When Hearts Turn to Christ – The End of Mission

I’m sorry it’s been such a long time between posts. The end of this last semester took all of my time. But I still want to write about the last days of mission.

For the last few days of mission, we moved to a beautiful retreat center and ran a Theology of the Body retreat for high schoolers, mostly seniors. These students came from the other end of the spectrum. In many ways, they were us: practically our age, from affluent families, attending a private bilingual school, and most importantly, they all had iPhones! They spoke perfect English, and dream big. I was so impressed that these students want to study at prestigious universities in Canada, Spain, and Mexico, and become cardiothoracic surgeons, presidents, and biomedical engineers.

With all of these dreams though, their hearts were not into the retreat at the beginning. They’d been to retreats since preschool, but they had not had the opportunity to encounter Christ or choose to have a personal relationship with him. So, we treated them like adults and let them choose to join in. The presenters on our team focused on witness talks. And boy, was our team good.

They got to hear about God’s plan for them as men and women, how Jesus wants a personal relationship with Him, and the stories of several of our team members.As Pope Paul VI said in Evangelii Nuntiandi, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” Through skits, small groups, morning warm-ups, and Olympics, we got to have fun with them! In adoration, daily Mass, and praise and worship, we were able to lift our hearts to God with them. My favorite part was lunch, when we could just talk and spend time with them. God has so much in store for them, and they have the power to change the world.

At the end of the week, we sat the students in a circle, and prayed over each one of them. So many of the guys and gals were in tears. It was definitely the most powerful moment of the retreat.

But God continued to work even after the retreat. Several of the students texted a few of our team members and told them how they were committed to living Christ centered lives! When we returned to the states, we learned that one student turned himself into rehab and several of the guys were applying to Franciscan University! They wanted to grow in their faith and discover the joy our team had found in Christ. Of course, we didn’t plan on that happening. But God desired this for them.

Please pray for these students that God’s will would be done in their lives, and thank the Lord for the gift of getting to meet them.

The Girls Who Stole My Heart

For me, the highlight of mission was meeting the girls at the Missionaries of Charity home.

Me (left) with the girls ❤

We drove 1 hour from Managua, the capital where we were staying, to Grenada, a quaint, old town, where the Missionaries of Charity run a home for girls. That first day, we decorated their rooms while they were at school with posters saying, “We love you,” “God loves you,” “Jesus, I trust in you,” “You are beautiful,” and similar phrases. When the girls returned from school, we got to meet them, eat lunch with them, help them with their homework, and then play games with them.

One girl who originally was very reluctant to do her English homework brightened up when I offered to help her. Another girl with large, sad eyes was struggling through Catechism. I sat down to help her, and she slowly began to enjoy her tedious studies. She even began to smile! Over the next couple of days, I really saw her come out of her shell.

During the games time, there was one game where the girls had to take a few M&M’s. After they took a bunch, we told them they were for explaining one fact about them to their small group. One 12-year-old girl in my group with a vibrant, larger-than-life personality had taken a humongous pile. When her turn to list facts came, she cried, “Oh no! How will I list them all?” But she was soaking up all the attention she could get, and drew out each one so she could stay in the spotlight a few moments longer. Oh, she was such a gem.

The second day we were heading to the Missionaries of Charity home, we had to stop at a few stores. There were more girls than we anticipated, and we did not have enough gifts for each of them. Of course, it was 8am, and the mall doesn’t open until 10am. But we stopped in the shopping plaza, hoping that maybe something would be open. The place was empty, and all the stores were closed. Well, all but one. It was the one we needed to purchase supplies to make more crowns for the added girls. The shopowners told us, “We don’t open until 9:30, but the door is open so you can buy what you need.” Wow. But, we still needed gift boxes and mirrors at a different store. Right as one of our missionaries walked up to the store, the owner was unlocking the door (that store doesn’t normally open until 10am either!). Double wow. God really blessed us.

At the Missionaries of Charity home, when the girls returned from school at lunchtime, we ate with them, and helped with homework (they were far more excited about showing us their work now).

Then, we held a mini-retreat for them. Our team of missionaries gathered the girls into the chapel, and a sister exposed the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance. Several of our missionaries led the girls in praise songs, times of quiet prayer and journaling, and talks on the love of our Heavenly Father. One of the guys in our group read the Father’s Love Letter.

A princess with a crown and rose

Another of our missionaries read the story of the woman with a hemmorhage who touched Jesus’ cloak and was healed. With this story in mind, we then called each girl up individually to kneel before the Lord. The humeral veil was draped from the monstrance to the kneeler, so each girl could touch, as it were, the cloak of Jesus. Then, we would crown each girl, hand her a rose, and tell her that she was a princess, that she belonged to Him, that she was beautiful, wanted, and loved. So many of these girls had never heard these truths before.

The little girls were super excited to be called princesses, and many of the older girls were in tears. Finally, we gave each girl a gift box, holding a mirror. When they peered in, we told them, “Look! You’re the gift!” They giggled, but when the ceremony ended, many of these sweet girls came up to us telling us that this mini-retreat had touched their hearts. They were so grateful, and we were grateful that God had blessed this time with them.

An additional small blessing was the fact that we somehow had leftover boxes, roses, and crowns. Sitting in the back through it all were the paid volunteers who help the sisters care for the girls. Hearing the talks of the Father’s love and watching the transformations take place in the girls left them in tears too! We brought the extra gifts, roses, and crowns to them. It was such a blessing to be able to have them share in the truths that every woman longs to hear: that she is beautiful and loved.

During our last day with the girls, we took them to a leadership camp. The girls got to do meditations on confidence, using words, teamwork, and goal-setting. At lunch, they were so excited to be served by real waiters, and to eat fancy dishes. Throughout the day, our team and the camp workers led the girls in teambuilding activities like swinging their whole team on a rope from one platform to another, rock climbing, and more.

It was incredible to watch these girls go from untrusting to interdependent, from a cluster of individuals to a close-knit team of friends. Before leaving, we sang some songs with them, and left them each a parting gift of candy, rosaries, 33 Days to Morning Glory, and photos of each girl. As the day drew to a close, their counselors told us, “This is what our home needed, but we did not know how to provide it for them.”

But we didn’t do it. It was all God. Only God could make our pre-made plans fit so perfectly.

I do miss these girls. They were so precious, so beautiful. One girl in particular stole my heart. She loved to repeat my name over and over. It was the sweetest thing. They each stole my heart. But that is how it should be. It means I cannot forget. It means I can’t help but pray for them. And that in itself is a gift.

God’s Love Goes Out to Everyone

The amazing lake we got to swim in, complete with a pier and float

The day after we arrived in Nicaragua was our free day. We had the lovely opportunity to go to this gorgeous lake in a wildlife preserve.It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The restaurant/resort had a pier that jutted out over the lake that made a perfect jump for swimmers. Naturally, I jumped down instead of out and scraped up my entire leg. But it was still incredibly fun.

I’m in the pink, flying off the pier!

And of course God had a plan. If I had not scraped my leg, I would not have had the chance to talk with our amazing busdriver, Milton. I learned that he is very much a family man, has 3 children whom he loves dearly, and is deeply loyal to his country. His dream was to be a pro-baseball player, and his favorite team is the Red Sox.

Throughout mission, many of us got to know him, and we left him a parting gift of some candy, literature, and a t-shirt. He told us that no one he had driven before had ever treated him like he existed, like he was a human being, like he mattered. But he did. He does. That in itself was our mission.

Me on the left, my wonderful mission team, and Milton in the middle

Another amazing chance for us to share our faith by simply living it was one night, when we stopped at a grocery store while wearing our mission shirts. One of the workers asked if we were Catholic missionaries. He explained that he was an Evangelical Christian, and didn’t understand why Catholics pray to Mary since she’s not God.

Myself and a few of my fellow missionaries had a wonderful conversation with him about how she is certainly not God, but we revere her because she is the Queen of Heaven. His view of Catholics seemed a bit more at ease when we left. Praise God for Christian unity!

Even as mission progressed, I continuously met people that astounded me. Their love and courage were so strong in the face of severe poverty, homelessness, and so many other struggles.

At the Missionaries of Charity home, where I would spend the next three days working, we discovered that besides running a home for girls, the sisters also run a daycare and a soup kitchen. One day, I headed over to the daycare where the most adorable tiny pre-schoolers were playing and preparing for nap time. I was wearing my crucifix from my mission to El Salvador four years ago. The kids were fascinated by it, and kept asking about it. I repeated to them that it was Jesus on the cross, who died for them and loves them very much. They wanted to play with me and didn’t want to go to sleep. Goodness, they were precious.

My new little friends ❤

What a princess!

That same day, I worked in the soup kitchen, serving rice, beans, chicken, grilled plantains, and juice to about 100 homeless men and women. After serving, I sat down at a table to talk with one lady. It turns out she loves Arnold Schwarzenegger. We had a lively conversation about the “Governator,” her love of action movies especially Terminator, and how he was governor of my home state of California.

Later, as they were leaving, I got to say goodbye to the men. They were such beautiful people. So sweet, so authentic, and so kind. They were very excited to meet me and shake my hand (blue eyes and blond hair are a rarity in Nicaragua hehe). As I introduced myself to each man, he would clasp my hand in both his hands, tell me it was a pleasure, and remark on my “gorgeous eyes” or “beautiful face.” One man even took my hand and kissed it. I couldn’t help but blush at their genuine kindness.

They asked if I would be there the next day, and I told them I could not. So they said their goodbyes, and we each asked God to bless the other. It was so short – just an introduction and parting. But every one of us was touched by the humanity of the other. We each loved each other as brother and sister in Christ, and I for one will never forget that.

All the girls in da house!

Adding Our Melodies to the Human Song

Before mission, I will admit it…I was scared. My Spanish was rusty, my confidence was weak, and I worried that I would be unable to help the people we would be serving. But in the weeks leading up to mission, I found that the more I trusted God, and the less I relied on myself, the stronger I became. He had called me. He would give me the words to say.

And He did. He provided the grace and love I needed to be courageous, bold, loving and joyful.

I’m on the right. The reason I look like I’d been up for 24 hours is because, well, I’d been up for 24 hours. 😀

When we arrived in Nicaragua on Saturday afternoon, we were exhausted. That morning, we had loaded up the buses from campus, and left for the airport at 1am. Our flight left at 6am, and I had the pleasure of realizing I had been up for a full 24 hours! I was excited by that fact, as seen in my face here on the right.
When we landed, the warmth was the first thing that struck me. Back in Ohio, it was still snowing on occasion. Nicaragua was humid, and the temperatures were in the 90’s.

But beyond the heat, I was struck by the life. There was extreme poverty, but life was also so open. As we drove to our home base at the Ciudad de Dios retreat center, we witnessed a slice of life. There was an incredible feeling of aliveness in the city.

On our way!

I wrote in my journal that night, “Poverty hangs out like a sagging stoop. Yet it seems like life is out in the open here. Children play soccer in the busy streets, while others beg, run barefoot and peek out the front door. Mama cooks, hangs the washing, and rests in the lawn chair outside the concrete walls and tin roofs she calls home. Papa finds shade under the trees of the median line, sells fruit, t-shirts and blow-up pools on the street corners or in shacks full of grime. The streets are alive with this cacophony of humanity, melodious in its expressions of rhythm. One neighbor is having a party with raucous pop music, clapping, drums, and loud singing.

Our team at Ciudad de Dios

Mamas and Papas set the food for dinner before their youngest children, and conversations float by. Yellow birds with red-tipped wings chirp in the mango trees while smaller grey birds with blue-tipped wings chatter at the intruders (us) below. Crickets and cicadas chime in, while cars and buses honk vigorously at stray dogs crossing the street, and skinny cows meandering the roadway. Taxis and mopeds speed by horse-drawn carts on major city thoroughfares. Right next to palaces sit dingy corners filled with shanty vendors.

Lawyers and dentists set up shop in grimy, gated, un-air-conditioned buildings next to casinos and run-down pharmacies, bars, and taquerias. Huge lit-up yellow trees representing the Tree of Life sit in every round-about. This is what these kids call home.”

Waiting for Mass to begin outside

Sitting outside, I listened to all of these melodies folding together as a song of humanity. And we were able to add to this song. During Mass, our songs and prayers melded and harmonized with their lives. We had stepped into their world, but we shared their humanity, the same human song of life.

Answering the Call to Mission

Our fabulous mission team

Over spring break, I served on a mission to Nicaragua. After months of preparation, I flew to this Central American country with our team of 24 Franciscan University students, a sister and a priest.  This week, I will post a series on the powerful stories of hope we witnessed in Nicaragua. Truly, the Holy Spirit worked wonders.

In a nutshell, we split into three mini-teams to run retreats. My mini-team worked at the Missionaries of Charity home for girls, while another group worked at the Abandoned Children’s Center in the capital of Managua. The second half of the week, everyone worked to run a Theology of the Body retreat for a group of upper-class high school students. But there were so many wonders, and I want to try to share those with you.

How do I describe watching the Lord change lives before my eyes? I can’t. There are no words that do it justice. But since I saw our missionaries exude incredible love and joy, saw children learn to trust in their Heavenly Father, saw youth fall in love with their Creator and saw teens thirst for a personal relationship with Christ, I have to try to describe it.

The story begins in September when I first heard about the mission. In a way I can’t explain, I felt the Holy Spirit’s call saying, “Go.” It was a tugging at my heart, a deep desire to serve the poor and the youth of this country.

In preparation for our 9 days in Nicaragua, we met weekly as a team and in our smaller groups. We fundraised with letters, talks, parish visits, emails, phone calls, and Facebook messages. As the date for mission approached, we were struggling to reach our goal, and I really feared the mission would not happen. Through many Holy Hours and countless Memorares, I pleaded with God to let us be His Hands and Feet. I mean, God has lots of money and is not outdone in generosity. And we were called to this mission by Him. He had to come through.

Of course He did. But first, He wanted our hearts completely poured out, completely surrendered, completely abandoned to His will. He wanted us humbled and placing all our trust in Him so that we would be ready to serve with every part of our lives.

This abandonment to Divine Providence was a perfect way to start mission.