Like pilgrims to Ayabaca

Four days on their way amid the dry forest and the cloud forest to be part of one of the most important faith demonstrations at the Peruvian Northern.

 

By Aldo Palacios

 

    TAMBOGRANDE, Peru – With the illusion to find choices in our lives, solutions to our problems, and moved by the great faith in Jesus Christ, we joined the big pilgrimage to Ayabaca City. We were 18 guys of Tambogrande City who decided to have in the Captive Christ the hope on this life.

 

We left Tambogrande  (224 feet altitude) on October 7^th, 2006, at 9:00 in the morning. Our goal was arriving to Ayabaca (8911 feet altitude) on 10^th. Relatives of my road mates accompanied us until the road to Sullana, about 1.5 miles away from the downtownand here we organized in two groups: punta (upfront) and retaguardia (rear).

 

The punta walks ahead with two persons, the rest follows them, arrives to preset places, and waits for the retaguardia that walks behind everybody, with two persons as responsibles. If somebody would feel bad on the way, retaguardia waited for until getting to the place where the punta’s waited for.

 

    The first section

We started to walk with illusion to Cruceta (535 feet altitude). We got to this town around midnightstill in Tambogrande District. Here we rested for a while and realized that one of our mates began to feel bad, but motivating him, we have followed up the trip to San Francisco de Yaranche, wwhere we had scheduled to sleep. When we tried to close down our eyes, hundreds of mosquitoes, coming out the rice fields around, began to bother us and didn’t let rest, and they increased every moment.

 

At 6:00 in the morning, still tired, we went out to Puerta Pulache, a town in Las Lomas District, where we arrived after four hours by walking. There were many, many stands offering food. There was no way more than having breakfast here as we rested for an hour. Many fraternities coming in and out the village singing. It was emotional to see those scenes.

 

    At 11:15 in the morning, we went to another village, Chipillico [ check out the local weather ], that is located crossing beside San Lorenzo Reservoir. A mate felt bad on the way, delaying the rear bunch. At least, we could arrive after two hours walking and with retaguardia delayed related to punta. Then, we decided to follow up until meeting around 5:00 in the afternoon at Potrerillo, where we took a bath.

 

Comforted, we went to our next stop, the steep Sauce Mount which slopes we reached becoming night. Here we rested until 10:00 at night next to other pilgrims. We massaged, took analgesics. The idea was to be the best as possible for climbing up the slope without difficulty.

 

The people say this mount is pretty much respected. We could get to the highest around midnight, all together. We just rested for 15 minutes due to the cold. Our legs trembled when we began to go down the slope, so we had to hold on it well because we could slice and fall.

 

    Quiroz Valley

Two hours later, we got to El Higuerón although retaguardia delayed one hour again. The fraternities woke us up at 7:00 while they came singing into the town. They ever come singing in and out a town.

 

90 minutes later, we went to the town of Paimas (1894 feet altitude) [ check out the local weather ], with a quick stop in Culqui where we ate a cebiche. We got to Paimas at 3:00 in the afternoon. The corn fields landscape at the hills was impressing. We had lunch in this town and rested until 6:30. We were preparing for the longest section of the whole pilgrimage.

 

In the temple of Paimas, I could realized that many fraternities impressingly staged – coming in on their knees, others dragging, singing. It’s necessary the courage to do this. Then, I realized this people’s faith is huge like a miracle.

 

    I looked at my watch – it was already 6:30 in the afternoon. I was looking for my mates who were already. Without delays, we went to the town of Montero (3505 feet altitude)  [ check out the local weather ], the longest section of the pilgrimage, or said in other words, about six to seven hours. We had many difficulties on our way. It was night and I looked at one of our mates in the dark with problems to advance because of an inflammation and blisters on his toes. We had to walk at his speed, I mean very slow.

 

The punta arrived to Montero at 1:30 in the morning while we at the retaguardia with our ill mate went in the middle of the way at 3:00 in the morning. In a village called San Francisco, 1 hour on the road before Montero, we decided to stay for the inflammation to relieve and continuing up better at the awakening. We sent a message (with other pilgrims) to our mates for advancing without us.

 

We woke up at 7:00, when a pilgrim passed by and I asked him to help my mate. He massaged him. “I hope it works,” he said. We followed to walk until arriving to Montero at 8:30. We had breakfast. Right there, I learned that our mates had went out 40 minutes before. I bought disinflamants and analgesics. The pain began to resume.

 

    The final section

Intended to reach our mates, we took a very tiring shortcut at Las Aradas. We got to reach the punta. When we all were together, at 3:00 in the afternoon, we went out to Los Molinos. There were only three hours from there to Ayabaca.

 

We arrived before becoming night and looked at the very beautiful landscape, the croplands on the mountains, the motivation that the people gave us. We had a very hot coffee. It’s because the cold is too hard here. Excited, we looked at the Ayabaca’s telephone antennas. “We’re near, guys!”

 

We lost no more time and decided to follow up until arriving. The dark covered us on our way. It was the last section, a slicing hill called Sal si puedes (Come out if you can). Before hiking, there is another small hill known as La Nariz del Diablo (The Devil’s Nose) because of its shape. The pilgrims leave here wore clothes or any stuff as a gift because, according to the myth, who don’t do it, wouldn’t climb it up.

 

    We cheered each other: “It’s close, it’s closest.” We got to the Pilgrim’s Cross (Cruz de Palo Blanco) at the entrance of Ayabaca [ check out the local weather ]. We did a pray and we hugged satisfied. Many pilgrims arrived next to us. There’s still about half a mile to reach the temple.

 

Lines of pilgrims filled up the streets. They waited to advance for seeing the statue. We entered through the line of private voyagers. We didn’t stay much. We came in and I could see the image of the Captive Christ, with a deep looking of protector father who waits for his kids right here. I just had 30 seconds to touch at Him. God love his people so much!

 

    From the streets, many pilgrims came into on their knees, others dragging, other singing, crying. It was heartbreaking. My mates and I were too tired. We were to a school that a friend offered us to rest. We went back to Tambogrande the next dayfull of joy for granting to Señor Cautivo.

 

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