This October a team of our fittest, fastest, strongest and most competitive residents from Emmaus Residential Care have accepted the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Spring into Summer Challenge. Each day they are counting their steps towards the goal of walking the distance of 772kms. This distance represents the Camino de Santiago, ‘The French Way’, one of the most important Christian pilgrimages, starting at St Jean Pied de Port in France and ending in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

The reason they have committed to this challenge is to raise funds for families within our school system who struggle to find the money to pay for those experiences that most students in our schools take for granted. This year that need is more significant than ever!

Even outside of this particular challenge, walking is a way of life for our dedicated group, who meet each morning at the same time too, “start the day right” as unofficial team leader Lance puts it.

“We come together, and some days it’s much easier than others, but we always look after each other. It’s my motto that you have to make the most of things. We walk around the level path that looks out on the green paddocks and some mornings there are kangaroos and birds to watch. Then we finish each morning at the coffee shop, where some residents who are unable to participate in the walking join us” Lance said.

There is a greeting shared by pilgrims on the Camino, “Buen Camino”, which means good road in Spanish, but can also mean good path, with the path being both physical and spiritual. To our residents who have taken up the challenge, we wish you “Buen Camino”!