Chloe Wolfson, Spain

Working Across Cultures

Many Romanians live in Roquetas de Mar, Almería, Spain. They have migrated for work and have established their families and lives in the town, along with Romanian churches. All of these churches are Romanian-speaking, and while one or two offer facilities for translation into Spanish—the local language—none have specifically Spanish-speaking ministries. 

Our town is also home to a large number of migrants from North and West Africa. Many come from Muslim countries and have had limited contact with Christianity or opportunities to hear the Gospel. As a team, we are excited to take advantage of God bringing these families to Spain, where we have the freedom to share about Jesus. A couple of years ago, we wanted to start a kids’ club for the many children we had met during our summer activities. This also served as a fun opportunity to invite local churches to reach out to those in their neighborhoods. One of the Romanian churches, alongside a particularly marginalised neighbour, accepted the invitation and formed a team from their church. Some Romanian young people, born in Spain, had never prayed in Spanish in public before. 

Over the next two years, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Romanian Christians and use their church space to run a weekly kids’ club for children from countries including Senegal, Morocco, and Guinea Bissau. From Genesis to Jesus, we were able to share God’s unfolding plan for salvation. Working together, we accomplished something we could not have done alone.

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James & Carolynn Webb, Spain

Networking along the Camino

In Spain, we are part of the Soy el Camino network, a group of Christians involved in various ministries along the Camino de Santiago. Some members operate Christian hostels like ours, while others run food trucks offering coffee and conversation or provide free resting spots for pilgrims. Some individuals walk the Camino with the intention of sharing the gospel with others. “Soy el Camino,” which means “I am the way,” is derived from Jesus’ words in John 14:6, and our collective goal is to point pilgrims toward Jesus, the true and living Way.

Last year, we witnessed firsthand how this network has borne fruit through a French pilgrim named Sebastian. When he arrived at our guesthouse in Zalla, he looked every bit like a bohemian traveler, complete with dreadlocks, a bandanna, face tattoos, and an accompanying dog. It was easy to assume he was an alternative seeker, perhaps involved in new age spirituality.

However, as we began to talk, we learned that he was actually a Christian who had come to follow Jesus while walking the French Camino with his brother the previous year. At that time, he was engaged in new age practices and ended up staying at Fuente de Peregrino, a Christian hostel in Galicia that is part of the Soy el Camino network. It was there that he experienced a personal encounter with Jesus and committed his life to Him. The Christians at the hostel prayed for his brother, who was struggling with poor mental health, and he was almost immediately liberated from disturbing internal voices.

Sebastian was excited to learn that we were also a Christian hostel and that we were familiar with the team at Fuente de Peregrino. Later, he kindly brought us a tray of fruit from the market to share. For us, this was a reminder that God can touch anyone’s heart and transform lives.

For pilgrims interested in learning more about Jesus, we recommend other Christian hostels along the Camino where they can stay. We also direct them to an evangelistic devotional app called “Who is St. James,” developed by a friend who is an Australian journalist. This app contains Bible readings, reflections, and questions about Jesus that pilgrims can read each day on their phones.

Being part of the Soy el Camino network allows us to share resources, connect with and follow up on pilgrims, and mutually encourage each other in our ministries as we work together to share the love of Jesus with those walking the Camino.

soyelcamino.com