How satisfying it feels to share something you love! There's a unique joy in bringing others along to experience something amazing.

Every summer, our family works with my Uncle Ron and his Jirak Brothers produce company to bring fresh, delicious produce to the Wichita Farmers Market. I've been enamored with super sweet watermelon, crisp cantaloupe, and mouth-watering sweet corn since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. When we return from Spain, we’ll dive right back into this work. It's a great opportunity for our kids to earn money for college, but more than that, it's deeply satisfying to interact with our repeat customers who enjoy the produce as much as we do.

Even sweeter than our produce is the excitement I feel in promoting this amazing pilgrimage. After experiencing our own Camino in 2021, my heart burned to share it with others. I wanted to share it with my wife first, but with the blessings of new additions to our family, that hasn’t been possible yet. I'm sure we’ll have our moment, just not now. So, I decided to replicate our own experience with a Father & Son Camino.

There are so many facets of this journey to share: the cultural experiences, the food, the landscape, and, of course, the coffee. Several young men on this trip had never had coffee before, and they loved it! Before my first Camino, I wasn't a fan of coffee either. Now, post-Camino, I'm a daily adherent, to the extent that we even had to secure an espresso machine back home. Another gentleman hadn't had meat in 26 years. I only realized yesterday that when he joined us for the amazing Kevin Bacon Burger, he was breaking his long-time fast. He was pretty impressed!

There are countless stories of us sharing these experiences with pilgrims, enough to fill a book. Now, I even see the joy my boys have in sharing things with other pilgrims, or past pilgrims sharing with new ones. It's like another layer deep, like a sharing grandfather—maybe a Camino Grandpa. I'm not sure I love that term, but it’s better than Camp Director.

Sharing this pilgrimage is more than just guiding others; it's about creating a tapestry of shared experiences, joy, and discovery that enriches everyone involved.  God is so good in allowing me to share this pilgrimage with others.