One of the best things that we received in our "Pilgrim Packs" was a small yellow book; the YOUCAT. This youth catechism has awesome potential.
Check out it's website: www.youcat.org
-Anthony
Friday, August 26, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Refugees in Heaven?
Hey everyone!
It has been QUITE the two days. Anthony, Tim and I (Abigail) had special invitations to sit in the very front section of the Vigil, so we headed out of the Residence pretty early in the morning on Saturday. Elizabeth, Amanda, Emily and I (Clare) soon followed, after hearing how hectic the venue was even though it was SEVEN hours before the Pope’s scheduled arrival.
Abigail: Being SO close to the altar was amazing. We literally baked in the sun, but bonded with some folks around us and were able to relax a bit after the journey it was to find the correct entrance.
Clare: The venue was actually a huge airport, Cuatro Vientos. It seemed like we were in a giant, hot desert. We were assigned to a section far back, but near the center. Though it seemed like a refugee camp at times (lack of water, lack of shade, terrible “bathrooms”, and frequent ambulance trips to pick up ill pilgrims), there was definitely a party atmosphere.
Abigail: My favorite part of the Vigil was Adoration. It was the one time the entire evening when all 1.5 million pilgrims or so were all completely silent and reverent. I was awestruck by the peaceful environment. I could truly feel the present of the Spirit. But during the Vigil, the skies suddenly darkened, and Anthony and I knew the clouds would not hold out very long...
(the huge altar and cool lighting)
"there's a storm blowin up, a whopper!"
(wizard of oz is my favorite movie sorry :) -abigail)
Clare: Warned by the lightening on the horizon, we tried to cover our belongings before the rain and wind started to pick up. We had been thirsty all day, and praying for water, and the Pope himself remarked that God was about to answer our prayers. All of a sudden, it was a torrential downpour.
Abigail: Sitting in our “VIP” seats, we began to get soaked. Luckily, a nice couple next to us took pity and offered an umbrella. The rain was so heavy that the Vigil was put on hold momentarily. At some point, while the Pope was shielded by a huge white umbrella, a church official grabbed the mic and asked the crowds to put our prayers together to stop the rain. Well, gosh darn it, a few minutes later the rain actually stopped.
Clare: After the Vigil, Abigail and Anthony came back to our reserved spot to join our camp for the rest of the evening. Thus began our quest for sleep... It was really difficult to fall asleep in such uncomfortable accommodations (my mat in particular had a hole in it!). There were also a lot of bugs. Emily had an anthill under her bed. Enough said. Despite this, we had fun talking late into the night.
Abigail: As it’s been crazy hot here in Madrid, I thought just a sheet would be fine for sleeping outside on my mat. Boy was I wrong. It was FREEZING. Maybe it was because it was such a switch from the daytime 104ish degree temp, but when the sun finally began to rise I was eternally grateful. I had been literally shivering for the last couple hours of the night. Within 30 minutes of waking up, the “jumbotrons” and speakers were back in action. We were rather loudly instructed (in very poor English might I add) to start preparing for the Pope’s arrival. This put us in a better mood. Pilgrims resumed their chants, and it was once again an exciting and energetic place.
Clare: The Pope insisted upon riding through the crowds in his “Popemobile” before the mass began. Though he didn’t come close to our section, it really meant a lot that he cared that much about “the juventud de papa” [this was one of the frequent chants of the crowd, meaning “we are the youth of the Pope”]. The mass itself was, of course, magnificent. There were rows and rows of concelebrants. The homily was inspiring, as Pope Benedict talked about staying close to Christ and bringing Christ to others.
Abigail: Pope Benedict expressed his pride and love for all of the pilgrims present, which really meant a lot. After a rough night with very little sleep, it suddenly all seemed worth it. He spoke about how the Lord wants to accompany each of us on the journey that is each of our lives. He connected the Gospel, in which Jesus asks Peter “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”, to the fact that faith is more than just “empirical facts”. We are called to build a personal relationship with Christ.
Clare: After the announcement that the next World Youth Day, in 2013, will take place in Rio de Janeiro Brazil(!), we made our way to the exit to begin the long commute home to the Residence. Since then, we have been showering, resting and packing in preparation for our flight in the morning.
It’s been a fantastic trip. We’ve shared laughter, tears and everything in between. We are so glad we were able to keep you updated on our adventures. We’ve been praying for you the whole way. We have so many great pictures, and will work to put together an online album when we get home.... We’ll post the link as soon as we can!
MUCH LOVE.
<3 Clare & Abigail
It has been QUITE the two days. Anthony, Tim and I (Abigail) had special invitations to sit in the very front section of the Vigil, so we headed out of the Residence pretty early in the morning on Saturday. Elizabeth, Amanda, Emily and I (Clare) soon followed, after hearing how hectic the venue was even though it was SEVEN hours before the Pope’s scheduled arrival.
Abigail: Being SO close to the altar was amazing. We literally baked in the sun, but bonded with some folks around us and were able to relax a bit after the journey it was to find the correct entrance.
Clare: The venue was actually a huge airport, Cuatro Vientos. It seemed like we were in a giant, hot desert. We were assigned to a section far back, but near the center. Though it seemed like a refugee camp at times (lack of water, lack of shade, terrible “bathrooms”, and frequent ambulance trips to pick up ill pilgrims), there was definitely a party atmosphere.
Abigail: My favorite part of the Vigil was Adoration. It was the one time the entire evening when all 1.5 million pilgrims or so were all completely silent and reverent. I was awestruck by the peaceful environment. I could truly feel the present of the Spirit. But during the Vigil, the skies suddenly darkened, and Anthony and I knew the clouds would not hold out very long...
(wizard of oz is my favorite movie sorry :) -abigail)
Clare: Warned by the lightening on the horizon, we tried to cover our belongings before the rain and wind started to pick up. We had been thirsty all day, and praying for water, and the Pope himself remarked that God was about to answer our prayers. All of a sudden, it was a torrential downpour.
Abigail: Sitting in our “VIP” seats, we began to get soaked. Luckily, a nice couple next to us took pity and offered an umbrella. The rain was so heavy that the Vigil was put on hold momentarily. At some point, while the Pope was shielded by a huge white umbrella, a church official grabbed the mic and asked the crowds to put our prayers together to stop the rain. Well, gosh darn it, a few minutes later the rain actually stopped.
Clare: After the Vigil, Abigail and Anthony came back to our reserved spot to join our camp for the rest of the evening. Thus began our quest for sleep... It was really difficult to fall asleep in such uncomfortable accommodations (my mat in particular had a hole in it!). There were also a lot of bugs. Emily had an anthill under her bed. Enough said. Despite this, we had fun talking late into the night.
Abigail: As it’s been crazy hot here in Madrid, I thought just a sheet would be fine for sleeping outside on my mat. Boy was I wrong. It was FREEZING. Maybe it was because it was such a switch from the daytime 104ish degree temp, but when the sun finally began to rise I was eternally grateful. I had been literally shivering for the last couple hours of the night. Within 30 minutes of waking up, the “jumbotrons” and speakers were back in action. We were rather loudly instructed (in very poor English might I add) to start preparing for the Pope’s arrival. This put us in a better mood. Pilgrims resumed their chants, and it was once again an exciting and energetic place.
Clare: The Pope insisted upon riding through the crowds in his “Popemobile” before the mass began. Though he didn’t come close to our section, it really meant a lot that he cared that much about “the juventud de papa” [this was one of the frequent chants of the crowd, meaning “we are the youth of the Pope”]. The mass itself was, of course, magnificent. There were rows and rows of concelebrants. The homily was inspiring, as Pope Benedict talked about staying close to Christ and bringing Christ to others.
Abigail: Pope Benedict expressed his pride and love for all of the pilgrims present, which really meant a lot. After a rough night with very little sleep, it suddenly all seemed worth it. He spoke about how the Lord wants to accompany each of us on the journey that is each of our lives. He connected the Gospel, in which Jesus asks Peter “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”, to the fact that faith is more than just “empirical facts”. We are called to build a personal relationship with Christ.
Clare: After the announcement that the next World Youth Day, in 2013, will take place in Rio de Janeiro Brazil(!), we made our way to the exit to begin the long commute home to the Residence. Since then, we have been showering, resting and packing in preparation for our flight in the morning.
It’s been a fantastic trip. We’ve shared laughter, tears and everything in between. We are so glad we were able to keep you updated on our adventures. We’ve been praying for you the whole way. We have so many great pictures, and will work to put together an online album when we get home.... We’ll post the link as soon as we can!
MUCH LOVE.
<3 Clare & Abigail
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tired, Busy, Blessed
Sorry for the brevity of this blog :) We are all pretty tired, and getting ready to travel to Cuatro Vientos today for the vigil and mass tomorrow! Pray for our health and spirits. Despite difficulties of pilgrimage, we had a great final Catechesis yesterday, got to see the beautiful Stations of the Cross statues, went to the Love and Life Center for adoration, confession, and a talk (the center is for English-speaking pilgrims), and saw some very modern art at the Reina Sofia. Love you all! Praying for you! More to come tomorrow...
<3 Elizabeth
<3 Elizabeth
Friday, August 19, 2011
Out of Darkness Comes Light
This morning I woke up and for the first time since we've arrived in Madrid, the sky was overcast and it even appeared as though it was going to rain. Typically we have been awakened by the sun streaming through our windows and the oppressive heat bearing down on us as early as 9am. Today was bearable as we made our way to Catechesis. The mood of our group began like the weather this morning; some were recovering from illness, others fatigue, nonetheless, we trudged along like good pilgrims and sat down for our second day's lessons of praise and worship.
The church that we have been going to for our Catechesis is off of the beaten path and it was refreshing and comforting to walk in and recognize familiar faces and share warm smiles with others we had met yesterday. There is a gorgeous stained glass window that sits in the back of the church with a depiction of a dove with wings spread below the Eucharist in an array of colors. Today as we walked in and took our seats, the church was a little dark, due to the overcast sky outside and as we began singing our welcome song of the morning, the sun began to shine through the window and the church was filled with the colors of the stained glass and warmth of the light. It might have been my own perception, but I felt that in that moment, everyone in the church lifted their voices higher as though they knew God was listening intently to our praise and was literally shining His light upon us. It was an incredible moment and Abigail and I looked at each other and knew that we both felt that same sense of God's presence there with all of us.
It has been difficult at times to keep that mindset of God's presence being manifested in others especially when the crowds become overwhelming and people are pushing and swarming around you trying to squeeze past. Today the Pope arrived in Madrid and though our group did not go down to welcome him, the evidence of his presence was felt throughout the city. Today the Metro, which has been our main source of transportation around Madrid, decided to go on strike between the hours of 11-1 and 6-8:30. I'm not exactly sure of why they chose those specific times to not run, but it did shut down the system for those times when the Metro wasn't running. Abigail, Clare and I decided to do a little shopping today and were caught in the craziness of the people and other pilgrims waiting for the Pope to drive through the streets. Personally, I do not enjoy being pushed and shoved and pulled through crowds of people to make my way to where I need to be. However, I, as well as others, have learned to offer those inconveniences, fears and worries to God and pray for our safety along the way. We are truly blessed to be able to come back to our residence where we have quiet to reflect and be in community with one another. The time we are spending here is similar to how the day began; there will be dark times and difficult things that we will have to deal with, however if we allow God to enter into our lives, His light will shine through the darkness and be a beacon of hope for all of us to follow and carry with us.
-Emily
div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The church that we have been going to for our Catechesis is off of the beaten path and it was refreshing and comforting to walk in and recognize familiar faces and share warm smiles with others we had met yesterday. There is a gorgeous stained glass window that sits in the back of the church with a depiction of a dove with wings spread below the Eucharist in an array of colors. Today as we walked in and took our seats, the church was a little dark, due to the overcast sky outside and as we began singing our welcome song of the morning, the sun began to shine through the window and the church was filled with the colors of the stained glass and warmth of the light. It might have been my own perception, but I felt that in that moment, everyone in the church lifted their voices higher as though they knew God was listening intently to our praise and was literally shining His light upon us. It was an incredible moment and Abigail and I looked at each other and knew that we both felt that same sense of God's presence there with all of us.
It has been difficult at times to keep that mindset of God's presence being manifested in others especially when the crowds become overwhelming and people are pushing and swarming around you trying to squeeze past. Today the Pope arrived in Madrid and though our group did not go down to welcome him, the evidence of his presence was felt throughout the city. Today the Metro, which has been our main source of transportation around Madrid, decided to go on strike between the hours of 11-1 and 6-8:30. I'm not exactly sure of why they chose those specific times to not run, but it did shut down the system for those times when the Metro wasn't running. Abigail, Clare and I decided to do a little shopping today and were caught in the craziness of the people and other pilgrims waiting for the Pope to drive through the streets. Personally, I do not enjoy being pushed and shoved and pulled through crowds of people to make my way to where I need to be. However, I, as well as others, have learned to offer those inconveniences, fears and worries to God and pray for our safety along the way. We are truly blessed to be able to come back to our residence where we have quiet to reflect and be in community with one another. The time we are spending here is similar to how the day began; there will be dark times and difficult things that we will have to deal with, however if we allow God to enter into our lives, His light will shine through the darkness and be a beacon of hope for all of us to follow and carry with us.
-Emily
div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday 17 de augosto
Hola lovely followers :)
Well, it’s been a LONG day. However, I’m beginning to think that every day here is going to feel that way...which isn’t a bad thing. The European leisurely mindset and the late sunsets seem to add hours to each day [we’ll just pretend we don’t realize how many hours that takes out of our sleep!]
We began our day today with the first of our Catechesis sessions, which was FABULOUS. The parish we went to was quaint and very nice. The pastor, Fr. Fernando, was so welcoming and had “such kind eyes”, Elizabeth pointed out. Archbishop Cardinal O’Malley from Boston gave a fantastic talk about being “firm in the faith”, and then answered a few questions, ranging from the increase in abortions to Just War Theory (super tough questions, I know!) The music ministry that was assigned to this location was amazing. A very young guitarist led most of the songs, and an outgoing young man woke us up with his pure joy and excitement. [sidenote: Emily & I want think Clare should meet the guitar boy...”he’s cute, plays the guitar and loves Jesus! What else could you ask for?!”, we told her :) ] a group of teens performed the song “You Found Me” by Kelly Clarkson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojScwmRGHlM) in British Sign Language. It was beautiful. The Cardinal’s talk was followed by mass, and I was literally brought to tears by the power of the closing hymn, “Our God” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc), and the love and sincerity of all present as everyone sang along. As the cardinal pointed out in his talk, WYD is an opportunity for us to realize that “we are not orphans, (and) we are not alone”. There are communities of believers ALL over the world. Just within this small gathering, there were a myriad of cities and countries represented. Also mentioned in the talk was the fact that the joy and enthusiasm we are feeling as we meet young adults just like us from all over the world is simply a reflection of the joy one gets from Jesus’ friendship. “We are not part of a crowd, but a community.” And as WYD is off to a running start, I truly feel that community of believers. Fr. Fernando (of the San Juan parish where we attended Catechesis) briefly mentioned the many university students who come for the Sunday evening mass, and the ridicule they receive from their peers. I instantly felt a connection to these students halfway across the globe, as the 10pm mass-attending students at Xavier like myself often face similar banter from our peers.
The remainder of the day varied for each individual, but included general exploration of the city, the Vocations Fair and Adoration. Finally, Elizabeth, Anthony, Clare, Emily and I went on quite the adventure this evening to locate a Flamenco performance which was choreographed as an interpretation of the Passion of Christ. It was interesting, to say the least. After a long train ride, as well as literally climbing hills and hopping fences to get there [“now I really feel like I’m on a pilgrimage!”, gasped Clare as we went up steps too many to count], we found the beautifully lit outdoor stage. An Egyptian outdoor theatre (the Temple Debod), the thrust stage was surrounded by a small moat/river, with the vast crowd all around. Though it was difficult to keep up with the storyline of the Passion, the dancing was beautiful!
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Please send “good health vibes” our way as many of us are not feeling too well :(
THE POPE ARRIVES MANANA, YAY!
<3 Abigail
Well, it’s been a LONG day. However, I’m beginning to think that every day here is going to feel that way...which isn’t a bad thing. The European leisurely mindset and the late sunsets seem to add hours to each day [we’ll just pretend we don’t realize how many hours that takes out of our sleep!]
We began our day today with the first of our Catechesis sessions, which was FABULOUS. The parish we went to was quaint and very nice. The pastor, Fr. Fernando, was so welcoming and had “such kind eyes”, Elizabeth pointed out. Archbishop Cardinal O’Malley from Boston gave a fantastic talk about being “firm in the faith”, and then answered a few questions, ranging from the increase in abortions to Just War Theory (super tough questions, I know!) The music ministry that was assigned to this location was amazing. A very young guitarist led most of the songs, and an outgoing young man woke us up with his pure joy and excitement. [sidenote: Emily & I want think Clare should meet the guitar boy...”he’s cute, plays the guitar and loves Jesus! What else could you ask for?!”, we told her :) ] a group of teens performed the song “You Found Me” by Kelly Clarkson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojScwmRGHlM) in British Sign Language. It was beautiful. The Cardinal’s talk was followed by mass, and I was literally brought to tears by the power of the closing hymn, “Our God” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc), and the love and sincerity of all present as everyone sang along. As the cardinal pointed out in his talk, WYD is an opportunity for us to realize that “we are not orphans, (and) we are not alone”. There are communities of believers ALL over the world. Just within this small gathering, there were a myriad of cities and countries represented. Also mentioned in the talk was the fact that the joy and enthusiasm we are feeling as we meet young adults just like us from all over the world is simply a reflection of the joy one gets from Jesus’ friendship. “We are not part of a crowd, but a community.” And as WYD is off to a running start, I truly feel that community of believers. Fr. Fernando (of the San Juan parish where we attended Catechesis) briefly mentioned the many university students who come for the Sunday evening mass, and the ridicule they receive from their peers. I instantly felt a connection to these students halfway across the globe, as the 10pm mass-attending students at Xavier like myself often face similar banter from our peers.
The remainder of the day varied for each individual, but included general exploration of the city, the Vocations Fair and Adoration. Finally, Elizabeth, Anthony, Clare, Emily and I went on quite the adventure this evening to locate a Flamenco performance which was choreographed as an interpretation of the Passion of Christ. It was interesting, to say the least. After a long train ride, as well as literally climbing hills and hopping fences to get there [“now I really feel like I’m on a pilgrimage!”, gasped Clare as we went up steps too many to count], we found the beautifully lit outdoor stage. An Egyptian outdoor theatre (the Temple Debod), the thrust stage was surrounded by a small moat/river, with the vast crowd all around. Though it was difficult to keep up with the storyline of the Passion, the dancing was beautiful!
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Please send “good health vibes” our way as many of us are not feeling too well :(
THE POPE ARRIVES MANANA, YAY!
<3 Abigail
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Pilgrim Xperience - a "roller coaster of emotion"
Today was the first day of WYD events here in Madrid! When I woke up this morning I was filled with excitement for the full day ahead of me. As Elizabeth mentioned in yesterday's post, we had a bit of an adventure yesterday when it came to getting our meal passes and metro (subway) tickets. Today was a very similar day. After breakfast we headed across the street to meet Paula, a mexican consecrated woman who was leading a large group of teenagers. Paula had told us the night before that she would help us acquire our "pilgrim packs". To our surprise Paula was not across the street, but God still provided.
A very sympathetic volunteer who did not speak a word of English gave us some extra pilgrim packs! Just when we were thinking we were never going to get these packs, this gentleman stepped up and God truly stepped in. We smiled and some of us wept tears of joy as he handed us our packs and giggled when we opened them to find our hats, t-shirts, and much more. Also we met some fellow pilgrims from across the street, one of whom I actually went to school with in Atlanta.
So we got our packs YAY, but it wasn't enough - we still needed our "pilgrim passes" for the vigil and they serve as additional means of identification. These little lanyards were the most hassle getting. All I can say is that some of us spent approximately 3 hours, and our amazing Emily Chambers was an absolute champion who waited about 5 hours total. 5 hours of blistering heat, people were so hot they didn't even sweat. See here in Madrid its so hot and dry that your sweat evaporates off your skin very quickly.
After getting all of our essentials together we felt very very happy. By then it was about 5pm and the opening mass was going to start at 8. We quickly headed to Cibelles Square for mass. Mass was pretty exciting. Pilgrims literally filled the streets! But the language barrier of it being celebrated in spanish and our distance from the altar, not to mention the very boisterous, obnoxious Australian nun behind us, took away a little bit from the experience.
After that, we went to adoration to end our crazy day. I needed to cool off and adoration was just what I needed.
Slowly but surely we made it back to the Jesuit house through the packed metro. I mean packed like sardines in a can packed. The trains actually moved slower because of the weight of the cars!
Praise God for today and know that we are praying for you!
See you in the Eucharist!
-Anthony
A very sympathetic volunteer who did not speak a word of English gave us some extra pilgrim packs! Just when we were thinking we were never going to get these packs, this gentleman stepped up and God truly stepped in. We smiled and some of us wept tears of joy as he handed us our packs and giggled when we opened them to find our hats, t-shirts, and much more. Also we met some fellow pilgrims from across the street, one of whom I actually went to school with in Atlanta.
So we got our packs YAY, but it wasn't enough - we still needed our "pilgrim passes" for the vigil and they serve as additional means of identification. These little lanyards were the most hassle getting. All I can say is that some of us spent approximately 3 hours, and our amazing Emily Chambers was an absolute champion who waited about 5 hours total. 5 hours of blistering heat, people were so hot they didn't even sweat. See here in Madrid its so hot and dry that your sweat evaporates off your skin very quickly.
After getting all of our essentials together we felt very very happy. By then it was about 5pm and the opening mass was going to start at 8. We quickly headed to Cibelles Square for mass. Mass was pretty exciting. Pilgrims literally filled the streets! But the language barrier of it being celebrated in spanish and our distance from the altar, not to mention the very boisterous, obnoxious Australian nun behind us, took away a little bit from the experience.
After that, we went to adoration to end our crazy day. I needed to cool off and adoration was just what I needed.
Slowly but surely we made it back to the Jesuit house through the packed metro. I mean packed like sardines in a can packed. The trains actually moved slower because of the weight of the cars!
Praise God for today and know that we are praying for you!
See you in the Eucharist!
-Anthony
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Giving and Receiving--Lessons from a Pilgrimage!
Today we learned lessons of giving and receiving. After a long day of touring Toledo yesterday, our group planned to sleep in a little and get re-energized for the start of WYD events. I woke up this morning to the sounds of a moderate-sized group of American pilgrims across the street with all their luggage, and was surprised when one of the priests in charge showed up in the kitchen as I was eating breakfast. They were a group of 36 from Allentown, PA, and had shown up at their place of lodging to discover that it was a gym floor (for 214 youth) with only 2 working toilets on the premises. The priest was feeling a little desperate, I think, and wondered if he could borrow my computer to find a place for them all to stay (side note--he was excited that I had a Mac :)). Happily, they were able to find a hotel, and left in much better spirits. It was gratifying to assist fellow pilgrims on their journey, and helped us to be even more grateful for the secure, hospitable lodging we have!
This afternoon things took a different turn... we set out to retrieve our pilgrim's packs, meal tickets, and metro passes. After a long wait in a line we did obtain the tickets and passes (very helpful to have!), but four of us ended up trekking and traveling across the city on a hunt for the backpacks. At the end of the night, still no backpacks, and although we were in good spirits having enjoyed each other's company and the adventure of navigating successfully we felt similarly to the Allentown group from the morning. On a whim however, we stopped by the place across the street from our lodging that was also hosting pilgrims, and found an English-speaking woman, Paula from Mexico, who was leading a group of Americans. We explained our dilemma and she translated to some WYD volunteers. After some Spanish discussion Paula turned to us and said "these people are tired and up to their neck's with problems, come back in the morning and if they don't have extra packs I'll give you eight of ours." Music to our ears after such a long day! So wonderful the good will between all pilgrims here as we navigate the same frustrations and experience the blessings of such a trip with the same heart.
Some more pictures from Toledo :)
(Posted by Elizabeth)
This afternoon things took a different turn... we set out to retrieve our pilgrim's packs, meal tickets, and metro passes. After a long wait in a line we did obtain the tickets and passes (very helpful to have!), but four of us ended up trekking and traveling across the city on a hunt for the backpacks. At the end of the night, still no backpacks, and although we were in good spirits having enjoyed each other's company and the adventure of navigating successfully we felt similarly to the Allentown group from the morning. On a whim however, we stopped by the place across the street from our lodging that was also hosting pilgrims, and found an English-speaking woman, Paula from Mexico, who was leading a group of Americans. We explained our dilemma and she translated to some WYD volunteers. After some Spanish discussion Paula turned to us and said "these people are tired and up to their neck's with problems, come back in the morning and if they don't have extra packs I'll give you eight of ours." Music to our ears after such a long day! So wonderful the good will between all pilgrims here as we navigate the same frustrations and experience the blessings of such a trip with the same heart.
Some more pictures from Toledo :)
(Posted by Elizabeth)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)