Surprising Discoveries on the Path
The idea to go on a trip with our 18-year old arose in pain. We could hardly believe our eyes when Malakai went down the second time in a high school basketball game. His “good knee” gave way – a second ruptured ACL in less than a year. We had already benefitted by Edith Eger’s suggestion when experiencing suffering to not ask why me, but rather, what now? As we asked the latter question we started to dream about an international trip. Then my wife Evy realized this fall of 2024 would be the first one in 29 years that we weren’t sending at least one of our kids to school. Hence a celebratory element to this trip. We began to explore.
Since doing a portion of the famous Camino de Santiago in the summer of 2015, Malakai has dreamt of returning. So Spain and some time walking the Camino made it onto the itinerary. A visit with his brother in Denmark was a must. Croatia. Greece. Why not some walking on the Portuguese route of the Camino as well?
As we journeyed one theme has stayed with us more than any other. We talked about it regularly, because it just kept happening. Beauty emerged again and again. At the end of roads and paths that seemed to be going nowhere, beauty awaited us. We found incredible hot springs in the mountains, coves with clear water to swim in, stunning beaches, caves, cliffs, rock formations in deserts, ancient fortresses in the hills on islands and more. Sometimes we were tempted to give up and turn back. But we kept getting rewarded with exhilarating and refreshing discoveries.
While on the Island of Samos in Greece, we picked up two hitchhikers who recommended a hike. So the next day we set out. We parked our car part way up a mountain and started searching for the trailhead. A man coming down the mountain suddenly appeared and asked us if we knew where he could find food for his family? He told us his mother was sick. This was unexpected. We decided Evy and Malakai would walk onwards as I took my new Syrian friend Abdul down the mountain in our rental car to find food. Soon after, as Evy and Malakai hiked up the mountain, they found seven members of Abdul’s family on the side of the road. His mother, a diabetic, greatly appreciated the snacks and hard-boiled eggs that Evy offered. Meanwhile, I was hearing Abdul’s story of how his family had come across the ocean from Turkey that day! Their raft had crashed against the rocks, but they made it to shore, and they were incredibly grateful. His face was radiant as he spoke. He was bubbling over with joy. It was easy to affirm him and celebrate with him. After getting food and taking him back to his family, I rejoined Evy and Malakai who had already reached the beach and found the family’s damaged raft!
The hike was great. The views of the ocean from the forest trail were stunning. But meeting this family outweighed anything else we were seeing or experiencing. We took pictures of their raft and were amazed that we had the privilege of being some of the first people to greet them that day on their desperate journey. As we drove back to our comfortable home away from home we saw them again, this time surrounded by police on the side of the road. We stopped to bless them and say goodbye. That evening we read about the conditions of “the camp” where they would likely lay their heads and our hearts sank.
Two days later I got a message from Abdul in response to mine. “We are okay…and the most beautiful thing we have seen on this island is your face and your nice family…” A few weeks later they had moved to mainland Greece and were optimistic about their progress. “The God who destined us to meet the first time will certainly allow us to meet again some day under better circumstances.” We continue to stay in touch.
It took reflecting on this trip by writing to have my eyes opened to see Abdul and his family in a new way. I’ve been focusing on beauty at the end of paths in the form of waterfalls, beaches, hot springs and caves, but this family, undoubtedly, are among the most beautiful of any treasure we discovered. The unexpected connection with them and their story of pilgrimage stays with us, and hopefully, has changed us.
Steve Klassen