During these 10 days I finally catched up the pelgrim route to Assisi, the Via Francigena di San Francesco. It goes from La Verna to Assisi and further on to Rieti. Now I am also meeting other pelgrims, and that is nice. During the last 83 days of my journey I haven't met any other person walking, which is quite curious. I am passing a group from Milan; there are 5 nuns, about 5 children, a priest and a youth leader. I am talking to two persons at the back, Laura, a nun in her fourth year and Franceso, leading the route. We have a short talk, because we are walking along a busy road with a lot of trucks passing. I expect that I will see them again soon.

The next day a Swiss car is passing and the driver waves. A little bit further up the hill he stops and waits for me. He walked to Santiago the Compostella, he says, a couple of years ago. He asks me about the backgrounds, the heat, how I feel. He and his wife are waving me out. After an hour I am arriving at a resting place; it is an abandoned house, but there is drinking water. The Swiss man and his wife are there too, including the group from Milan which I met yesterday. It turns out that John is an American who went to Switzerland 30 years ago and is now naturalised to Swiss citizen. He is pastor of a chruch in Lausanne, working with young people. He is wearing the T (tau) symbol, the symbol which San Francesco adopted because it is being used in Hebrew and in the Greek language, and is considered to symbolise thelink between cultures and religions. It is also considered to be the symbol of peace. It is clear that John enjoys being with the pelgrims on route to Assisi. In fact he would have liked to join us in the walking.

Laura is coming to me and asks if I would like to join the Holy Mass. I am asking when and where, tonight at a church in the next village? No, she says, here and now, in Gods nature. She also asks if I want to take the communion, the bread. I accept, this is very special. Around the corner of the house, in the shadow, a provisionary altar table, is prepared consisting of two backpacks, a piece of cloth is put on top of it, and the chalice for the wine an a saucer for the bread. The priest, Renato, puts on his superpli over his shorts. There are two benches, not enough for everybody, but some sit on the ground. The Holy Mass begins with singing, the saying of the prayers, some of the group are telling a personal story about their life or their faith. Afterwards all are embracing each other, and there is a final song.

Laura tells me about her life.. She is a remarkable woman, 44, and a physical teacher. She tells about how she became a nun, that God had asked her, that she iniotially refused, but finally decided to make the step. She says: he is patient and waits until you are ready for it. Next year she has to make the definitive decision to join. Afterwards she can't go out anymore, unless via an official request to the pope. When we talk other pelgrims are joining, a Hungarian guy and a Swedish lady. It is nice being here together. During the next days I see them again and again, until arriving in Assisi. A magical place, with the beautiful two basilica's built on top of each other. I am entering Assisi together with two pelgrims from Austria, Gabi and Willi, with whom I have walked during the last 3 days. Pieces are finally falling in place. The next days I will miss these people, because most will stop at Assisi.