Hospitalera: When the rain comes
Date: 2 Septiembre 2023
Place: Logroño
Last night the thunder and lightning started at dinner. It added to the ambience of a crowded table, full of pilgrims who were laughing, eating, and being present for each other.
Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep very well. I ended up only falling asleep sometime after 2 AM, possibly three. I tried not to look at my watch. When the alarm went off at 6 AM, I was already tired at the start of the day.
But a hospitalero must persevere.
We have severe weather warnings here, today. But, it seems to have calmed down a bit. Becky and I went grocery shopping together. And it was very refreshing to walk in the light rain.
However, when you only have a washing machine and no dryer, drying bed sheets for 40+ tired Pilgrims becomes a bit of a challenge. Normally, it’s not a problem. We just take it outside and dry it. See where it gets tricksy?
We are supposed to accommodate 60 pilgrims, But are down beds because of the closed dormitory. That means 35 pillow cases and 12 sheets for the bunks that the seminarians are not using.
There’s no place to dry the sheets and towels when it’s raining!
Logroño is in desperate need for a grant. A dryer. A new oven. A new microwave. And new showers as these are old and quite dilapidated. I know this because I have been cleaning showers for two days.
We are supposed to be able to accommodate up to 60 pilgrims. However, an entire dormitory downstairs has been closed since the beginning of July because of bedbugs. Today we went in to inspect to see if they had been eradicated. No such luck. Michelle, a senior hospitalera, will report this to our new parish priest, so that they can request a complete demo and reconstruction of the dormitory as there is a structural problem that is a big part of the continuing bedbug problem.
If donativos are to survive the coming centuries, more awareness must be made to keep them in working order. This is one of the reasons that americanpilgrims.org: continues to provide grants to these types of Albuergues.
Donativos are the heart that has beaten these long centuries keeping the Camino alive. They depend on the pilgrims as much as the pilgrims depend on them.
Thom has written his practical rules which says “donativos are not free”. I will go one step further.
Donativos are a life affirming way for pilgrims to become a single beat of the camino’s heart. Each beat joins the next and the next and the next in a steady rhythm.
Have you stopped/paused posting or is it somewhere else? I was enjoying a different trip from Thom’s.