Deb's Pilgrimage to Poland continued (2)

After we left "Our Lady of Czestochowa" we headed out for Wadowice the birthplace of John Paul II. As we winded through the polish countryside I was struck at how similar the countryside is to Idaho and how we are so very close as a people. It is a strange phenomena when you realize you are clear across the world in a foreign place and yet people are just people, trying to do the best they can. We all get up and put our pantlegs on the same way. Along side the road you could watch people selling fresh picked berries and mushrooms they had foraged from the forest.

We arrived in the afternoon to Wadowice and strolled into the lazy little town. We arrived to a quaint little villa that was the birth place of our late Pope John Paul II. What a beautiful little town to grow up in. He lived right across from the church where he would go and serve at mass daily. Our guide told us a quaint little story of when the Pope had returned home a few years ago and he had what are now referred to "Pope Cakes". He had eaten these cakes as a child with his friends and upon remembering this he sat and blushed and laughed at the memory, covering his face in remembrance of his childhood. We to got to try this delicate pastry in remembrance of John Paul II. What a humble beginning for such a great man who has changed the face of our church with his love for the youth and his tremendous gift of teaching. Never have we as a people been so blessed to have a man of this living in our times.
We then headed onto our destination for the evening, to the "Sanctuary of Our Lady in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska" where we would stay at a pilgrimage house. At this point the journey felt very long, and my thoughts led me to how our Blessed Mother and Joseph traveled before the birth of our Lord in utter faithfulness and perserverance. I can imagine how they just wanted to stop and rest so very often.