Marco and Sandra Güete are stepping out in faith to raise $25,000 for Hispanic Ministries – and you can help make a difference through their journey.
From Sept. 6-23, Marco, MC USA’s director of Hispanic Ministries, and his wife, Sandra, will walk 143 miles (230 kilometers) along the Portuguese Coastal Camino de Santiago from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
“We are walking to raise support for the training of pastors, church leaders, and emerging congregations throughout the Hispanic church. It is because of God’s call on our lives and the faithfulness of so many that we walk. You can be part of this journey.”
— Sandra & Marco Güete
There are two ways you can join Marco and Sandra on this journey: give and pray.
You can donate online or by mail.
Make checks payable to Mennonite Church USA and mail to:
Mennonite Church USA | Hispanic Ministries
3245 Benham Ave., Suite 2
Elkhart, IN 46517
Please designate EB 263 in the notes field.
Your gift helps equip pastors, leaders and congregations across the Hispanic Mennonite Church. Together, we can support theological education, leadership development and growth of vibrant communities of faith.
Your gift will support:
As Marco and Sandra make their way along the Camino, we invite you to walk with them in prayer.
Thank you for walking with Marco and Sandra – and for investing in the future of Hispanic Ministries.
After 36 hours of travel and three flights, we made it to the train station in Lisbon. Now we are waiting for our train to Porto—with another three or four hours to go before reaching the hotel!
Sandra tried her best to stay awake, but her eyelids officially resigned. While she enjoys her luxury accommodations—a table and a backpack—I have been promoted to photographer and guardian of the luggage.
The Camino has not even begun, and we are already practicing endurance!
This photo captures our very first step from the village of Labruge — and the Camino immediately gave us a math lesson. We thought we were walking 230 kilometers but discovered the actual distance is 247. Surprise: 17 complimentary kilometers!
Then, during our first stage, we walked two kilometers in the wrong direction. Since wrong turns do not include free transportation back, we had to walk another two kilometers to find the route again. That meant four bonus kilometers on our very first day!
Our legs were not amused, but we were. After all, this journey is about more than reaching Santiago. Every step — planned, unexpected or completely mistaken — is taken in service of Hispanic Ministries and the pastors and emerging leaders answering God’s call.
We may occasionally lose the route but never the purpose!
The day began at nine because breakfast was served an hour late. Apparently, even breakfast in Portugal follows its own Camino—and ours included an extra hour of fasting!
Before setting out, we suffered our first casualty: Sandra’s pants. The dryer had created such an impressive hole that they were officially retired from the Camino.
Under sunny skies and a strong breeze, we set off with some new fellow pilgrims from Germany. By 4:30 p.m., we had reached our new lodging, grateful that our legs had behaved beautifully all day. Perhaps they were afraid of ending up like Sandra’s pants and being retired early, too!
Once we arrived, however, the real adventure began in the bathroom. Someone had left the shower curtain poorly positioned, and before long, we discovered a small indoor swimming pool on the floor. Sandra and I sprang into action, mopping up the flood like Olympic water-rescue champions—although our technique was probably more “desperate pilgrims” than “synchronized swimming.”
Marco and Sandra are walking 143 miles to raise $25,000 to equip pastors, leaders and emerging congregations across the Hispanic Mennonite Church.Will you walk with them? Pray for their journey and consider making a gift to support theological education, leadership development and vibrant Hispanic Mennonite communities.
Last night, Viana do Castelo in Portugal celebrated Saturday with music loud enough to guide pilgrims all the way to Santiago. The party continued until the early morning, giving us plenty of time to rest—at least in theory!
Today, Sunday, we left for Caminha through streets so deserted that we wondered if the entire city was still recovering from the celebration. Under an unforgiving sun, we made new friends from Ireland and California and shared a meaningful conversation with Russell and his twin brother from Missouri, who are walking after undergoing leg surgeries. Their courage reminded us that every pilgrim carries a story.
When the heat became overwhelming, Sandra and I hugged some trees and thanked them for their life-giving shade. The trees did not hug us back, but they certainly offered more comfort than the sun! Later, we stopped for coffee with a cheerful group of 22 pilgrims from Germany. Along the way, we also found a family relaxing among the rocks instead of on the beach.
Despite the heat and little sleep, the Camino continues to surprise us with friendship, laughter, and gratitude. Thank you to everyone supporting Hispanic Ministries through your donations. Your generosity walks beside us, encourages our tired feet, and helps prepare pastors and emerging leaders for service.
Today, we crossed the Miño River at its mouth and officially entered Spain aboard a tiny boat carrying only six passengers. On the other side, a Camino volunteer welcomed us and helped us choose our route to A Guarda.
Under a suffocating coastal sun — with the breeze apparently taking the day off — we stopped to refresh our tired legs in the cold water. We also made friends with an English couple and later discovered a buffet for senior citizens. Naturally, we joined the group of more than 30 people. On the Camino, pilgrims never ignore divine guidance, especially when it leads to a buffet!
An ice cream stand later rescued us from the heat. But the day had one final surprise: our hotel room had no air conditioning.
Still, Sandra and I are surviving with good humor, strong spirits, and God’s help. Thank you to everyone who has donated to support Hispanic Ministries. Your generosity gives purpose to every step. If you have not yet contributed, we invite you to join this mission—any amount will make a difference! Please give on our secure, online portal.
This morning, the mother-and-son donkey team came to the fence to say goodbye—or perhaps to make sure we actually left their peaceful farmhouse. We started later than usual because breakfast was served at 9:00 a.m. The Camino could wait; farm-style breakfast could not!
At the farmhouse, we met a couple from Colorado and a woman from the Czech Republic who spoke neither English nor Spanish. Google Translate quickly became another guest at breakfast, proving that friendship does not require a common language—only patience, goodwill, and a charged phone.
Today was a rest day in Baiona, with its lively harbor, historic stone streets, crowded cafés, and replica of La Pinta, the caravel that reached this port carrying news of Columbus’s expedition. We climbed aboard, explored the ship, and even helped the navigator study his map. He remained remarkably quiet, but he seemed grateful for my advice.
We have now reached the halfway point of our Camino. There are far more pilgrims this year than in previous years, each carrying a backpack, a story, and a reason for walking.
We are deeply grateful to everyone supporting Hispanic Ministries through your donations. Your generosity gives purpose to every kilometer and reminds us that we are not walking alone.
Half the road is behind us, and today our feet gratefully enjoyed their well-earned day off!
