Kayoko Azuma is a slight Japanese artist who carries a backpack that looks to be larger than herself. She also ran the Barcelona Marathon last March and can outpace everybody else around here.

She was so touched by the Veterans on the Camino group that she timed her Camino to meet up with us at a very special alburgue. The Albergue San Miguel in Hospital de Orbigo is famous not only for the truly genuine hospitality afforded by the Garcia’s, but also because they provide paints and canvases for Peregrinos to use. The result is a stunning collection of paintings that decorate the walls of this cozy home.

Kyo (as we call her) took this opportunity to use her artistic talents and paint a picture representative of VOC. She dedicated this gift to VOC, to the albergue, and to the Camino itself. The painting now memorializes VOC on the walls of the Albergue. Thank you Kyo.

Another lasting impression felt on our Camino…

This poem was written by a Peregrina who lost her sister a few years ago.  She is only 19 years old but the words are powerful.

I walk for you

Skies of grey

Or skies of blue

None of that matters

When I walk for you

Sometimes I’m lost

And I have no clue

But I’ll find our way

When I walk for you

You left too early

You were gone too soon

But I’ll never be lonely

When I walk for you

It gets really hard

And I feel like I’ve failed too

But I’ll never give up

When I walk for you

So I’ll make it to the end

And I’ll see this through

Because I don’t just walk for me

I walk for you

Paige Lewis