Walking the Camino de Santiago

This morning Leigh and I (John) starting walking the Camino de Santiago. In fact, we walked a long way... drumroll please... 17 miles! Along the way we met other pilgrims, talked to them a bit as we walked side by side, then we continued and met others. So far we've met a guy from Ireland, three older women from Australia (two are sisters), a man and his sons from Barcelona, an older gentleman and his son and daughter also from Australia, a couple from Finland, a Brazilian couple, a couple from Chicago, a man from Ohio, and others! We will probably see them on the road here and there as well as meet others. What a rich experience to be meeting others who have been planning like we have been and who have been looking forward to this journey.

Now we're resting our tired feet (see photo). We started our walk at Roncesvalles near the French border in northeastern Spain. Last night we arrived by bus, received our pilgrim's passport (called a credencial), attended a special pilgrims' mass to bless the pilgrims on our journey, had a special pilgrims' dinner, and slept in a dormitory with 110 beds (and lots of interesting sounds during the night). "Buen Camino" is what we heard over and over again. It means "Have a good journey."

Notes about these pictures:
- Leigh and I at a sign marker on the Camino de Santiago (note scallop shell symbol - we gave each person in worship at Peace on the day before we left on sabbatical a shell as a reminder of our Camino walk and of the pilgrimages we're all on in our lives)
- Leigh in front of one of the beautiful little Spanish towns we encountered on the way
- I'm resting my tired feet at the end of a good day

Buen Camino!

Three Days in Fes, Morocco

We're in our last day in Fes, Morocco, and it's raining...hard. It's a little reminder of back home in Tacoma. We had another reminder this morning when we met another couple from our hotel and learned that they are from Portland. Fes is a fascinating city. We're staying in the medina, the old city, dating back to 808 AD -- wow! It is the cultural and spiritual center of Morocco, surrounded by an ancient city wall, and it contains 9700 narrow streets with many Muslim houses of prayer (mosques), Quranic schools (medersas), fountains (sakaya), bath houses (hammans), homes (basic dars and fancy riads), community ovens (faran), and tons of shops in the open-air marketplace (souk) containing any item you can imagine and more. Cars are not allowed in this old city of 160,000 people, and donkeys (known as the "car" of the medina) carry the heavy stuff through the streets. You can easily get lost in the medina. A man took us around to see tanneries, weavers, spice sellers, a school, a mosques, and much more. Since 1981 the Fes medina has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first university in the world is here in the Fes medina.

Yesterday we took a tour by car to the nearby Atlas Mountains, saw monkeys, learned about the rural Berber people, and went hiking a bit. One of the highlights was dinner at the home of a Moroccan family - Mohammed, his wife Fatima, and their three children. We were served traditional Moroccan couscous and "whiskey"(that's what they call it!) It's green tea with mint and sugar - so good!

I (John) have been loving the Moroccan food - lamb and beef tagine (google it!), couscous with chicken, and pastilla (a savory and sweet meat pie filled with spicy pigeon meat and topped with sugar and cinnamon). Leigh likes the beef and prunes tagine and in the morning the chocolate spread on baguette.

We are finishing our Lenten spiritual growth group study and have been blessed in our conversations together as we reflect alongside our Peace congregation about what it means to walk together in the city, growing in relationship with God, family, and community.

Tomorrow we head north to northern Spain, a trip that will take us two days that includes taxis, trains, ferries and buses. We begin our long walk across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago soon!

Here are some pictures:
- The view from our rooftop terrace at our hotel in the Fes medina
- Eating a dinner of couscous with chicken and beef tagine at our hotel
- Our waitress and wonderful hotel cook serving traditional Moroccan "whiskey" (green tea with mint and a tiny bit of sugar)

Greetings from Spain!

Leigh and I (John) are now in Spain! We arrived in Madrid on Saturday and immediately took a bus to Granada in southern Spain. We're staying with a wonderful couple, Pedro and Gaby, and their 1 1/2 year-old daughter Rebeca. Gaby is the sister of our good friend Johannah in Vancouver. Pedro is the pastor of a small mission congregation in Granada called Light of the Nations Church. It is a multicultural church, like Peace, with people from 14 different countries. Worship is in Spanish, of course. Our first experience with the family outside their home was Sunday breakfast at a bar - a Spanish traditional breakfast of cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and toasted baguette with shredded tomato and olive oil. Yummy! Worship was from 11:30 to 1:30pm, a celebration of their connection in mission with indigenous Quichuan churches in Ecuador - pretty cool because there are many Quichuan people from Ecuador in the congregation in Granada. It has been fun to talk with Pedro and Gaby about their ministry in Spain and to find commonalities with our ministry in Tacoma. Pedro and Gaby have been amazing hosts, taking us places and sharing meals with us. We've explored the amazing Alhambra in Granada, the fortress/palace/city/gardens of sultans and kings and queens, an eclectic mix of architecture on a hilltop overlooking Granada (a little different than our Hilltop in Tacoma!). We went to the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains - a huge skiing site - and have taken some great walks around the city and eaten good food. Food highlights (gotta share those): hot chocolate and churros, beer and tapas, fried local seafood, tea in a Moroccan-style tea house. Here are some pictures.

Pastor Pedro after worship at the church in Granada

Pastor Pedro, Gaby, and daughter Rebeca - our hosts in Granada

A narrow street in Granada

The famous Alhambra in Granada

Churros and hot chocolate

Local seafood feast

Tomorrow we're heading south... We decided to check out Fez, Morocco for a few days. After that, it's time to head north to start the Camino in northern Spain. Thanks for your prayers. We're remembering our family, friends, the Peace congregation, and the Hilltop in our prayers as we near the holiest week of the year with Palm Sunday coming up.

Time with Leigh's Family in the San Francisco Bay Area

In Oakland we were again greeted with sunny weather! 

We had wanted to go to Angel Island for a while but hadn't had time.  This time we made it!  Angel Island is the Ellis Island of the west, receiving, detaining and sending back immigrants from 1910-1940 here in the San Francisco Bay, mostly from Asia.  So my mom came with us, and after arriving at the island, we boarded a tram to take a tour.  Later we walked back to the Detention Center and had a closer look in the old Men's Dormitory which is now a museum.  My dad's father came through here as a "Paper Son" and was allowed to enter into the United States.  But some were not so lucky, were detained for up to two years or even returned to their country.  It was a great walk the island and think about all these people who are connected to me being here!  We had wonderful weather and amazing views!

On Angel Island!

Where everyone was received back in the day.

Poetry written on the walls by detainees at the Angel Island Men's Dormitory

My dad graciously invited us to his annual Chinese New Year luncheon at an old and well-known restaurant in SF Chinatown with some old club members at the YMCA.  He has been meeting with them since they were all 8 or 9 years of age!  Now they are 76 to 81 years old!  The day they were honoring their leader, who is 86!  It was an amazing 7 course lunch and we were privileged to enjoy it with them!

We had dinner with my brother Glenn, my sister-in-law Jenn, and their kids Owen, Ian and Seth.  The last time I saw them was when I came in January to care for them for a week and almost all of us had fevers!  We also took my parents out to dinner...Thai food!

John and I were also able to see some friends, visit Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, and go on some runs to my former high school.  I love touring around my hometowns (Oakand and San Francisco) with John.  Everything is fresh and new and an adventure!

We drove back to Tacoma, had two days for preparation, and now we're heading to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago!

New City Parish in Los Angeles

We continued our time in Los Angeles finding our way with Leigh's mom's GPS and several maps, learning when and when not to take the highways, and enjoying being curious about the many different areas of L.A.  Here are a few snapshots of our experiences with the congregations of New City Parish and partner social service organizations in L.A.

We visited seven of the nine New City Parish ELCA congregations.  Pastor Matt Keadle took us on a walking tour of the neighborhood around the church he serves -- St. Mark's Lutheran Church on the edge of the USC campus downtown L.A.  The mostly African Caribbean congregation has faced the challenge of serving a changing neighborhood with an increase in students in neighborhood housing.

Pastor Matt at St. Mark's Lutheran Church across the street from USC

The cooks for a free lunch program two times a week at St. Mark's -- reminded us of the Community Meals program at Peace.  The big difference is, the people coming to eat are served outside in the courtyard -- ah, the sunny weather of L.A.!

We visited Ascension Lutheran Church under the leadership of Rev. Reggie Hansome, friend of Malcolm from his early years!  Sunday morning we worshiped with the congregation and experienced a good Gospel choir -- reminded us of Peace!  We went to a special healthy cooking class called Kitchen Divas and I (Pastor John) was the only male present for the class!  Never thought of myself as a Kitchen Diva before!

Pastor Reggie Hansome and his wife Cheryl at Ascension Lutheran Church

The Gospel Choir singing in worship at Ascension Lutheran Church

One of five sessions at Kitchen Divas (Pastor John loved this!)

We spent some more time with Pastor Jim Lobdell from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church -- he took us to a great soul food joint and shared reflections from his many years of ministry in L.A.  We also attended a few of his Bible studies and choir practice.  Holy Trinity has a very reputable Lutheran preschool.

At Roscoe's -- chicken and waffles with Pastor Jim from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

We visited Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church in Compton -- a Spanish-speaking congregation with mostly recent immigrants from Mexico and Central America.  Pastor Samuel Nieva has served there 10 years.  We worshiped with them on Sunday in an all-Spanish worship service!  Leigh was a great help with her fluent Spanish.  Pueblo de Dios has a weekly food distribution program run by congregation members to help the neighborhood.  They started a sewing cooperative, a catering group, and they are working on a florist cooperative -- all to come alongside folks in economic development.

Pastor Samuel Nieva leads Spanish worship at Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church

Hermano Rudolfo with the food volunteers for their once a week program at Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church

Martha is a member of Pueblo de Dios and leader of the sewing cooperative.  She's standing by the sewing machines at the church where she teaches women of the neighborhood to sew.  They make garments and sell them to support their families.

After John's question, "Does anyone know where we can buy some tacos?" we find ourselves at Edith's after church for some yummy homemade quesadillas.  She has started her own catering business.

Our host, Pastor Brian Eklund, took us on several special tours and introduced us to some amazing people doing good work on behalf of the vulnerable in L.A.  We spent more time at the Mercado la Paloma, the building that acts as a job incubator for first-time restaurants, and learned a lot about a program to train health promoters to connect with people in the community around health education and resources.  We walked around an urban neighborhood that Esperanza Housing has impacted in a positive way, purchasing blighted apartments and converting them to affordable housing units for families and developing local parks together with neighbors.  Pastor Brian has had a major role with Esperanza Housing since its start.  It is a faith-based organization for community development and advocacy for affordable housing -- he serves on their board.

Lunch at the Mercado with Pastor Brian and Juanita, who works for Esperanza Housing as a health promoter

An apartment complex fixed up and owned by Esperanza Housing

A park initiated by Esperanza Housing across the street from former gang apartments

We visited Homeboy Industries, founded by Father Greg Boyle (Episcopalian) to provide hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and recently incarcerated men and women, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of the community.  We took a tour of their programs and ministries and saw job training, internships, counseling, case workers, a bakery, a cafe, silk screening, an organic garden -- Wow!

Homeboy Industries in gang-neutral area of downtown Los Angeles

The amazing bakers for Homeboy Bakery who sell also at 22 Farmers' Markets

We had fun checking out the city, eating pupusas and tamales and tacos from authentic restaurants, visiting the Tolerance Museum (with an excellent Holocaust section) and the Getty Center, going on a sailing trip on the ocean and a bike ride along the seashore.

Out sailing with Pastor Brian and his wife Ruth!

Looking nervous trying to steer between some buoys and rocks!

Some of the pastors with New City Parish bike the boardwalk on Tuesday mornings together.  We joined them!

What an experience in L.A.!  We've reflected on our own ministry at Peace in Tacoma and give thanks to be rooted ourselves in a vibrant Christian community serving our neighborhood!  We're praying daily for our sisters and brothers at Peace, working through the Lenten spiritual growth group materials, and gathering insights and reflections to share when we return.  We continue to live with the question:  How can we at Peace Lutheran Church come alongside our sisters and brothers in the diverse Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma to work for spiritual growth and community development?