Saint Jean Pied de Port, France—the traditional starting point for the Napoleon route of the Camino de Santiago—was my first destination.

As I boarded the plane in Sacramento my main concern was making all my plane and train connections, especially since I don’t speak French. I knew once I arrived in Saint Jean I could breathe a sigh of relief. As previously agreed, my Airbnb host would be at the train station to pick me up, we’d go out for a good meal, then drive to her rustic 300-year-old home where I could fall into a deep jet-lag-induced sleep. I would spend two nights with her, so I had plenty of time to rest up, organize my gear for the Camino and be ready for this great adventure.

I never imagined my arrival in SJPP would provide my first major “opportunity” to trust solely in God’s provision for me on this journey.

When the train pulled into the quaint, empty station on Saturday evening, I looked for my host, but she wasn’t there. I waited a few minutes then tried to call—with no luck. The throng of fellow pilgrims who had been crammed onto our final train—our backpacks and a bike filling every available inch of space—had already thundered off en masse toward town leaving me standing utterly alone. And my host still wasn’t there. My mind buzzing with where communications might have gone wrong, and my possible options, I continued to wait.

Right about then I realized I had no phone service.

None.

No phone or texts, no email, no internet connection for directions to her home.

My pounding heart crept into my throat. What will I do??!!

Deep breath. Lord, You can help me. You’ll take care of me.

My heart calmed.

It started raining.

And then it poured.

My small daypack held everything I needed for the 26-hour trip and a jump into an awaiting car. My backpack was organized for travel, not for the trail. I found the only quasi-sheltered spot and scrambled to dig out my raincoat and pack cover. Meantime both my gear and I got wet.

That’s when God showed up.

First, a large German pilgrim appeared from nowhere and agreed to take me to the tourist office in town. I traipsed along after him on the small, quiet residential street, taking two quick steps for each one of his long strides. The rain dampened even the sound of our footfalls. When we reached the edge of town, he stopped… and looked. First one way, then the other, then he shrugged. He couldn’t remember where it was.

A lovely French couple, strolling arm in arm in the rain with their umbrella, informed us the tourist office was closed for the evening, but they offered to walk with me to my destination. Their GPS took us on a short but steep walk into the center of town with it’s narrow cobblestone street and ancient two-and three-story buildings. I was supposed to be out in the country. It was the wrong location.

Three young dark haired French gals wanted to help and, in the end, they refused to leave me until my problem was resolved. A number of confusing phone calls ensued, but an Airbnb host was finally on her way to pick me up. She picked a meeting spot with no real shelter, so the four of us huddled under one umbrella and the tiny stoop of a closed store. Thankfully, the host wasn’t long, and even more thankfully, she spoke a bit of English. However, she insisted on taking me to her home, not to my reserved one.

I was too wet, tired, hungry—and yes, cranky—to argue very long or hard. I was out of the rain and had a warm place to sleep. And I was immensely grateful. By breakfast the next morning the comedy of errors had been sorted out and I was on my way to my original airbnb.

As I later looked back on this I could clearly see God’s hand orchestrating my circumstances. I was utterly alone in a foreign country with no means of technical communication. I don’t speak German or French, other than simple pleasantries, and the people God placed in my path didn’t speak English. Yet somehow we were able to communicate.

And they were each exceptionally kind to me.

This was just the beginning of my Camino, my unique Journey with Jesus. Little did I know He was giving me a foretaste of how He would use people in significant ways to provide for my future needs.

He is just so good to me.