Dear friends,
One year already since Jean left Montreal on his pilgrimage for Peace! At this moment, he is in San Jose, Costa Rica, celebrating with his son, Thomas-Eric.
Let us go back to June 18th, 2001, when we left Jean at the Guatemala border, on our latest update.
The latest message I received from Jean was dated June 15th. On the 20th, I received an alert from the Canadian Embassy in Guatemala City, about dangerous escaped prisoners. Needless to say I was worried! On the 21st, Jean writes that he is ok in Huehuetenango, Guatemala where The Rotary Club hosted him. He arrives in Guatemala City on July 1st and is invited to celebrate Canada Day at the Canadian Embassy, on the 2nd. He also gets the first pairs of shoes, sponsored by H.H. Brown of Canada. Let me tell you it is not an easy task to put shoes on somebody always on the move and without even trying them on!!!
Meanwhile, since I am receiving many emails thanking me for the latest update or asking to know " where and how is Jean, now ", and since the days of the weekly update are long gone, I am working furiously on the www.wwwalk.org so everybody may follow Jean as well as I can.
Jean has to walk at a good pace now if he wants to be on time to meet his son in Costa Rica. So, he doesn't stop more than a day or two at a time. He crosses Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua fast enough... He writes that, everywhere he goes, the people are nice and friendly and that he gets a fantastic media coverage... Thank you Adrianne and Nohe, Lila and Medardo, in El Salvador, Enrique, in Managua and all others who helped Jean in anyway at all.
Jean is getting a bit out of breath to walk non-stop, Thomas-Eric is so excited he can hardly sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time, Elisa-Jane, Jean's daughter is putting a finishing touch to the video tape she made for Jean, showing Baby Laury's growth and development since her birth. Upon watching this tape, Jean will feel he hasn't missed a day on his grand daughter's first 6 months. H.H. Brown is moving earth and sky to collect an assortment of shoes for Jean to send with Thomas-Eric, Jean's family is bringing in birthday cards and gifts for his 46th birthday and I am writing Press Communiqué to send to the media and trying to coordinate everything...
A bit hectic, you might say!!!
On August 15th, Jean writes from Esparza, Costa Rica...
"Ahhhhh! My Lulu!
Finally, this 2 month-marathon is over with. I decided to stop right here. Starting from right now, I am on vacation too! I'll finally try to put on a bit of weight! If I had a white sheet around my body and my head shaved, I would look like Gandhi!
... Please, give my warmest greetings and my kindest regards to all my friends and supporters. I am positive that their prayers and good toughs have helped me many times and in many ways...
... I am very happy over my first year's walk... so happy that, from now on, I think I'll dance while walking... I feel a lot richer than last year... I learned 2 more languages: English and Spanish, I have met a vast number of people of all kind; I have deepened the emotional and spiritual bond with my family and especially with you, my Lulu, my LOVE! I have seen Death in the face, I have felt its coldness around me more than once and it made me experience the value of Love...I can feel your heart really close to mine..."
How can I not love this man?
Have a wonderful vacation, Jean! And Happy Birthday!
Luce