04. Jul 2025

Tireli - Livberze

Photo 1: I had pitched my tent in the woods near this St. James signpost. It had rained just before I started and there was still a slight spinkle while I did. There is nothing I dread more in the morning than trying to get a wet tent dry before taking off for the next stage. As I put the tent up, I began to think about Gideon who was looking for confirmation that God was really with him. He put out a sheepskin overnight and asked God to keep the ground dry and only have the fleece get wet. The next night he asked God to do it the other way, ground wet and the fleece dry. And so it was. The thought came to me: What would be the greater miracle, to have the tent wet or dry in the morning? These were just thoughts. I cannot explain it, but this morning not only was my tent completely dry, but the plastic sheet I put under it was as well. I was so happy... and could get an earlier start... and knew God was with me!

Photo 2: Most of the morning I walked along this canal.

Photo 3: The clear road along the canal eventually became a walking path, and the walking path eventually became congested with high plant growth. I aways get nervous when this happens, because you never know if the trail will just end in a jungle. (I have had it happen before.) The path did improve and then I saw this St. James waymarker on the bird house. That let me know that the last hour or so of walking was on the right path.

Photo 4: Birch tree in a field...

Photo 5: On each side of the road towards lunch time there was a deep ditch... no place to sit. I then saw this hunter's stand and a little footbridge going over to it. When I got there, I saw Gilbert walking by, the pilgrim from France that I had met in Riga. I called him over. We both climbed up to the stand and had our lunch there. I told him, only young old guys can do stuff like this! We walked the rest of the day together and shared a room this evening. Had my tent been wet in the morning, our paths would not have crossed today.