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May 20, 2020My trip to Romania was an amazing experience. This trip has opened up a new door in my life and has brought a lot of things to think about regarding my future and where the Lord is calling me.
On March 6 – March 15, 2020, I had the privilege to travel to Bucharest, Romania with nine other students, three missionaries, and a priest. I didn’t know anyone very well going into the trip so I was really relying on the Lord.
We got to the Missionaries of Charity convent safe and sound on Sunday, March 8 and were put to work serving almost as soon as we arrived. The men living in the home were so excited to see us they were hugging, kissing our cheeks and shaking our hands.
The first thing the sisters had us do was feed the men their dinner (the sisters refer to them as the boys). I was able to use my past experience working at Bay Cliff Health Camp to help feed the boys. This act of service really had me meditating on the presence of Christ Jesus in every living person. As I was feeding Alex (one of the boys), I was able to see Christ in him and knew that I was serving Christ.
While also, Christ lives in me and through my service Christ was able to feed Alex. This moment was one of the most spiritually impactful from the whole trip and from it I have started to practice and remember seeing Christ in everyone around me.
On Wednesday, March 11, another student and I went with some of the sisters to serve a poor family and teach the kids catechesis. This was an incredibly humbling experience as I have never experienced poverty quite like this. The family had one bed for about 7 people including babies and young boys and most of them didn’t have shoes.
It broke my heart to see how some people are to live in this world and how the Lord has blessed me in my situation. Through all of the poverty surrounding this family, there was an abundance of love. The sisters that were with us were welcomed as if they were a part of the family and we just got straight to work teaching the kids the faith. This family was able to teach me that no matter your situation, the Lord is always present and will never abandon you.
Religious life is something that I have been deeply discerning for a while now and it was really beautiful to spend time with the Missionaries of Charity and to see how they live out their apostolate. I definitely felt the Lord telling me through the peace and joy I experienced that He wants me to serve the poor. In what way? Well, I am still discerning that part but this trip was able to bring me closer to what the Lord is calling me to.
Know of my prayers for you and your families. “Mi-e Sete” “I Thirst” -Jesus, from the Cross.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta
