Global Gathering – Europe: Spain (Camino)

Roman Catholicism is the main religion of the over 47 million Spaniards, but there are rapidly rising levels of secularization. Atheism and Islam are the fastest-growing belief systems. Receptivity to the Gospel has been very low, and less than 0.8% of Spaniards are evangelical Christians. Ten million Spaniards live in towns without any evangelical presence.

Praise God there are 28 Alliance churches and fellowships in Spain. Two of them have between 100 and 200 members; the rest vary between 20 and 100. Most local fellowships meet in warehouse spaces, storefronts, and homes. Unlike much of Europe, the Protestant Reformation did not penetrate Spain due to the Inquisition. The Moors (Muslim inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula) ruled Spain for 800 years, leaving a lasting impact on language, architecture, education, crops, and cuisine.

The Camino de Santiago or in English the Way of St. James, is a network of trails leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried. We will walk only a portion of this trail.

The Spain Camino experience includes
·      5 days of prayer trekking on the Camino de Santiago 
·      visits with our local workers in the Madrid area   

Please be aware that participants must be in good physical condition; age does not matter. The Camino de Santiago is a non-technical but demanding trek in Northern Spain. Expect 20-25 kms of walking daily; accommodations will be in hostels.

Pre-Camino preparation information, including gear and packing list will be provided in advance.