Tranquilizaras - Kari Jobe

Sorry it took so long to post another post! Unfortunately my laptop broke and my email and password were saved onto that laptop and I couldnt get into this account but, i figured it out!

December makes about 5 months since I have left home, how crazy is that?
Amy and Gerry, I am sorry I missed your wedding but... I sent you a little bit of Mexico to be with you on your special day.

These past few months have been amazing. My community, the jovenes, the kids, the work.. all of it!
I have had a lot of oppertunities to experience new things as well.
I took part of the Movimiento Juvenil Salesiano (MJS) in Chihuahuah, Mexico. That weekend was a really great one because I got to meet a lot of the young people from all around the Salesian Province of Mexico. It was a huge gathering of young people, formation and spiritual experiences that I will remember the feeling for a very long time.

           

I also got the chance to visit Nogales, Mexico. We had a weekend to get to know all of the other volunteers that are part of this Inspectoria.I made new friends that are also spending the year serving the Salesians of Mexico. 

Salesian Volunteers

We are now 6 volunteers. Abit more than a month ago, Daniella from Guadalajara came to join the group of volunteers. She is 16 years old and we are hoping that she can spend the rest of our year with us. She has become likethe little sister I needed in the house to make me feel like Brunas right here with me. A little someone to defend and care for you know? Callateeeee hermana, ya no es navidad. Also, Albert from Colombia will be with us for about 2 months.

Mi hermanas

La Brigada De La Alegria has been so much fun. This is my main job, and the program for the volunteers of Juarez. Every afternoon, we walk around the streets making so much noise and inviting all the children to come tot he oratory and play with us. We then go away from the oratory to a park or little distric area (we call it el barrio) and invite the kids that either go to school later or live too far to come tot he oratory to play. We have seen and keep meeting so many new children. So far, the most kids we had were about 90 en el barrio.
We also have La Brigada Juvenil. This is where we invite all of the young people from the three oratories and we have a Brigada that we always do but en el barrio. So about 40 young people come to help us out and have fun with all these children. We have had 2 so far and they were both such a great success and a lot of fun. Seeing the teens and youbng people of the oratory playing and singing with all of these children is a real joy.


If there is one thing that I can say that I have learnt and am proud to share with you is I've figured out the feeling of why Don Bosco had so much love for these kids. I have met some children that are the ¨worst.¨ The ones that steal, the ones that start and finish so many fights, the ones that swear so much that you can't even find the non swear words in their sentences or the ones that are young and have their own children. I have met all of these childrens and every single day, these are the children that I work with and have grown to know. This job comes with a lot of patience, without it - we would be back in our homes really fast. But these ¨problematic¨kids, these are the ones that need the most love. Despite all the bad that you can see and feel, you need to put that aside and give them all the affection and care that you have in you. To every single one of them, not just the favorites or the good kids. There is a reason for their actions and their personality and the truth is they live different lives from our own. Depending on their backround,. family, education or even just the environment they hang around in.
I have figured out that the more lvoe you give to them, the more they come back and you start seeing little changes. Even just the fact that these kids continue coming to the oratory or to our activity when they hear us coming down the street - that right there is a change for the better.

So love, love the way Don Bosco did to the most abandoned, lonely, messed up and troublesome kids (and teach the good kids to love them too). They need it the most, and if you are not the one who is going to give it to them - who says there is anyone else in their journey that will?

Favorite Quotes

This page will be under construction for the entire year I am in Juarez :)

Earth has no sorrow which heaven cannot heal. 

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the one nearest to you. - Mother Teresa 

What kind of king would choose to wear a crown that bleeds and scars to win my heart? 

You cry but God will console you in other ways. He will keep you healthy and help you with your work. I will do all that I can to help you from where I am. - Francisco Besucco

Something that will help you in your life is knowing who you are.

What are we here for, to have fun with Christians or to save the sinners?

Dominic Savio
Because your soul has been redeemed with Jesus' blood, because were all brothers, because we need to love eachothers souls, because Jesus said we must help eachother be saved, because if i help you save your soul; im saving mine.
Jesus and Mary will be my best friends.


 Don Bosco

Love what the children love and the children will love what you love.

It is enough for you to be young for me to love you very much.
It is not enough for the young to be loved, they must know they are loved.
Walk with your feet on earth but with your heart be in heaven.
My greatest sarisfaction is to see you happy, now and always.

I'm not here to be a superhero; I'm here to be a servant. - Nic Vujicic

 

I want my life to bear witness to the broken; the beauty of the broken.

We are all really responsible for all. - Blessed John Paul II

And Yours is the name, the name that saved me. Your mercy and grace, the power that forgave me and your love is all i've ever needed.

Times - Tenth Avenue North

Mi Familia (missing Padre Primo)

 

Love.

God created the world because He loves us.
Then God sent His son to come to the world ... because He loves us.
Jesus gave his life by dying on the cross ... because He loves us.
He then went up to heaven and promised to save a place for us ... because He loves us.
We get to witness a miracle every single time we go to mass ... because He loves us.
People come into our lives in order to make a difference... because they love us.
We care for each other ... because we love each other.
Your best friend is your best friend because you love him/her.
My list can go on but I'm sure you get it.

But the most important thing that I want you to realize is that everyone longs for love. Being here in Juarez, I can see it. Every single person longs to be loved, whether it be a child or an adult. God loves us so much and we forget that we're supposed to pass that on sometimes. So I dare you, see how much love you can give. I'll be doing the same down here.

"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real? '
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."
 

 T.A.M.

 

 

 

Favorite Love Quotes

 

"Love what the children love and the children will love what you love." - Don Bosco

"Not all of us can do great things, but we can all do small things with great love." - Mother Teresa

Satisfy - Tenth Avenue North





Today makes exactly two weeks that I am in Juarez and abit more than a month since I left my home in Montreal, Canada. I have to tell you, i don't think i could be happier with the location of my mission and the community that I live with. We have been 6 volunteers from around the world and 4 Salesian priests that live in this community house.

Thomas (Argentina), Itchan (Philipines), Mama Silvia (Argentina), Catalina (Canada :)), Cho (USA), Concida (Spain)

 Padre Riccardo (padre malo), Padre Memo (padre primo #1), Padre Humberto (padre primo #2), Padre Juan Carlos (padre tio)

Daily schedule goes something like this.

8 am - morning prayer with the community and then breakfast

9  am - off to one of the three oratories to prepare for the afternoon

2 pm - home for lunch with the community

SIESTA

4 pm - back to the oratory we were at in the morning

4:30 - walk around the town screaming and waving flags to invite children to follow us to the oratory

5 pm - La Brigada de la Alegria

7 pm - go to a nearby park in the town and invite more kids to come to La Brigada in the park

9 pm - back to the oratory to hang out with the youth

10:30 pm - home for the Buenos Noches and supper

As volunteers, we are in charge of La Brigada de la Alegria. This is a project where we literally gather as many kids as we can from around the oratory to come and play with us. During la Brigada, we sing camp songs, play games and play sports. We then have a mini catechism lesson where, as Don Bosco did with his kids at the oratory, we either teach the children a value or relate a value to a Salesian saint. We then give these kids chocomilk y galletas. The very first night we had la Brigada, we had 70 kids come! 

La Brigada de la Alegria

So far, one of my most favorite things about Juarez is the sky. Most of the oratories are located in the mountains which means we are closer to the sky! Also, there is not as many lights as if we were living in the city. For those who do not know, I have this insanely intense obsession with the moon. The Canada moon does not even compare to the Mexico moon. I can see the sun set and the moon rise and the exact same time. The colors of the sky are so beautiful and natural. The clouds seem fluffier and so close to us - kind of like you can almost touch them. I strongly suggest you move to Mexico just to see the sun set while the moon is rising, the feeling you get inside your chest is so powerful, oufff.

Here the sun is setting!

Here the moon is rising at the same time!

 

 My second favorite thing so far about Jurez are the houses. In the mountains, I would call it more of a village, before every Brigada we walk around the villages and get the children living in these small houses to come join us at the oratory or the park for. To you, these houses may seem ugly, falling apart and broken, but to me these houses are beautiful. This was my favorite part about my Tijuana trips too; seeing the beauty in the broken.

I am really happy here. I have tried some new things and am ready to just surrender to whatever the day throws my way. My work is fun work, i get to interact with hundreds of children and young adults every single day. Those working at the oratories and participating all have the same good hearted spirit that Don Bosco has taught us all to have. It is about giving all the love you have to those who are around you, not only those you want to give it to. One whole year in this beautiful place does not even seem like enough right now. Pray for me and know that you are in my prayers! 

Standing in a moving pick up truck - we are infinite!

- Damihi animas, caetera tolle -



Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets

A mission; that is what this year is going to be about. This is not a humanitarian trip, this is not because I need time off from home or from my everyday life. This is because as Vita says, Jesus whispered into my heart and asked me if I was courageous enough to go on a mission and serve Him for a whole year and I jumped right into it and said yes.

Saying goodbye to my Canadian peeps was not the easiest but it's not exactly goodbye you know? It's really just "I'll see you later." And I will! I'll be back in exactly 12 months as of now, so smile! Ever since I left Montreal, I have been in California. Last week, myself and the 3 other volunteers that are also going to be going on a one year mission, went to a retreat with a lot of Salesian priests as well as the volunteers that have just finished their mission. This was a week for preparation, training and getting into the mood of community life. I met some of the most amazing Salesian role models I have ever crossed paths with and am looking forward to seeing them one year from now at our closing retreat.

Past and Present Missionaries

 

On August 4th, Cho, Tony, Jose and myself had our commissioning mass at Dominic Savio Parish in Bellflower, California. We read our vows outloud, signed our vows and received our missionary crosses. This was a beautiful celebration and I am grateful for my Californian friends that were there supporting me. I do wish my family and friends were there but I am grateful to know that you are all supporting me from where you are.

  

Cho, Tony, myself and Jose reciting our vows.

 

For this next week, I am living with Xochil and enjoying this time before I leave for my mission. It is really good to be reunited with my missionary jerkface whom I have missed tremendously. I will be visiting Tijuana on Thursday just for the day - imagine having Tijuana less than 2 hours away from home! For those who don't know, Tijuana is where it all started for me. Through my first missionary experience in 2010 with Gospel Roads - something about this city felt right. There is so much beauty in what we foresee as broken. I am looking forward to feeling at home again once I get to Juarez which is going to become my new home.

 

I will be arriving in Ciudad Juarez on August 12th. I am looking forward to meeting my director, the community, the other volunteers and just being where I am. What have I learnt throughout these 2 weeks? I have to surrender, it's time to give all that I am and all that I have to God. And you do it to! Just be present to whatever you are doing and with whoever you are with. And always be happy and smile.

 

Mother Teresa said it - "Don't ever let anyone come to you without leaving happier."

 

Pray for me and for the other volunteers as we all embark on our new adventures. Know that I will be doing the same. Sending my love, and chin up! Otherwise the crown falls.