28. Oct 2025

Lavacolla - Santiago de Compostela

I ate my müsli breakfast at the hostel when first one, then two, then three young buddhist girls from Taiwan sat across from me. We started talking and I shared briefly my story. I then asked them their names. The first one said Debbie, the second one said Brenda and before the third one said anything, I interrupted and said: "Now tell me your real names!" They did, and I repeated them, and they said I pronounced them quite well, but I would not have a chance to remember them now, let alone to write them correctly. I then said that names usually have meanings and asked what meanings their names might have in their language. The first one said "Rose", the second one said "Hope" and the third one was not so sure. "Those are beautiful names," I responded, and spoke out a blessing to each one corresponding to the meaning of their names. For the third girl who was not sure what her name meant, I just spoke a blessing as the words came to my mind. I wished them all a blessed journey in life, particularly that they would know that God is there and that they would find their steps to live in the purposes for why God created them. They smiled and said: " Thank you for the encouring words." I particularly pray and hope that they will come to know that God is real, because in true Buddhism there is no God. Buddhism is more like a philosophy to help people cope with life and perhaps better their carma for the next round of reincarnation. The goal of Buddhism is enlightment to rid one's self of all personal striving. Once a person achieves the highest level of purity and personal emptiness, the soul is released from the cycle of reincarnation to be melted away in the universal sea of energy called "Nirvana". The soul as such no longer exists. God's book gives us a different message. It tells us that God will make a new heaven and a new earth. Paul wrote that we will be known even as we are now known. John stated in his first letter that when Jesus returns, in the resurrection, we will be as he is. This tells me that in eternity I will still be a person with a purpose. Heaven will not be boring. God will take us into his new creation. He has great plans for us... and with us. Trust me: You do not want to miss out on this!

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him..."
(1. Corinthians 2:9)

Milestone: After 122 days and walking 3162 kilometers, I arrived at the door of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. In that moment a strong rain came down. I celebrated those last in my own special way... (see video).