A few experiences

At an elevation of 890 meters (2920 ft), the ancient castle of San Esteban towers over the village. The ruins of this castle date back to the 10th century. With a 360-degree view, it offers stunning vistas and serves as a strategic vantage point here in the Basque Country.

At the foot of the mountain, the hostel is also situated at a strategic point along the Camino, offering weary pilgrims a place of rest. A few weeks ago, a German pilgrim named Carmen walked in. She had walked the Camino last year, and during her journey, she had surrendered her life to Jesus. At that time, she stayed at the hostel for two nights and participated in the communal worship.
But back in Germany, she had no fellow believers around her, and things started to go downhill for her. Due to a difficult childhood and many mental and physical ailments, she was drawn deeper into darkness. Therapy had never really helped, and she began to have suicidal thoughts. But God reminded her of this community along the Camino. The only thing she knew was that she had to return to the hostel for help.

So Carmen showed up late in the afternoon, even though we were already full. But we saw that God had guided this. There was, in fact, a fellow believer (Wolfgang) who had already indicated that, if necessary, he would give up his bed to someone who needed it more. So Carmen was able to stay after all. And we found a spot for Wolfgang on a mattress.

The next day, Jesus completely set Carmen free from the darkness that had bound her for so long. She experienced freedom and relief. And God filled her with His Spirit.
We thought it would be wise for her to stay with us a little longer so she could continue to grow in her relationship with God before returning home. And that’s what’s so wonderful about Oasis Trails (this foundation). In addition to the hostel with its daily pilgrims, there’s also space for people who need a little more discipleship—a family around them to help them continue growing with Jesus. The monastery is being renovated for this purpose, among others.
Carmen decided (along with Sophie and Malia) to be baptized, to leave her old life completely behind, and to rise to a new life with Jesus.
What a celebration! God is so good! He guides those who are seeking Him.

We experienced another special story on our day off. Arjan wanted to have a pastry in the afternoon at the hotel in the village. But when we got there, it turned out to be closed. Just at that moment, a pilgrim came walking up looking for a cup of coffee. We pointed him toward the only other place in the village and walked with him to get our pastry.
Max, a young man from Switzerland, just wanted a quick cup of coffee before continuing his hike. But we struck up a conversation and were able to share our story about God with him. He was very open and asked how one invites Jesus into one’s life. We explained the good news of Jesus to him by drawing the “3 circles” on a piece of paper. He was so moved and immediately asked if he could keep the paper. We were also able to give him the Gospel of John. He wanted to invite Jesus into his life, and we were able to pray with him.
Max decided not to continue his hike but to stay with us, and for the rest of the day he walked around with a look of amazement on his face. He stayed the next day as well, joined us for the morning worship time, and could always be found near one of the volunteers. He sensed something of Jesus in all of us.

Without even realizing it, we spread the fragrance of Christ.

Another day, a young German couple with a 3-month-old baby and two proud uncles arrived at the hostel. During lunch and dinner, the conversations were just about everyday things, and they didn’t seem to have any desire for deeper conversation. Still, they decided to come to the meditation and asked if the baby could come too. This can be a challenge with such a little one, but we said yes anyway. It turned out they were the only ones in the meditation. And the Lord used the example of the baby and their love for her in a special way to reveal Himself to them.
After the meditation, completely out of the blue, one of the uncles began asking all sorts of questions about God and our walk with Him. Each of us was able to share a bit about our experiences with God in a very relaxed way. This went on for about an hour. As volunteers, we were very surprised and encouraged by the Lord. He knows people’s hearts.

It’s now been three weeks, and a new group of volunteers has arrived. For September, we’re temporarily on the “reserve list.” But we can still encourage Carmen and others with our knowledge and experience of God. We’re currently staying at the monastery temporarily. What a blessing! When you travel for God, you never know where you’ll end up next. And then you find yourself waking up in a beautiful building with views of the valley.
God is a good Dad!

On September 19, we’ll have a fun event here. For the past four years, Oasis Trails has been organizing a marathon along the Camino. It’s quite challenging with all the hills and the heat. Participants can choose between different distances: a full marathon, a half marathon, or 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). In addition to the athletic aspect, the purpose of this marathon is to raise funds for the renovation of the monastery.
Arjan will, of course, be running as well. So if anyone feels called to support Arjan (and the monastery), that’s more than welcome. Here’s more info about the marathon and the project (in English). Here’s more info about donations.