Go be missionaries!

Howdy Pilgrims!

Hello again you people that read this. Where has the time gone? I've done so much this past month, God has given me so much this past month, I am blessed. I suppose you all might want to hear a bit of what went down World Youth day? Yes, No? I'll tell you anyways..

I was a volunteer along with some other people from different parts of the world, and we helped Father Micheal organize the missionary week that happened the week before the World Youth Day events and continued to help during WYD.. I along with another Nurse Melissa were the designated nurses for 500 pilgrims of the community of saint John. I enjoyed myself as a nurse, I cared for the sick (sort of), I translated for Doctors, and I gained many friends. I was not able to go to many conferences and the ones I went to were in French... (I should learn French one day and I think I know of a good french teacher).

In short World Youth Day was beautiful, it was like God was watching us. On everything we did we could see God was with us. From the station of the cross that rained on us. To praying together at the beach in Adoration, To mass together at the Copacabana beach. God let us come together again as Catholics, it was a big sign. Should we forget it and just go back and live our normal lives? No. We are called to be something more, then to just be normal. We are children of God, and when God gives us dreams we should reach for those dreams with all that we can. "Go be missionaries!"

My dream? My dream is Salvador at the moment being realized. I cant do this alone. In fact I've come to realize I cant do anything alone. I need God, but I also need a community. In Fact this mission, needs missionaries. Not one missionary but a community of missionaries, all working together, sacrificing together, leaning on each other, and most importantly praying to God together.

We recently had some Pilgrims from Laredo Texas, come to experience that "missionary life" for 2 weeks. It was a Blast, we painted a church, we sang with the people in the Favela, we prayed with them, and we praised God with them. Laredo Pilgrims you will all be missed, I will miss your Jokes, to your nagging, to your praying, to your company, and most importantly to the love each one of you showed this Favela and the Brothers, thank you! I will carry you in my heart. That's us after an epic Futebol session.

The mission continues, and like the beating of drum, the beat goes on. We are just finishing up on the touch ups on the inside of the church. It has been raining almost everyday, so painting the outside is out of the question. Maybe another missionary group can come help out on that!

Work on the Magdalene house came to a halt once we left to Rio de Janiero, but once we finish the church its back to work on that house. I am thinking of giving English classes to those who want to learn English. Its a good way to be in the community. So if anyone has any English learning books they would like to send our way please do! (Btw that's Lulu from Laredo she stayed for bit longer woot woot!)

I'm very happy to be back in Salvador my new home. This is where my heart is at the moment. Please pray for the mission, the brothers in Salvador, and for me. Thank you for reading and we are at the Half way marker of this great Journey in Brazil, that I've been blessed with. Now is the time to be missionaries!

Adios Amigos,

Leonardo De la Garza