We departed First United Methodist Church in Roswell on a cold and windy Martin Luther King Day. We buoyed our walking spirits singing the civil rights song "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” as we went. This day was a threshold between the relatively populous region between Carlsbad and Roswell into a very remote region. The roads became quieter and opened into a vast expanse of rolling hills and grasses with Capitan framing the northwest horizon of our journey.
Sr. Joan Brown and Sr. Marlene Perrotte met us halfway through our travels that day, offering us their love and support through superb baked goods, good conversation, and their all around beautiful and prayerful energy. We camped with our support van on the side of the road and learned that we had some propane leaks in the van’s heater system! This struck as ironic, given that we had recently left behind the methane emissions between Carlsbad and Artesia and here we were contending with them in the vessel supporting the pilgrimage!
The next day Desirée travelled back to Roswell for some van maintenance while Clara, Ann, Joan, and Marlene continued walking. Clara finished out the day and awaited the return of Desiree and the next rotation of van support drivers, Prasoon and Scott. It was a great example of passing and sharing the baton to keep the pilgrimage moving forward! We found ourselves reflecting on the ways this journey is so deeply collective and supported by so many hands, feet, and prayers in ways we never could have predicted.
On the second day of the fully remote stretch, we gratefully turned onto dirt roads, making our feet very happy! Our friends Prasoon and Scott were total MVPs, not only supporting us through the kindnesses of warm drinks and homemade soup, but also deep questions and conversations about how we can hold both the hope and suffering of these times. The simple act of being in community to hold those questions together felt like an answer in and of itself.
As we journeyed more deeply into the hill country leading toward Corona, New Mexico we were met by many curious cows and the beautiful song of grasses in the wind. Finally, on the third day of our remote stretch, we began to see small hints of wind turbines on the horizon! What a heartening and peaceful site in contrast to the fragmentation and flaring of the oil and gas landscape we had recently walked through.
As this major winter storm rolled in this Friday, Clara departed to return home and attend to her role as a minister as First Congregational UCC ABQ before returning to the pilgrimage on February 1st. Desiree bravely journeyed ahead into the first flakes of snow and was met by Sarah Byrden and James and Joyce Skeet at the end of her solo trek.
Throughout this time we have felt the deep intention and purpose of this journey.
Thank you for the prayers that are lifting our steps and leading our collective consciousness to the ground from which we will enact the transformation needed for this world that we so love.
