Beatriz Tizapantzi Maya

I must have confidence.

It is a week where I must take control of my time, all my being and listen to my team and the people. To forget my needs, my sickness and my time. It is a favourable moment to make a sacrifice, let go of my constipation, my leg pain, my sick stomach, to be quicker in carrying out my activities such as: bathing, eating rapidly, doing some things that I do not like and not doing things I can’t do here, or going from one village to another with only half the people we had planned.

Concerning the team: I had already seen the work of coordination. It is impressive to see the way that the participants in the group and the catechists from the village came to agree. It is difficult not being able to sleep for different reasons, such as the cold or the simple fact of staying awake voluntarily to recite the rosary at dawn.

Concerning myself, personally, I am very grateful to God who gave me the opportunity to work with different brothers, friends of the mission and apart from the enrichment that came to us, I realized that we were very different from each other. But with the help of God, these differences meant nothing. It is not important that we made mistakes or that we did not do things well. I believe that reconciliation is even more beautiful and things finished by being good at the time of decision (of offering it to Jesus).

I am very grateful to Eve and the coordination team of Young Missionaries. The dynamics and what was the best was the retreat and the fact of being concerned about a brother. All this awakened me to the necessity of seeing what Neri always supported, moreover taking care of Juanito and Hector and arguing with them with much affection, for sure.

I felt supported by the team and saw how we managed the work of three villages. For that, I say that God gives me his LOVE.

 Hector Daniel Huerta Colin

This year helped me very much in the sense that it reaffirmed my vocation to serve and help others. The missionary work team helped me to discover the good in me and especially that this work is something excellent. Working in three villages enabled me to use the leadership potential I had within and told me: "Hector, your formation is going to serve you and now you are going to put into practice all that you learned during the years of Catholic formation in your community."

It was the fact of seeing the world in another way, that the material goods we have are not really important, but it is especially the people awaiting you with so much love and knowing that on this occasion you are this light and hope for them, but especially what I never tire of remembering, is this faith so great and powerful which we sometimes miss in ourselves.

I would love many youth to have the opportunity of living so great an experience, of meeting oneself and especially Jesus. In a time of mission, you become aware of the importance of your family, of the world, because it is a time when you weigh everything and say: THANK YOU LORD, FOR GIVING ME THIS LIFE WHICH IS SO BEAUTIFUL, THIS FAMILY AND ESPECIALLY FOR ALL THE FRIENDS I HAVE AND WHO SURROUND ME. And especially to say: " Thank you Jesus, for revealing yourself to me in this special manner, for now I know that your face is reflected in everyone who thirsts for you.

I want to thank in a special way the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, because without them at this time, I would not be able to tell of my experience on mission.

And especially, thank you to Sister Imelda who was responsible for forming this group of young people, with Sisters Lupita and Trini. They are the ones who invited me to become part of this group in 2001.

Also, thank you to Sisters Gisèle, Ana and Edna, who were a great help to the group: they welcomed us every week and listened to us each time we needed this. They helped us, many of us, to daily become better persons.

P.S. Please continue to help us by your prayers and good wishes so that the group will continue to grow each day and more young people can have this life experience. And I don’t want to forget: Long live Mexico!

 Daniel Robles Gutiérrez

In reality, this experience was sensational, as were the experiences of the two preceding years.

This year, I learned that missionary life is something more than we learn about during our preparation. A missionary must be available to all and especially to serve without making distinctions between persons.

I thank God and the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph for enabling young people to have this great experience. 

Sister Edna

WHAT WAS POSITIVE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE

I very much liked Daniel and Marlene, the two team members.

We met many people: 43 children from Monday to Thursday and 30 young people during the retreat.

We had to adapt ourselves to the requests of the Father, of whom we saw very little from Monday to Wednesday, that is, during the youth retreat, but I believe that we were, nevertheless, well organized.

I congratulate the coordinators for having designated Daniel to this team, because I believe that he knew how to prepare himself quickly and adequately for his facilitation.

I very much liked working with the children of the villge of Tequila.WHAT WAS MOST DIFFICULT

Not having known in advance that we had to facilitate the retreat.

Not having water in the rectory; the hygiene was not the best either, but we did not get sick.

Having youth on retreat 24 hours out of 24 for three days. Thus we did not have time to prepare our talks.WHAT I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATED

A man in the parish invited us to his home to wash up on Thursday morning.

The visit to the family of the priest, on Friday evening before the Paschal Vigil.

To be able to celebrate twice with the people of Atlanta, Palm Sunday and Paschal Vigil.

To have to climb the mountains.

To have had a good bed. Some nights I was not able to sleep because of the noise in the house and outdoors.

And especially the good food.

Evelina

This year, like the previous ones, was very special: for the second time, I could visit this place. I must confess that at the beginning I did not like the idea very much. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I did not feel at all like returning there. I went with the idea of meeting people who were rough and impenetrable to changes concerning ideas and customs and especially I disliked the climate, which is very cold.

Nevertheless, I discovered a completely different Zacamilola (the village); the persons I met were the same, but at the same time so different from those I remembered. They were more approachable, cordial, kind, capable of taking bread from their own mouths in order to give it to you and, especially, I met young people with the same ideas and plans as my own.

This year I learned the importance of entertainment and play while working and of establishing affective links. I learned the importance of family and the importance of the woman, no matter the culture.

This year left me with more flexibility and humility in my way of being.

What pleased me in going on mission was just the occasion that God gave me to profit from life and not the suffering and to see again people I knew, while discovering that they remembered me. Also it was important to gather the group of young people, and especially, we must not call them "children".

I must confess that I would also have liked to work a little more, but God, who is wiser than me knows what I need. And he alone knows if I will be here next year to write some more.

 Nerina

Stone, paper, scissors
Stone, paper, scissors
STAND UP, STAND UP, MISSIONARY YOUTH

I think that the experience was really gratifying because it enabled us to live in three beautiful villages: Moxala, Ahuatepec and Zincalco. It was fatiguing because we were only four participants and sometimes we had to separate in order to allow us time to be with the people.

But even if the work was exhausting, I believe the fruit, or at least the seeds that we left, were good. Even if the temperature was not comfortable, the three villages received us with such great tenderness that we felt at home.

What pleased me most was just that we had to separate, because this mission as well as other missions, made me understand that you form a family with the team with whom you are sent, and in my case, my family constantly prepared and I could see them only in the evening and ask them how they had experienced their day in the villages.

I believe that this 2005 mission was very beautiful and left me beautiful and pleasant memories of Moxala, Zincalco and Ahuatepec. They helped me to understand that we are all brothers and sons of God, no matter that we came from far away.LOVE for everybody

JUSTICE among the most marginalised.

P.S. And finally, I want to indicate the need for more missionaries in order that we may reach everybody. Let us pray to the Lord to send more missionaries for the people who receive us with so much pleasure.

Bety Vazquez Ovando

A TRIP TO VERACRUZ - TEQUILAI have always said that each mission is different, you experience it in a different way. This year was marked by greater union in the team because to change the team at the most unexpected moment was as if you were reconstructing yourself.

The mission with long-time companions was gratifying. I could get to know them better and as for the villagers, I must thank them a thousand times for having received us so well. They are persons who give everything they can, they are well educated and participate well. What more could we ask?

The children are sweet and the youth smile at you in a way that fills your day with joy. Sometimes fatigue seems to overwhelm you, but the young people are like a battery or a candle that lights you up, so that you can continue to walk.

I experienced this mission with passion. The only thing I wait for now is the opportunity to return there, perhaps not to the same place, but where I am needed.

P.S. Thank you for having given me the opportunity to know people who are more human. The work is very gratifying when it brings to birth a smile, a word of thanks or some tears on sensitive cheeks, a letter, an accolade or a good-bye. I do not want to say by that, that I love it when they react that way, or that I always hope to see such gestures. No, it is simply that I want us to be aware of these deep feelings.THANK YOU ....

to all who participated in this work

and who marked out an easier path to reach the goal.

NOTE: I hope that other young people join our team.

MY FIRST STAY IN JUMIS

Luis Carlos Martinez

Last Holy Week, 2005, was the first time I went on mission, believing that I was going to speak of the Word of God and of Love, which are written about in the Bible. In reality, the people of this village spoke of the love of God about which Jesus came to teach us: charity, love, compassion and sharing. I worked with adults and at the beginning, I found that difficult, because the majority of the participants did not speak Spanish. Happily, a catechist helped me with the translation into Nahuatl, so that they understood the themes well. It was very useful to reflect on the Eucharist. The collaboration was mutual, the people participated well and we could feed each other.

I was very pleased with my team. We understood each other well and we experienced moments of pure joy together. But what most impressed me were the children. They were educated, simple, intelligent, loving, knew how to work in groups and their eyes were crystal-clear. We played together, read the Bible, sang and, especially, enjoyed spending time together.

I learned some words and even some sentences in Nahuatl. I could appreciate the beauty of this language of my country. We received hospitality from a family who lodged us from the beginning, opening their home to us, giving us food and love. There were also others who offered us hospitality and invited us to return. In truth, they made us feel very good. The women of Zacamilola surprised me a great deal, because they had great values: fidelity, respect for life, and especially respect for the other person. I returned with new eyes and another way of seeing my objectives, my goals and how to achieve these.

IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE!

GOD PROVIDES

Juan Salazar Pérez

My experience was awesome, because of having lived things which were funny, sad, painful, etc. At the beginning, I liked it very much, because I did not know VERACRUZ and especially, I had to meet the famous Father Chiquito, the Pastor. I had the surprise of learning that my team had to visit three villages: Moxala, Ahuatepec and Zincalco.

Moxala was not very organized. As for Ahuetepec, I visited it rarely and the situation seemed the same. I very much liked Zincalco, especially the Zepactle family who looked after us so well. I got along very well with the children of this family.

Wednesday, it was as if the sky fell on my head, so much did I have to do. Moreover, you can ask my team, all kinds of things happened: falls, bumps, sprains, etc. a companion practically blasted me (one could say) with the following comment, "You are only missing rain, to be truly on mission," and the next day it rained. That day I fell more than ever. Daniel was our salvation; he helped us and was a great support because we were totally exhausted. Saturday, I felt really ill: head ache, upset stomach and sore back. I no longer knew what to do. I forgot things, for example, on a rainy day I forgot to go to the toilet and I was not able to hold it in. That day I learned many words in Nahuatl. It seems to me that I cannot put the week in chronological order, but what difference does it make? Well, as I said to you, I stumbled this day as well; another day, I twisted my ankle. And to top off this misfortune, another day I twisted the other ankle. This same day I fell when walking with Bety. The insects also bit me.

What I liked best about this mission was learning to make tortillas (corn flour omelettes), but there again, I burned myself, but at least I learned. I was sick, but I learned my lesson and I applied ointment. In brief, this mission was super cool, especially when saying good-bye to the people of the village.

SINCERELY JUANITO

TAZOCAMATLE - THANK YOU UNTIL MOZTLA - SEE YOU NEXT TIME

Josefina Arroyo Juárez

I was very pleased to go to Atlanca. THANK YOU LORD! I have many lovely memories of this village from my previous visits, but also the more the time passed, the more you become attached. I would love to return there and profit again from all that I EXPERIENCED there, to bring to life again all that I appreciated so much. At the beginning I was not able to imagine myself being in Atlanca. I could not believe that, because I had experienced so many things that I did not think I could go there.

What I liked: the food, omelettes with corn, the coffee - it is very good. The interest of people, the thirst to know God, the road going from one village to another, the greetings of the people, the language, the great faith that the people show.

What I did not like: the time was very short, only one week. When you begin to accustom yourself, it is already time to say: "Ay, Father, it is Saturday." You must leave tomorrow. And now that I have returned to the house, I miss the things there.

There only remains to say that this Holy Week was the most beautiful experience of my life.