On the Way!
Following Jesus…
When I was sixteen, I got to know Jesus by reading his biography, the first four books of the New Testament. I often wondered how it would have been to have actually walked with Jesus, heard his words and been part of his encounters with people. It would have certainly been life changing. A bit of that I was able to experience these past years on the Snail-Trail – my deliberate way of traveling at a "snail's pace" – walking long pilgrimages across Europe…
- Snail-Trail 1.0 (2023): A 3,268-kilometer-long pilgrimage route, The Way of St. James, from Moosburg to Cape Finisterre in Spain (near Santiago de Compostela).
- Snail-Trail 2.0 (2024): A trek from Germany to Greece, covering approximately 2,500 kilometers. Along the way, I traversed the Balkans and encountered challenges such as wild dogs, dilapidated wooden bridges, and abandoned villages.
- Snail-Trail 3.0 (2025): Last year's foot journey which led me 2,675 kilometers from Tallinn (Estonia) back to my home near Landshut. In total, it consisted of 85 stages with an average distance of 31 kilometers.
Each journey was an extraordinary experience. Even though I could not see Jesus, I felt his presence, which gave me courage and strength for the long road ahead. Although I did not hear his voice audibly, I perceived profound truths about life through the experiences I encountered along the way. Through conversations and prayers with people I met on the path, I was privileged to witness how Jesus encounters others.
Snail-Trail 4.0…
Walking with Jesus does not end with reaching a certain destination, fulfilling a specific task, or reaching retirement age. The call to follow Jesus remains. The journey continues… and for me, too, this year on the Snail-Trail. This time, I set out on June 15th from Inverness, Scotland. I will hike through Scotland and Ireland, along the coasts of Wales and Southern England, through Belgium and Luxembourg, crossing then a small strip of France on my way to Southern Germany. I expect to arrive back home the last week of September… 102 days, 86 stages, and 2,650 kilometers – not counting sea miles. I am now nearly 70 years old, and yes, I can certainly feel my bones and muscles. Yet I walk this path in confidence that God is guiding and strengthening me. Step by step. In the truest sense of the word.
X Marks the Spot…
Together, the four Snail-Trails form an "X" across the greater part of Europe — the sign of the Cross of Jesus Christ. When Jesus, with his final breath, cried out from the cross, "It is finished!", he was thinking of us here in Europe as well. He took upon himself all the suffering and pain of history – with all its bitter injustices and everything that destroys us as human beings and separates us from God. Yet Jesus' empty tomb bears witness that death does not have the final word. There will always be a tomorrow and a new beginning. We have a well-founded hope in Christ. May this grace from heaven touch the soul of Europe! That is what I will be praying for, as I walk from one country to the next.
Together…
Prayer: I see the Snail-Trails not merely as personal paths of faith, but also as an invitation for others to share in them. Through the postings on my blog, I share my impressions, thoughts, and experiences. I would then greatly appreciate your prayer support – for the encounters I have along the way, for protection on the Snail-Trail, and that many hearts would connect with God's heart.
Project: The Snail-Trail is also a walkathon. If you would like to be a part of what the Assemblies of God is doing in this region of Europe (church planting, children/youth/student outreaches…), please click on this link to make an online donation. It could be a one-time gift or per-kilometer-walked-pledge:
Please click on the option "88 Snail Trail". Many thanks!
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Blog
15.
Jul
Glendalough - Mucklagh Hut
Photo 1: Glendalough is known for the ancient monastery established there by the Irish monk St. Kevin (c. 498 -618). Yesterday evening I walked through the old graveyard and rock walls that remain if the monastery. As I did, I sang my pilgrim song. It was if my song was echoing the praise and worship of the saints and monks of former years, filling the roofless walls with the purpose for why they were originally built, calling out for a renewed spiritual awakening in Ireland. Many times as I walked through Ireland, both north and south, I envisioned an ancient root that started its growth with the powerful ministry of Saint Patrick, now lying much dormant under a harden surface (I walked a lot on hard roads in Ireland...), breaking through with new living sprouts. May God give this awakening, this breakthrough, this fresh spiritual vitality. It was a special moment for me in Glendalough.
Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me to capture an impression with a photo or clip. I left it at the hostel to charge the battery. I did though take this photo at a pub where I had lunch today. It shows the iconic logo of St. Kevin. Renowned for his asceticism and deep connection with nature, many legends surround his life. The most famous tale is that he prayed with his arms outstretched for so long that a blackbird built a nest in his hand, laid her eggs, and raised her chicks before he moved. He is often depicted in art alongside a blackbird, symbolizing his harmony with God's creations. This image is reflected in this logo for Glendalough.
Also at this pub I ate my lunch while Sandy and Giovanni were waiting for a taxi. We shared a room last night at the hostel and walked the same path this morning to Glenmalure. Sandy is an ordained Methodist minister who through an incurable illness lost his ability to speak. He now researches, walks and promotes pilgrim paths. He has authored a number of books on the subject. This is now his ministry. Indeed, many people who have lived their lives without God, often sense that God is there on the pilgrim path. There is something about walking in God's garden that helps us to hear his voice. If you want to take a look, here is his webpage: www.sandybrownbooks.com
Photo 2: The rest of the day I would only see a few people coming from the other way. There would be no other place to stop for food or water until late the following day. I knew this day wad coming... and the next.
Photo 3: So I filled my water bottles at the pub and hoped to make to a river at the end of the day.
Photo 4: Originally I wanted to stay the night at the Mucklagh Hut, a weather shelter that collects rain water from the roof for those who might seek refuge there. It had not rained, though, since I arrived in Belfast 12 days ago... not much water in the canaster. I knew two other people I met on the path were behind me and were also wanting to spend the night in the hut...
Photo 5: I decided then to go an extra 4 km down the mountain to the river. There I found a wonderful place to set up my tent and had access to the river. I slept great with the water babbling through the night.
Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me to capture an impression with a photo or clip. I left it at the hostel to charge the battery. I did though take this photo at a pub where I had lunch today. It shows the iconic logo of St. Kevin. Renowned for his asceticism and deep connection with nature, many legends surround his life. The most famous tale is that he prayed with his arms outstretched for so long that a blackbird built a nest in his hand, laid her eggs, and raised her chicks before he moved. He is often depicted in art alongside a blackbird, symbolizing his harmony with God's creations. This image is reflected in this logo for Glendalough.
Also at this pub I ate my lunch while Sandy and Giovanni were waiting for a taxi. We shared a room last night at the hostel and walked the same path this morning to Glenmalure. Sandy is an ordained Methodist minister who through an incurable illness lost his ability to speak. He now researches, walks and promotes pilgrim paths. He has authored a number of books on the subject. This is now his ministry. Indeed, many people who have lived their lives without God, often sense that God is there on the pilgrim path. There is something about walking in God's garden that helps us to hear his voice. If you want to take a look, here is his webpage: www.sandybrownbooks.com
Photo 2: The rest of the day I would only see a few people coming from the other way. There would be no other place to stop for food or water until late the following day. I knew this day wad coming... and the next.
Photo 3: So I filled my water bottles at the pub and hoped to make to a river at the end of the day.
Photo 4: Originally I wanted to stay the night at the Mucklagh Hut, a weather shelter that collects rain water from the roof for those who might seek refuge there. It had not rained, though, since I arrived in Belfast 12 days ago... not much water in the canaster. I knew two other people I met on the path were behind me and were also wanting to spend the night in the hut...
Photo 5: I decided then to go an extra 4 km down the mountain to the river. There I found a wonderful place to set up my tent and had access to the river. I slept great with the water babbling through the night.
14.
Jul
Knockree - Glendalough
Photo 1: "Wicklow Way"
The blister on my left foot was still juicing this morning. I had some apprehension about walking 30 km and 1400 altimeters with it like that. I sent off a WhatsApp broadcast right after breakfast letting people know of this current challenge, and right away a number of people responded that they would be praying for me. God answered those prayers. A man who works at the hostel asked me where I would be heading today and where I might be staying. Normally people take two days to walk to Glendalough because of the high altimeters. When I said that I would be going and staying at the hostel there, he said that he would be driving there later that morning and offered to take some of my gear with him. I gladly accepted and gave him my tent, my clothes bag and my hygiene bag. That took 6+ kilos off my shoulders. My foot really did not bother me while I was walking, just at the end of the day after I took my shoe off. This was "walking" grace from heaven.
Photo 2: "Lough Tay - The Guinness Lake"
You cannot see the white sand at the top of the lake in this photo, but the dark water and white sand create a resemblance to a pint of beer. It was here I took my lunch break. I had so many encounters and God-talks today that I cannot relate them all in one blog. One of them was at this spot. I started talking with a young couple from Leipzig who had very little "church" background. I explained the difference between religious ritual and connecting with God in a real relationship through Jesus. I prayed for their journey through life that they would come to live in the purpose for why God created them. I had a similar conversation with another couple from Ireland on my way to the lake. After praying for them, the wife said: "I needed to hear that today. Then as I was leaving the lake, an older couple from Ireland asked me where I was going with such a big backpack. When I said that I was a pastor and pilgrim, the woman asked me right away to pray for them. The man recently had amost died from a serious infection, the woman was going through some difficult times, and they recently were engaged and are planning on getting married. I encouraged them and gladly prayed that the Good Shepherd would keep and lead them on their path together. Several times they said: "This was meant to be today!"
Photo 3: "Irish hiking group"
Not too far away from the lake I saw a sign on the road that said "Caution - Film Crew". Several meters away the path turned left away from the road. This group in the photo was sitting there and taking a break. So I asked if they were the "Film Crew". They answered that they were not famous enough for anything like that and whether I was famous. I said: "Maybe... you do not know who I am!" Then they wanted to know who I was. When I mentioned that I was a pastor and a pilgrim, a woman standind close to me, Ciara, asked if I would pray for her. She then asked if I would place my hand on her head and pray for her to have peace of mind. I did. I prayed the blessings of Psalm 23 to come upon her. The more I prayed, the quieter it got. Everyone was watching. When I finished, Ciara said that she felt that something had happened. She then mentioned that she had been watching the series "The Chosen" and had wanted to connect with Jesus, but did not know how. She also asked for prayer for her son, Rocky, who has a special need. Please pray for Ciara and Rocky, for God's to be at work in their lives. No, it was not a film crew, but a hiking group that had just finished their tour for the day.
Photo 4: "Hiking group from Holland"
What a great group of young men... they all love Jesus! They went to a private Christian school in Holland together, and now as young adults contiue to be good friends and follow Jesus. I have talked with many secular people from Holland where God is something they do not think much about. Meeting this group of young men gave me hope for Holland. They prayed for me and I prayed for them.
Photo 5: Coming off the mountain down to Glendalough
The blister on my left foot was still juicing this morning. I had some apprehension about walking 30 km and 1400 altimeters with it like that. I sent off a WhatsApp broadcast right after breakfast letting people know of this current challenge, and right away a number of people responded that they would be praying for me. God answered those prayers. A man who works at the hostel asked me where I would be heading today and where I might be staying. Normally people take two days to walk to Glendalough because of the high altimeters. When I said that I would be going and staying at the hostel there, he said that he would be driving there later that morning and offered to take some of my gear with him. I gladly accepted and gave him my tent, my clothes bag and my hygiene bag. That took 6+ kilos off my shoulders. My foot really did not bother me while I was walking, just at the end of the day after I took my shoe off. This was "walking" grace from heaven.
Photo 2: "Lough Tay - The Guinness Lake"
You cannot see the white sand at the top of the lake in this photo, but the dark water and white sand create a resemblance to a pint of beer. It was here I took my lunch break. I had so many encounters and God-talks today that I cannot relate them all in one blog. One of them was at this spot. I started talking with a young couple from Leipzig who had very little "church" background. I explained the difference between religious ritual and connecting with God in a real relationship through Jesus. I prayed for their journey through life that they would come to live in the purpose for why God created them. I had a similar conversation with another couple from Ireland on my way to the lake. After praying for them, the wife said: "I needed to hear that today. Then as I was leaving the lake, an older couple from Ireland asked me where I was going with such a big backpack. When I said that I was a pastor and pilgrim, the woman asked me right away to pray for them. The man recently had amost died from a serious infection, the woman was going through some difficult times, and they recently were engaged and are planning on getting married. I encouraged them and gladly prayed that the Good Shepherd would keep and lead them on their path together. Several times they said: "This was meant to be today!"
Photo 3: "Irish hiking group"
Not too far away from the lake I saw a sign on the road that said "Caution - Film Crew". Several meters away the path turned left away from the road. This group in the photo was sitting there and taking a break. So I asked if they were the "Film Crew". They answered that they were not famous enough for anything like that and whether I was famous. I said: "Maybe... you do not know who I am!" Then they wanted to know who I was. When I mentioned that I was a pastor and a pilgrim, a woman standind close to me, Ciara, asked if I would pray for her. She then asked if I would place my hand on her head and pray for her to have peace of mind. I did. I prayed the blessings of Psalm 23 to come upon her. The more I prayed, the quieter it got. Everyone was watching. When I finished, Ciara said that she felt that something had happened. She then mentioned that she had been watching the series "The Chosen" and had wanted to connect with Jesus, but did not know how. She also asked for prayer for her son, Rocky, who has a special need. Please pray for Ciara and Rocky, for God's to be at work in their lives. No, it was not a film crew, but a hiking group that had just finished their tour for the day.
Photo 4: "Hiking group from Holland"
What a great group of young men... they all love Jesus! They went to a private Christian school in Holland together, and now as young adults contiue to be good friends and follow Jesus. I have talked with many secular people from Holland where God is something they do not think much about. Meeting this group of young men gave me hope for Holland. They prayed for me and I prayed for them.
Photo 5: Coming off the mountain down to Glendalough
13.
Jul
Dublin - Knockree
Photo 1: "Wicklow Way"
After walking 12 kilometers through Dublin, I came to the start of the Wicklow Way, Ireland’s oldest and most popular long-distance walking trail. Stretching 130 kilometers from Marlay Park in Dublin to Clonegal in County Carlow, it typically takes 5 to 7 days to complete. I will cut it a bit short at the end and endeavor to walk it in four days.
Photo 2: The Butterfly Bush "Buddleja" in bloom on the Wicklow Way...
Photo 3: Going over the first high point on the Wicklow Way...
Photo 4: I am not sure how the path will lead, but in the next days I will be walking through these mountains.
Photo 5: Lunch break with Willy on the Wicklow Way...
My left foot still hurts when I walk, but not quite as much when going uphill. There will be a lot of uphill walking the next few days...
After walking most of the day without seeing anyone on the paths, I asked God if there might be a person at the youth hostel where I would be staying the night with whom he might have me speak to. In my mind's eye I saw appearance of a young man somewhat similar to that of Jacob whom I met coming out of Drymen in Scotland. After I got situated in my room and took a shower, two young men came into the room. S* and W* were from London, and W* matched what I had seen in my mind's eye. We ended up ordering pizza from a delivery service and eating together. S* is connected with a church, but W* is a PK (Pastor's Kid) who has "drifted away". I am a pastor and have kids, so I have a heart for people like W*. God does too. That is why we met today. God was wanting to show W* that he is there for him.
After walking 12 kilometers through Dublin, I came to the start of the Wicklow Way, Ireland’s oldest and most popular long-distance walking trail. Stretching 130 kilometers from Marlay Park in Dublin to Clonegal in County Carlow, it typically takes 5 to 7 days to complete. I will cut it a bit short at the end and endeavor to walk it in four days.
Photo 2: The Butterfly Bush "Buddleja" in bloom on the Wicklow Way...
Photo 3: Going over the first high point on the Wicklow Way...
Photo 4: I am not sure how the path will lead, but in the next days I will be walking through these mountains.
Photo 5: Lunch break with Willy on the Wicklow Way...
My left foot still hurts when I walk, but not quite as much when going uphill. There will be a lot of uphill walking the next few days...
After walking most of the day without seeing anyone on the paths, I asked God if there might be a person at the youth hostel where I would be staying the night with whom he might have me speak to. In my mind's eye I saw appearance of a young man somewhat similar to that of Jacob whom I met coming out of Drymen in Scotland. After I got situated in my room and took a shower, two young men came into the room. S* and W* were from London, and W* matched what I had seen in my mind's eye. We ended up ordering pizza from a delivery service and eating together. S* is connected with a church, but W* is a PK (Pastor's Kid) who has "drifted away". I am a pastor and have kids, so I have a heart for people like W*. God does too. That is why we met today. God was wanting to show W* that he is there for him.
12.
Jul
Dublin
Photo 1: When I arrived at the door of my hosts for the weekend, they were not yet at home. I made the contact through an internet platform called "Trustroots". I did not know quite what to expect, but this sign on the door was very assuring.
Photo 2: Hanna and Eugene are believers from the Ukraine who have been living with their son here in Ireland the past four years. I had hoped to be able to stay the weekend with followers of Jesus, and was so happy that this was now the case. They were very kind to me. The day of rest in their apartment did me good, especially my left foot. I did not attend a church service today, just kept my foot up off the ground... and I finally got my blog updated! The first time since I left Germany on June 15th!!!
Photo 3: Even before I arrived in Dublin, I felt in my spirit that God would want me to speak with Hanna's and Eugene's teenage son, Michael. Indeed we had some very good, and I would add, important talks. It was good being here.
Photo 4: The original Viking wooden church at Christ Church Cathedral was founded around 1030 by Sitric Silkenbeard, the Norse King of Dublin, and Dúnán, the city's first bishop. The stone building that stands today began construction in 1172 under the Norman knight Strongbow and Archbishop Laurence O’Toole. It greatly impressed me that this church has stood through half of the history of Christianity. May it continue to stand until the second coming of Christ. I actually was actually able to get an official Camino stamp for my pilgrim passport here (yesterday).
Photo 5: A building in Drogheda with many flowers that I liked...
Photo 2: Hanna and Eugene are believers from the Ukraine who have been living with their son here in Ireland the past four years. I had hoped to be able to stay the weekend with followers of Jesus, and was so happy that this was now the case. They were very kind to me. The day of rest in their apartment did me good, especially my left foot. I did not attend a church service today, just kept my foot up off the ground... and I finally got my blog updated! The first time since I left Germany on June 15th!!!
Photo 3: Even before I arrived in Dublin, I felt in my spirit that God would want me to speak with Hanna's and Eugene's teenage son, Michael. Indeed we had some very good, and I would add, important talks. It was good being here.
Photo 4: The original Viking wooden church at Christ Church Cathedral was founded around 1030 by Sitric Silkenbeard, the Norse King of Dublin, and Dúnán, the city's first bishop. The stone building that stands today began construction in 1172 under the Norman knight Strongbow and Archbishop Laurence O’Toole. It greatly impressed me that this church has stood through half of the history of Christianity. May it continue to stand until the second coming of Christ. I actually was actually able to get an official Camino stamp for my pilgrim passport here (yesterday).
Photo 5: A building in Drogheda with many flowers that I liked...
11.
Jul
Drogheda - Skerries - Dublin
Photo 1: "Willy was glad to finally get away from the road..."
Photo 2: For about 13 kilometers the walk today was directly on the beach. My left foot was still hurting, but not so much on the softer sand compared to the road. I am looking forward to the day of rest tomorrow.
Photo 3: I decided to cut my walk short today and end the beach part in the town of Balbriggan instead of continuing to Skerries. This would have been another hour of walking on the road. I took a train then from Balbriggan to Dubin and walked another 8 kilometers to my destination. Altogether it was a bit more than 33 kilometers that I walked with a sore foot.
Photo 4: A warm summer Saturday evening in Dublin...
Photo 5: Alex saw me walk through her neighborhood with my backpack. She is a hiker and never sees people like me walking through Dublin like this. Her curiosity got the best of her. She asked me where I was heading and then why. Interesting was that her family was not very church oriented, but after her father did the Camino, he came back very open to the thought that God could be real. Then recently her younger brother had bought a Bible. Now Alex and I were having a God-talk... Seems like Jesus is knocking on the door. I prayed for Alex and her search to know truth. She promised that she would read the biography of Jesus. May God’s will be done in her life and in her family.
Photo 2: For about 13 kilometers the walk today was directly on the beach. My left foot was still hurting, but not so much on the softer sand compared to the road. I am looking forward to the day of rest tomorrow.
Photo 3: I decided to cut my walk short today and end the beach part in the town of Balbriggan instead of continuing to Skerries. This would have been another hour of walking on the road. I took a train then from Balbriggan to Dubin and walked another 8 kilometers to my destination. Altogether it was a bit more than 33 kilometers that I walked with a sore foot.
Photo 4: A warm summer Saturday evening in Dublin...
Photo 5: Alex saw me walk through her neighborhood with my backpack. She is a hiker and never sees people like me walking through Dublin like this. Her curiosity got the best of her. She asked me where I was heading and then why. Interesting was that her family was not very church oriented, but after her father did the Camino, he came back very open to the thought that God could be real. Then recently her younger brother had bought a Bible. Now Alex and I were having a God-talk... Seems like Jesus is knocking on the door. I prayed for Alex and her search to know truth. She promised that she would read the biography of Jesus. May God’s will be done in her life and in her family.
10.
Jul
Dundalk - Drogheda
Photo 1: "Low Tide"
Today marks the One-Fourth-Milestone of Snail-Trail 4.0. I thank God for bringing me this far and helping me to overcome the setbacks that I have had - broken trekking sticks, broken water filter, and broken phone. By the end of the day I would be faced with another new challenge, a big blister on the bottom of my left foot. Today would be a very hard walk... literally, 41 kilometers almost completely on hard road surfaces, some of those roads would have a lot of traffic, and some roads would be without a sidewalk. In Scotland I did not have that much walking on roads. My feet apparently were not used to walking such long distances on hard surfaces.
Photo 2: Still there would be nice views here and there.
Photo 3: Walking through a village
Photo 4: An old rock bridge over the Dee River... I love these old bridges!
Photo 5: "David"
My host for the night was David, a young man from one of the churches that Patrick works with. He too was set free from drug abuse by God's saving grace and now senses a call to ministry. His younger brother, Phil, is also staying with David. We had a discipleship talk evening which lasted untill well after 11.00 pm, which was late for me on the Snail-Trail. It was a good encounter though. Phil took that definite step to follow Jesus. Then we talked about what it means to live in the empowering of the Holy Spirit and asked God to fill us with his Spirit. It was a good end to a "hard" walking day. I did, by the way, soak my feet in hot salty water at David's which did bring some relief.
Today marks the One-Fourth-Milestone of Snail-Trail 4.0. I thank God for bringing me this far and helping me to overcome the setbacks that I have had - broken trekking sticks, broken water filter, and broken phone. By the end of the day I would be faced with another new challenge, a big blister on the bottom of my left foot. Today would be a very hard walk... literally, 41 kilometers almost completely on hard road surfaces, some of those roads would have a lot of traffic, and some roads would be without a sidewalk. In Scotland I did not have that much walking on roads. My feet apparently were not used to walking such long distances on hard surfaces.
Photo 2: Still there would be nice views here and there.
Photo 3: Walking through a village
Photo 4: An old rock bridge over the Dee River... I love these old bridges!
Photo 5: "David"
My host for the night was David, a young man from one of the churches that Patrick works with. He too was set free from drug abuse by God's saving grace and now senses a call to ministry. His younger brother, Phil, is also staying with David. We had a discipleship talk evening which lasted untill well after 11.00 pm, which was late for me on the Snail-Trail. It was a good encounter though. Phil took that definite step to follow Jesus. Then we talked about what it means to live in the empowering of the Holy Spirit and asked God to fill us with his Spirit. It was a good end to a "hard" walking day. I did, by the way, soak my feet in hot salty water at David's which did bring some relief.
09.
Jul
Rostrevor - Dundalk
Photo 1: As peaceful as this photo appears, that is not how the whole stage went today.
Photo 2: Many parts of the walk today were along side a road, sometime a very busy road. Not too far away from this point I had my first God-talk with a man named Peter. He was curious to know where I was going with such a big backpack. That question led to a conversation and then a prayer. Peter is like many people I met on the path who believe in something or someone out there, but cannot relate to the institution "Church". The challenge is getting to know the heatbeat of God without getting disillusioned through the heartbreak of human and church history.
Photo 3: Narrow Water Castle that protected the entry waterway to the town of Newry. After this point the inlet from the sea became very narrow, particularly during low tide.
Photo 4: Just before Newry I saw Jimmy sitting on a bench by himself. He was wearing a cap backwards on his head, so I could read what was on the front as I walked from behind him. Berlin, Germany was written on the hat. I stopped and asked him if he was from Germany or had been there. That was not the case, but it started a conversation that led to a God-talk and prayer, very similar to the encounter I had with Peter.
Photo 5: I was so happy to get to Dundalk after a 40 km + 809 altimeter walk through the sun and much of it on the road. I was starting to feel the formation of a blister on the bottom of my left foot. I would stay the night in Dundalk with friends and collegues of mine, Patrick and Michelle O'Loughlin. They were wonderful hosts. It is always such a blessing after a long, hard hike to not have to try to find a sleeping place and food to eat, and then to have a shower, a bed and fellowsip with people who are also walking with Jesus.
Photo 2: Many parts of the walk today were along side a road, sometime a very busy road. Not too far away from this point I had my first God-talk with a man named Peter. He was curious to know where I was going with such a big backpack. That question led to a conversation and then a prayer. Peter is like many people I met on the path who believe in something or someone out there, but cannot relate to the institution "Church". The challenge is getting to know the heatbeat of God without getting disillusioned through the heartbreak of human and church history.
Photo 3: Narrow Water Castle that protected the entry waterway to the town of Newry. After this point the inlet from the sea became very narrow, particularly during low tide.
Photo 4: Just before Newry I saw Jimmy sitting on a bench by himself. He was wearing a cap backwards on his head, so I could read what was on the front as I walked from behind him. Berlin, Germany was written on the hat. I stopped and asked him if he was from Germany or had been there. That was not the case, but it started a conversation that led to a God-talk and prayer, very similar to the encounter I had with Peter.
Photo 5: I was so happy to get to Dundalk after a 40 km + 809 altimeter walk through the sun and much of it on the road. I was starting to feel the formation of a blister on the bottom of my left foot. I would stay the night in Dundalk with friends and collegues of mine, Patrick and Michelle O'Loughlin. They were wonderful hosts. It is always such a blessing after a long, hard hike to not have to try to find a sleeping place and food to eat, and then to have a shower, a bed and fellowsip with people who are also walking with Jesus.
08.
Jul
Newcastle - Rostrevor
Photo 1: I got up at 4:45 this morning so I could catch the early bus from Belfast to Newcastle to get back on schedule. The second hour of the hike was a very beautiful stretch along the Shimna River in the Tollymore Woods. Several old rock bridges crossed over the waterway. It did my soul good to be on the path again after sitting in the phone shop all day yesterday.
Photo 2: The path then led through some highlands. My hiking app would register 1422 altimeters for the day.
Photo 3: Ansolutely no one was on this part of the path.
Photo 4: As I was coming down from the highlands, I ran into Steven McDonald at a path crossing over a waterway. For the first time I tried out my water filter... and I did not get sick! Steve will also turn 70 this December and came to faith in Jesus when he was 15, just a year before me. We understood each other real well and prayed for each other.
A bit further down the path I met a young Irishman, Eugene. He shared with me that he was all messed up on drugs and realized that he was losing his life. He cried out to God one night for grace and mercy and woke up the next morning completely clean from drums. He has been that way ever since, now going on two years. I responded: "That's my Jesus! You call on him in the time of need, and he will be there to help you." I prayed for Eugene that God would continue his work of grace in his life.
Photo 5: The Youth with a Mission house in Rostrevor where I would stay the night. After a long hard hike through the mountains, this was a real haven of rest.
Photo 2: The path then led through some highlands. My hiking app would register 1422 altimeters for the day.
Photo 3: Ansolutely no one was on this part of the path.
Photo 4: As I was coming down from the highlands, I ran into Steven McDonald at a path crossing over a waterway. For the first time I tried out my water filter... and I did not get sick! Steve will also turn 70 this December and came to faith in Jesus when he was 15, just a year before me. We understood each other real well and prayed for each other.
A bit further down the path I met a young Irishman, Eugene. He shared with me that he was all messed up on drugs and realized that he was losing his life. He cried out to God one night for grace and mercy and woke up the next morning completely clean from drums. He has been that way ever since, now going on two years. I responded: "That's my Jesus! You call on him in the time of need, and he will be there to help you." I prayed for Eugene that God would continue his work of grace in his life.
Photo 5: The Youth with a Mission house in Rostrevor where I would stay the night. After a long hard hike through the mountains, this was a real haven of rest.
07.
Jul
Downpatrick - Newcastle
Photo 1: Willy and I on the bus to Belfast"
It did good to have the extra day of rest yesterday and not have to get started so early today. As I was leaving the place where I stayed the night, the owner of the house saw me with my backpack and asked where I was heading. I told her that I was a pilgrim walking from Scotland to Germany. She then asked whether I could pray a prayer of blessing for her and her family.This was the first time on this trip that I was asked to do this... and gladly did so.
I then took the bus from Downpatrick back to Belfast in the hope that my phone could quickly be fixed and I would be back on my way.
Photo 2: "My help in the time of need"
Things do not always go as we hope...
Approaching the shop, I saw two young men in their early twenties waking up from having slept on the street. I went to the shop, and Sanket greeted me with the good news that the display screen for my phone had arrived and he would need about an hour to fix it. So I went back out to the two on the street, talked and prayed with them and bought their breakfast, thus passing on the blessing from Stewart from Belfast.
When I got back to the Phone Shop, Sanket was not yet finished with my phone. In fact he would not finish it at all. He replaced the display, but it would go blank every time it was closed and opened. He tried recalbirating the sensors in both parts of the phone. This took hours... but it did not work. The phone would need to be sent to their main shop to be repaired. That would take at least one week. I suggested trading my defected phone for a refurbished Samsung Galexy S23 that they had for sale for the cost of the display screen that I had already paid for. Sanket called his boss and got the okay on the exchange. He then transferred all my data from the one phone to the next and got things working for me. He even shared his dinner with me and worked 90 minutes overtime without pay to get it all done. Between customers and repairs, we had some good talks and I was able to pray a prayer of blessing for him before I left. I had been at the shop for 8.5 hours!
I decided then to book a bed at the International Youth Hostel in Belfast. On my way there I stopped at a store to get things for breakfast. The security man at the door was a few years younger than I. He showed me where I could put my beg while I bought my things. He also said he could tell that I was "a righteous" man. His name is John Paul and is a follower of Jesus as well. When I told him what I was doing, he asked me to pray a prayer of blessing for him, which I gladly did. The day was ending as it had begun. To top it off, I had a wonderful God-talk with a 13 year old and his mother at the youth hostel. Things may not always go as we hope, but if God is in it, it will be good in the end.
Photo 3: The St. Patrick's Cathedral in Downpatrick
Photo 4: A perspective from the cemetary looking out over the Irish landscape
It did good to have the extra day of rest yesterday and not have to get started so early today. As I was leaving the place where I stayed the night, the owner of the house saw me with my backpack and asked where I was heading. I told her that I was a pilgrim walking from Scotland to Germany. She then asked whether I could pray a prayer of blessing for her and her family.This was the first time on this trip that I was asked to do this... and gladly did so.
I then took the bus from Downpatrick back to Belfast in the hope that my phone could quickly be fixed and I would be back on my way.
Photo 2: "My help in the time of need"
Things do not always go as we hope...
Approaching the shop, I saw two young men in their early twenties waking up from having slept on the street. I went to the shop, and Sanket greeted me with the good news that the display screen for my phone had arrived and he would need about an hour to fix it. So I went back out to the two on the street, talked and prayed with them and bought their breakfast, thus passing on the blessing from Stewart from Belfast.
When I got back to the Phone Shop, Sanket was not yet finished with my phone. In fact he would not finish it at all. He replaced the display, but it would go blank every time it was closed and opened. He tried recalbirating the sensors in both parts of the phone. This took hours... but it did not work. The phone would need to be sent to their main shop to be repaired. That would take at least one week. I suggested trading my defected phone for a refurbished Samsung Galexy S23 that they had for sale for the cost of the display screen that I had already paid for. Sanket called his boss and got the okay on the exchange. He then transferred all my data from the one phone to the next and got things working for me. He even shared his dinner with me and worked 90 minutes overtime without pay to get it all done. Between customers and repairs, we had some good talks and I was able to pray a prayer of blessing for him before I left. I had been at the shop for 8.5 hours!
I decided then to book a bed at the International Youth Hostel in Belfast. On my way there I stopped at a store to get things for breakfast. The security man at the door was a few years younger than I. He showed me where I could put my beg while I bought my things. He also said he could tell that I was "a righteous" man. His name is John Paul and is a follower of Jesus as well. When I told him what I was doing, he asked me to pray a prayer of blessing for him, which I gladly did. The day was ending as it had begun. To top it off, I had a wonderful God-talk with a 13 year old and his mother at the youth hostel. Things may not always go as we hope, but if God is in it, it will be good in the end.
Photo 3: The St. Patrick's Cathedral in Downpatrick
Photo 4: A perspective from the cemetary looking out over the Irish landscape
06.
Jul
Belfast - Downpatrick
Photo 1: "Ephesians 2:14 on the Peace Wall"
This morning as I walked along the Peace Wall I came to this relief depicting the peace that come from the cross of Jesus Christ. Below the cross is an inscription from Ephesians 2:14...
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..."
The artful depiction of this verse was a joint project from Christians from both sides of the wall. I was so happy to see this.
Photo 2: Davy is 74 years old. He has a cross tattooed on his forehead which caught my attention... and Davy has been living on the streets on Belfast for 18 years. Walking as a pilgrim, I can somewhat relate to being homeless, particularly when you are looking for a dry place to eat your lunch when it is raining. Even though I carry a credit card and cash with me, every day is a quest for survival that asks the questions: Will I make it through this day? Where will I find food and water sources? Where will I find a sleeping space at the end of a day? Davy told me he was a follower of Jesus, said that as a kid he would walk a few milies to go to Sunday School. I told him about Stewart, how God helped him move from the streets to his own home. I prayed with Davy... and bought his lunch.
Photo 3: "Wrong way?"
What a day! I got off to a good start and needed to cover 40 kilometers to Downpatrick where St. Patrick's grave is. After about 5 kilometers on the outskirts of Belfast, the display on my flip cell phone fizzled out on me... no GPS, no map, no WhatsApp, no email, no telephone, no camera... nothing. In pressing the phone buttons trying to jerk the screen back to life, my phone somehow made a screenshot of the screen that no longer was working. This documents the moment of disaster. What do I do? I could not take another step towards Downpatrick. I said: "Jesus, you have a solution for this," and decided to take a bus back to Belfast. At the bus stop I saw a young man from India and asked him if he might know of a place where I could get my phone fixed in Belfast. "It just so happened" that his friend worked at a phone repair shop, and he took me there. A new display screen was ordered, would come the next day. Since I already had a room booked and payed for in Downpatrick, I decided to take the bus there, visit St. Patrick's grave and have an extra day of rest after the walk through Scotland.
Photo 4: "Alfie"
On my way to St. Patrick's grave, I saw 5 twelve year olds sitting on a park bench and enjoying the sun that had not been seen so much the last days. We started to talk. I shared my story of how God started to get my attention when I was their age and then prayed for them. Particularly Alfie seemed interested in what I had to say. He gave me a ribbon with a metal claps from his sports club and asked me to through it in a river near my home in Germany. I told him that I did not want to throw things in the river, but would carry the ribbon with me to Germany and post a picture of it on this Blog once I got to the Isar River near my home on my last stage of the Snail-Trail. You cannot really see it so well in this pucture, but ribbon is hanging down from Alfie's left hand. Had I walked the distance today to Downpatrick, I would not have met Alfie and his friends.
Photo 5: The story of St. Patrick fasinates me. Born around 385–387, he was kidnapped by pirates at age 16 and enslaved for six years in the Irish wilderness, where he developed a profound devotion to prayer. Following his escape back to Britain, he had a dream in which the Irish people begged him to return and walk among them once more. He returned to Ireland as a bishop to spread Christianity, famously using the Irish shamrock to teach the concept of the Holy Trinity. The working of the Holy Spirit was evident in his life and ministry. This stone marks Patrick’s final resting place. If you enlarge the photo, you can see that his name is still partially legibel on the stone. I sat there in the late afternoon and prayed that what God started in Ireland in the days of St. Patrick, he would awaken and continue today.
This morning as I walked along the Peace Wall I came to this relief depicting the peace that come from the cross of Jesus Christ. Below the cross is an inscription from Ephesians 2:14...
"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..."
The artful depiction of this verse was a joint project from Christians from both sides of the wall. I was so happy to see this.
Photo 2: Davy is 74 years old. He has a cross tattooed on his forehead which caught my attention... and Davy has been living on the streets on Belfast for 18 years. Walking as a pilgrim, I can somewhat relate to being homeless, particularly when you are looking for a dry place to eat your lunch when it is raining. Even though I carry a credit card and cash with me, every day is a quest for survival that asks the questions: Will I make it through this day? Where will I find food and water sources? Where will I find a sleeping space at the end of a day? Davy told me he was a follower of Jesus, said that as a kid he would walk a few milies to go to Sunday School. I told him about Stewart, how God helped him move from the streets to his own home. I prayed with Davy... and bought his lunch.
Photo 3: "Wrong way?"
What a day! I got off to a good start and needed to cover 40 kilometers to Downpatrick where St. Patrick's grave is. After about 5 kilometers on the outskirts of Belfast, the display on my flip cell phone fizzled out on me... no GPS, no map, no WhatsApp, no email, no telephone, no camera... nothing. In pressing the phone buttons trying to jerk the screen back to life, my phone somehow made a screenshot of the screen that no longer was working. This documents the moment of disaster. What do I do? I could not take another step towards Downpatrick. I said: "Jesus, you have a solution for this," and decided to take a bus back to Belfast. At the bus stop I saw a young man from India and asked him if he might know of a place where I could get my phone fixed in Belfast. "It just so happened" that his friend worked at a phone repair shop, and he took me there. A new display screen was ordered, would come the next day. Since I already had a room booked and payed for in Downpatrick, I decided to take the bus there, visit St. Patrick's grave and have an extra day of rest after the walk through Scotland.
Photo 4: "Alfie"
On my way to St. Patrick's grave, I saw 5 twelve year olds sitting on a park bench and enjoying the sun that had not been seen so much the last days. We started to talk. I shared my story of how God started to get my attention when I was their age and then prayed for them. Particularly Alfie seemed interested in what I had to say. He gave me a ribbon with a metal claps from his sports club and asked me to through it in a river near my home in Germany. I told him that I did not want to throw things in the river, but would carry the ribbon with me to Germany and post a picture of it on this Blog once I got to the Isar River near my home on my last stage of the Snail-Trail. You cannot really see it so well in this pucture, but ribbon is hanging down from Alfie's left hand. Had I walked the distance today to Downpatrick, I would not have met Alfie and his friends.
Photo 5: The story of St. Patrick fasinates me. Born around 385–387, he was kidnapped by pirates at age 16 and enslaved for six years in the Irish wilderness, where he developed a profound devotion to prayer. Following his escape back to Britain, he had a dream in which the Irish people begged him to return and walk among them once more. He returned to Ireland as a bishop to spread Christianity, famously using the Irish shamrock to teach the concept of the Holy Trinity. The working of the Holy Spirit was evident in his life and ministry. This stone marks Patrick’s final resting place. If you enlarge the photo, you can see that his name is still partially legibel on the stone. I sat there in the late afternoon and prayed that what God started in Ireland in the days of St. Patrick, he would awaken and continue today.