On the fifth Sunday of Lent over 120 members from the Manzanilla parish gathered at the end of Gordon Miller road to begin their annual Lenten walk. They came from all the communities and included young, old and even babes in carriages.

The walk started promptly at 2.00 p.m. under a brilliant and broiling sun. Participants were well prepared and walked with water and umbrellas. As they journeyed under the shade of a variety of coloured umbrellas they looked like a large and beautiful caterpillar moving slowly along a long and winding road.

There were five stations in the walk where a different community did a presentation on each of the five Sundays of Lent. Each presentation included the following: the reading of the gospel, a meditation based on the Lectio Divina method of reading the Bible and a prayer. Between the stations, the walkers sang hymns appropriate to the occasion.

Biche community leading the fith station

Towards the latter part of the journey it was observed that both young and old not only shared their water and umbrellas, but also encouraged each other to keep up the pace.

There was a great togetherness, not only among members of the different communities but also among some of the villagers who had joined the walk.

Finally they reached the Gordon Miller community centre where the Biche community presented the last station, the fifth Sunday of Lent. The now thirsty and weary walkers were very happy, not only because the walk had ended but because of the ample and delicious refreshments supplied by the North Oropouche community.

After a short break evening prayer was celebrated under the shade of trees in the yard of the community center and parish priest, Fr John Woods OP gave the final blessing.

This Lenten walk formed part of the parish activities to bring all together in a spirit of love and friendship under the Better World renewal programme.