Over the weekend of the 1–4 May 2025 about 25 Pilgrims came together to walk from Traralgon to Stratford along the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail as the Gippsland Camino 2025. A special aspect to this Pilgrimage was that we had asked all the churches along the way to open their doors to the Pilgrims, for prayer rest and water. They did this with much delight!
The nature of a Camino journey is always so individual. Each person brings their full self to the way, and the physi-
cal practice of walking until exhaustion means that much of your daily trappings are stripped away. I chose to camp in church grounds for the same reason, I wanted the challenge of moving into places of discomfort (it was cold and there were no showers) in order to bring forward that which was most important to me.
I am also someone who prefers to walk on my own, as I am very comfortable talking in all places and spaces, and the discipline of staying in a silent space is very powerful for me. However, the gatherings together with other pilgrims and support workers over an evening meal was an absolute delight as we compared photos, stories and the state of our feet and stiffness of our legs!
This is the third time I have done a Pilgrimage, and as on previous walks, I got to know my body better than I did before and as usual was astounded by its capacity to respond to the physical challenge. I also now know not to come with any agendas to the walk, but to let God speak the path for me. This time around, my insight was to set those things aside that I was so deeply invested in, that I could not make space for other things.
So many things happened in this process that delighted me again, especially the care, generosity and enthusiasm that people can bring to you when you are truly authentic with them. I was cared for, prayed for, fed and watered and in one final grand gesture had my sore, dusty and smelly feet bathed, anointed and dried at the end of the walk. Instead of embarrassment I experienced absolute blessed relief from this experience.
I would like to thank all those who planned, supported and contributed to the Gippsland Camino 2025. Every moment of this journey seemed to be a holy moment, where God, who can make the impossible possible, granted small and wise encounters along the way. What a blessing. Buen Camino.
The Rev’d Heather den Houting is the Minister at Traralgon Uniting Church.