It’s day seven. Blisters, sore/swollen feet, aching shoulders, walking 10-18 miles a day, sleeping in a new bed each night, saying ‘buen camino’ to each “pilgrim” that walks by, cafe con leche with a croissant for breakfast, bread, meat and cheese for lunch (and most dinners), and little sleep is a small glimpse of what my last few days have looked like. Some days I feel like I’m living in a fever dream. It’s all so surreal. Every day the scenery is so different in between the cute little towns. Cold mornings. Sweaty afternoons. Early mornings lit only by the moon. Every day the same, yet could never be more different at the same time.

We are pioneering this new Study Abroad program. Each day putting together more of the puzzle. Trying some pieces that work and others that don’t. Making a plan only to change it ten more times. The Lord is stretching me. Refining me. He told me this would be a season of pain, mess, trust and newness. The Lord is stripping me and revealing so much ugliness He wants to rid me of. Through the pain and mess He is pushing me to trust Him as He makes me new.

Be praying for R squad tomorrow as we face our most physically challenging day going through the mountains. A lot of us have coughs, runny noses, congestion, and blisters. We are learning a lot day by day. With each painful step, we are growing in our dependency on the Lord. We will not come out of this two weeks unscathed but in the scares we will look more like Jesus and that makes it all worth it.