The following is an example walk — based on James’ original walk that inspired Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages — it provides descriptions of how a pilgrimage could look, not a prescription of what it needs to be.
The hope is that this provides inspiration as you plan your own Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage.
4:30am — Met at the starting point to pray and begin our walk. Due to the warm summer on the Gold Coast, we began early. There were three walkers who joined from the start.
6:30am — In Camino de Santiago tradition we walked until our bodies prompted us to stop. This was around 2 hours in. It might be earlier for you and could be planned or unplanned.
9:15am — 21 kilometres in — half way! Arrived at Southport Uniting Church for a rest, food and to prepare for our prayer service. Others arrived earlier to prepare liturgy sheets etc.
9:30am — Prayer service: We spread the invite wide and intended this to be many peoples starting point, knowing not all people would walk 41km.
This invite included the local multi-faith group. The liturgy was explicitly Christian but named a chance for open prayer when people of any faith could pray as they felt led.
We ended the service in silence and invited people to walk 500 metres in silence with us to end the service.
One man who only intended to come to the prayer service ended up walking nearly 8 kilometres.
Two of the original walkers ended their walk here. But many more started their walk from here.
10:00am — We continued our walk south down the coast. Joined by Imad, a local Palestinian Christian, we lament Christian Zionism. Imad asks perplexed questions about how anyone could support a theology that seems so at odds with Our Lord Jesus of Nazareth.
11:30am — Supplies were dropped off by a support team in a car — including the much-loved ice coffees on a very hot day.
12:00pm — A couple of the walkers ended their walk at the end of the tram line, allowing them to catch public transport back to their vehicles.
The rest of us stopped for a much needed break, including foot care. We re-vaselined our feet and added more hikers wool.
12:53pm — I text my wife, ‘Pain has set in’.
We had another stop, even though we had stopped recently — 31 kilometres in — 10 left.
1:10pm — We continue our walk. We go in and out of silence, prayer and conversation throughout.
2:00pm — The final walkers finish besides James — he continues to the final destination.
3:30pm — 41 kilometres later, taken in prayerful solidarity the walk is over. I end with a time of reflection by myself before being joined by others.
4:00pm — I sit with my young family and my wife’s parents. I hold back tears as my feet throb and I consider how lucky I am that my family is safe. I pray the same peace that I am experiencing over the people of Palestine.
Reflections from James’ walk
Stopping for a prayer service provided a great chance for people to join — even if they were just going to walk a short distance. If you can, it is great to have a scheduled times you stop to pray. These could be anywhere, church or not.
Walking 41 kilometres in one direction created logistical issues, for example, needing to collect cars parked at the beginning. However, it seemed powerful to map Gaza into my city. Choose what is right for you.
Fundraising through the walk became a chance for people to join in solidarity, even if they couldn’t walk themselves.
I was happy to walk just me — but people jumped at the invite to walk too — I was surprised by who joined me.