.

After a bit, a dusty desert man came into the albergue. He was tanned as leather but clean, and his bright green pants and orange shirt made him almost look 
like a circus performer. 


When he smiled, his teeth were so white they threatened to blind me!

There was a problem with the hospitalero. 

 He apparently didn't believe this was a pilgrim 
and was refusing to give him a bed. 


After a soft-spoken discussion, 
the hospitalero relented.
No, he wasn't a pilgrim in the normal way,
but he was clean, and weary,
and needed a bed.

And so the homeless desert man was given a space. 
The albergue was not near full, after all.

He was sooooo very lean! 
Like leather stretched over bones, 
but in a sunburnt, healthy way.

I was eating an orange, 
some bread and cheese.


The orange was juicy and sweet 
and I asked if he'd like some?

He nodded and I gave him half 
and motioned for him to help himself to bread and cheese.
We both laughed as the juice ran down our chins.

Later that evening I was sitting at the table, 
making notes in my journal.

My left hand hurt and I was rubbing it, 
absentmindedly.

The desert man came in and asked if I was ok?

I said, 'No, I broke it today."

He motioned for me to give the hand to him.


As he took my hand, 
the hair on the back of my neck stood up 
and I got chills all over.

He closed his eyes, 
and held my one broken hand 
between his two tanned hands.

Gently, he squeezed 

and I felt something happening.

He didn't rub it. 
Didn't massage it. 
Just gently but firmly held it with his eyes closed.

We sat in silence.

After maybe 5 minutes, he released my hand.
There were tears in my eyes.

My hand was healed.

It never caused another bit of pain.

I don't know his name.

I don't know who he was or where he was from.

But he was one of my Camino Angels 
and I wish him Peace always.

Buen Camino.

Annie





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