Making friends is hard. I don’t care how much of an extrovert you are. I really think you need some common thread to bond you together. Some experience, some cause. Early in my life that was teaching Totus Tuus (that is one reason I am so excited for Blaise this summer). Most recent for my wife and I, that was Engaged Encounter in Wichita. We have made some dear friends through that great ministry. That cause has given us the push to go outside of what is comfortable to create new and lasting friendships.

I have been with this group now for only a few hours and I am seeing that connections are being developed. I have been listening in on conversations and it is funny for people to realize that very few of us were connected before this trip. That web of connection is sparse, but connecting up rapidly. No one will be an “outsider” for long.

Today we spent most of our day getting to Ponferrada by plane, bus and on foot. Our timing was not great and we ended up being too late for Comida (the big meal of the day) and had to wait until the evening for our first food since 6am.

Father Chad was then able to talk to the locals to get us into a beautiful small church called St. Nicholas. We pretty much filled the church up. Someone even stepped up and do music from our group.


Father Chad putting a positive spin on our voracious hunger

Most of the group took a tour through the Knights Templar Castle near the river. It is picture-perfect and looks like it came straight from the movies. No one stuck around too long for our stomachs were screaming for the 8pm dinner bell when the restaurant opened back up. Food has rarely tasted so good. It was worth the long wait.