As little boys, my cousin and I escaped Vietnam on my dad's fishing boat. The uncertainty frightened the bravest but faith in the Lord and his Blessed Mother drove us to move forward with confidence,  esp at sea where you are but a speck amidst its vastness. On the boat we had a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, a source of immense consolation for refugees without a home except for hope of one day reaching heaven.  As a child I remember praying the Rosary with my elders... the rumbling engine providing monotonous music, the waves and wind joining in. We would sing a song to Mary, entitled "Oh Mother, Our Bright Star". It was the first song I memorized as a 3 year old. Thanks to Mary's intercession and protection, after 5 days at sea, we made it safely to our refugee camp. Not a single person suffered illness.

That was 39 years ago. On the 100 anniversary of our Lady’s appearance to the little shepherds, we want to go visit her and pay our filial respect and thank her for everything she's done for us.
Besides visiting our Lady of Fatima, we also wanted to walk as pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James). What a wonderful journey. The walk was tiring but the purpose makes it so beautiful and enjoyable.  Meeting new friends along the way was a highlight as well. 
One thing I made sure I did was to pray for my family and friends, especially all my parishioners from St. Thomas and Sacred Heart.