The crown of my travels was the pilgrimage to Lourdes from 12th to 22th May 2003.
Everything started three years ago when I got to know Tomek who is a student of the Military Academy. He had already participated twice in the military pilgrimage to Lourdes during the meeting of armies of the whole world. We hit upon a crazy idea to call the organizer - priest Lieutenant Colonel Dariusz Kowalski asking him if I could join? It turned out that he is a Man who does not follow common ways but prefers to choose these unusual and the more ambitious trails leading straight to God! At the very beginning of our conversation I could experience his unusual kindness and favour so it was only a question of time when I would go!?!

Obviously I was aware that the whole thing was too important to realize it with no accidents. And of course there were difficulties that I had to overcome... Especially one question bothered me. Will Tomek manage to take care of me? During my earlier travels I had always had at least one girlfriend and boys only helped me in some situations for example carrying me form one place to another.

However I knew that Tomek is incredibly strong (he lifts up to 120 kilos!). He does not either lack patience and persistence so it gave me hope that it would be somehow... Only practice showed that Providence knew what He did because now it is hard for me to imagine better help than assistance provided by Tomek! He accompanied me 24 hours a day and claimed that such practice was great preparation to become a soldier"

I think even the best commandos are not able to equal Tomek in all this acrobatics connected with carrying me in and out the coach during our 3-day journey. And it was not only the drive or overnight stays but also sightseeing of unusual places. An example can be Taize where we attended the Holy Mass, community prayers and the meeting with brother Marek. He told us about the history and the present days of that fascinating place. Now I know that it is simply necessary to be there to understand Taize since all the stories and photos are like dried out flowers compared to a blooming and smelling meadow...

I had also an opportunity to get to know a nice girl... I could observe that our friends liked her but they were too shy to come up to her... It is hard to believe that she was really sleeping on a bench. So many handsome soldiers were hovering round her! So I asked Tomek to go closer to her and I asked her in English: "I wonder if you are the Sleeping Beauty and if I should kiss you". She woke up immediately, got up and started talking to us! It turned out that she was a Russian student and she spoke English fluently.

During the next part of the journey we visited Carcassone - the city with the largest castle in Europe the history of which dates back to the 12th century. There you can have unusual feeling of passing centuries, generations of monarchies... One of the movies of "Robin Hood" was directed there.

In a similar way I marvelled at Avinion. The town located by the Rodan River is permeated with history. From 1309 to 1377 it was a seat of popes (so called the Avinion popes' captivity). The bridge of lovers is not an attraction of less significance...

I was also very pleased with unusually kind and wholehearted reception of the Polish Army by Polonia in Idrone and the mayor of the town. A very nice accent of that reception was the presence of three Polish women living in Chicago at present.

However the aim of our pilgrimage - captivating with its beauty Lourdes - made the greatest impression on me. It is a quite big town nested among the bends of the river and surrounded with picturesque mountains. On the first day in the evening we went with Tomek under the Grotto of Revelations. There an amazing feeling overwhelmed me that in the place God sent down the best part of Heaven onto the earth... Standing under the Massabiel Grotto I felt that a prayer was flowing out from the bottom of my heart carrying to Heaven all these intentions which I was entrusted before our trip.

An amazing experience was also bathing in the swimming pool with spring water which is not of earth origin but is a Maria's gift. Being unaware of that I would have never have the courage to dip in water of 5 degrees of Celsius because I do not like cold. However I was so happy after this extreme experience!!!

I think that the most important thing in Lourdes is to trust in such a way that until the end and in all we let God lead us. Probably it was not a coincidence that completely unconscious (or rather out of necessity) I dropped into a building that later turned out to be a hotel for the handicapped (Accueil Notre Dame). Thanks to unusual kindness of major SG J. Misiewicz I had also an opportunity to get to know an amiable Polish - sister Marzena . She spent much time to enable me to familiarize with this magnificently adapted building. A handicapped person has all the luxuries and can live in single rooms or rooms for even six people. The building can house up to 900 guests! I was particularly delighted with a great viewing area from which you can see the most important: the Massabiel Grotto, the basilica and in the distance a high hill crowned with a Cross ending the Way of the Cross

Looking from there I could not believe that in several hours I would stay at this Cross. During the Way of Cross soldiers helped Tomek with pleasure. They helped him anyway during the whole Pilgrimage. It is a beautiful evidence that there are people in our army who are able to give so much and maybe to give all they have...

Such examples live the Trace of Love on earth and these traces show the others how to get to Heaven. There is no doubt that Tomek left lots of such traces for example when he came with me on foot to the Polish Catholic Mission - several kilometres still up. But on last day he took me even to the peak of the highest mountain. We could admire the beautiful sites of Lourdes and the Pyrenees from there.

It was very precious thing for us when soldiers - Łukasz from Czech Republic and a group of English offered us help during this trip.

Sometimes we have met very friendly soldiers from all over the world.
I think cordially of Commodore od Spanish Navy who came to me and told me: "You are the best!" He was really impressed with my coming to Lourdes with Polish Army.

I have got lots of souvenirs from him as an evidence of his sympathy and approbation. He took with him two grils from Spanish Navy too. If only I asked him whether he wanted to offer me these beautiful Spanish Girls? :)

Tomek`s example was admired not only by me but by other people too. I was happy when Ms and Mr Włudek (general of Polish Army) expressed their approbation to Tomek. They showed us help and lots of friendship, care and Heart which is the most precious Gift...

I think cordially of the owners of “Atlantic Hotel” where I could live. They invited us very friendly and Mr Grzegorz showed us three comfortable rooms so that me and Tomek could choose the best – a room destinated for 4 persons! Mrs Ela who helped me during meals is also nice and friendly person. It may seem that giving soup with a spoom is nothing special, nevertheless holiness of Mother Teresa from Calcuta consisted of little gestures made by such a great Person.

You can think whether it is worth bearing the difficulties of pilgrimage. I think that Jesus sometimes proposes everyone to "come out the boat and go to Him on lake" (Mt 14,29). He obviously does not force us to do it but He gives a chance to come to Him so that we could enforce our Faith, Hope and Love...
I am happy that I managed to trust Him because after searches it turned out that one of busses came back to Opole sites and it took me just to my home. I am sure that big military bus and a group of souldiers in the court were the big event in my vilage :)

I am conscious that people who never met me can be in doubts whether it is worth getting to know me. I think that it is similar to all that I experienced during my pilgrimage to Lourdes. In fact no words, photos, videos can be compared with all these meetings, experiences, emotions that made me feel unusual beauty and joy. In a similar way it is impossible to describe or show Friendship with me. You just have to experience it in order to understand that it is worth passing one single stage of pilgrimage of life...