Some of our young people (and one or two parents) share some reflections on their recent trip to Hodovo.
[toggle state="closed" title="Heather Fletcher"]
Thursday 30th July
-On the first day we arrived at St James’ Church at 7:30 during mass then we were left to go where we wanted within the Church grounds
-Me, Nisha, Prabhu and George all went into the Church and said the rosary opposite a beautifully decorated display of Mary
-After, we visited a statue that symbolised Jesus’ rising where people stood around with clothes waiting to take the oil from his side
Friday 31st July
-We started the morning with breakfast in the hotel then began the early morning drive filled with beautiful singing in our van (especially from Prabhu) to the Hodovo school
-We began our project to build the peace garden for the children in Hodovo around 11:00 with the majority of help coming from Michael and his Grandad, we had lunch at Darija’s cafe prepared by her mum before finishing off the base of the Peace Garden in the afternoon
- At night we walked back into the town where a welcome mass was being held at the Church. Vast amounts of people gathered with flags from different countries
Saturday 1st August
-This morning started with breakfast again in the hotel before heading back to the Hodovo school again
-Today consisted of varnishing the wood ready for more building later
-Michael’s Grandad and other adults also started to prepare the structure for where Mary would eventually be placed in the Peace Garden
-We left the school at 16:30 and arrived back at the hotel for dinner then walked back to Medjugorje for the candle lit procession where the whole arena lit up with millions of people holding candles. The whole atmosphere was truly breath taking and a very overwhelming sight
Sunday 2nd August
-Today was an early start with everyone waking up at 6 to set off for the walk up to Apparition Hill where people were to witness the presence of Mary
-The walk was long and tiring in the heat furthermore when we got there the crowds were too busy for us to go any further so we decided to go back to the hotel and come again another time
-After heading back to Hodovo we began the day with mass at the local Church with all the children and their familys, afterwards we drove back to Darija’s cafe where Ivan and Damjan’s mum had prepared lunch for all of us including a chocolate cake that had ‘Thank you’ iced on the top of it
-In the afternoon we visited 2 rivers, the first where we sat and splashed in the water however the second, a couple of minutes down the road, many of us jumped in and swam around in the freezing water
-Later in the evening, as usual, we went back into the town and this time watched a procession for Mary where again people from all over the world gathered and watched as the statue of Mary was carried around the arena for everyone to admire and reflect on
-Me and Nisha also bought football shirts from the local shops to wear for the Hodovo kids on Monday... J
Monday 3rd August
-Today we arrived back at Hodovo (with all our football shirts on) for another day on the Peace Garden whilst the children amused themselves in the Gym
-We had an amazing lunch prepared by Emmanuel’s mum then went to Ivan and Damjan’s house to see their indoor gym and to meet his mum who had generously prepared more food...
-At night we decided to venture up Apparition Hill where at each station we offered up a rosary and admired the beautiful views and sunset
-At the end we spent some time looking and purchasing gifts for the children and adults from Hodovo as the following day would be our last with them
Tuesday 4th August
-Today we had our last day with the Hodovo children therefore went to a small chapel beside the school for our final mass together
-After saying an emotional goodbye to the children we headed back to the hotel whilst listening to sad music and comforting Nisha L (loved my job)
-Our last night in Medjugorje was spent in the town purchasing last minute gifts for family and friends back home
Wednesday 5th August
-This morning we all had to pack for the long journey to Trebinje where we would spend the night before our 12pm flight on Thursday
-During the drive we met up with Darija, Gago and Ivan to go caving where Darija was our tour guide and taught us about the ‘human fish’ at the heart of the cave. The caves were very slippy and Steve nearly went flying numerous times ;)
-Finally it was time to say goodbye as we carried on with our drive to Trebinje
-In the evening we settled into our rooms, ate a late dinner in a nearby restaurant then we all sat down together outside the hotel for prayer and to share our ‘champagne’ and ‘most memorable’ moments of the trip.
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[toggle state="closed" title="James Greenwood"]
Day 1
Today we were told to meet at St Clare’s at 4am. Then I sat next to George on the way down to the airport, with a short wait to get onto the plane. I was sat next to Prabu and George. Within 3 hours we were in Dubrovnik airport sorting out our mini busses. After a very long and hot drive to Medjugorje we were allowed to go round shopping for a bit before returning to the hotel. That was our first night.
Day 2
On our second day we got up and travelled to Hodovo to see our Croatian friends for the first time in 3 weeks, we spent a lot of time there all ‘helping’ out build the Peace Garden but got distracted over a water fight and got very wet but dried sun bathing in the middle of the football pitch.
Day 3
Today we visited Hodovo again and continued to work on the Peace Garden. We also had a game of football were the English finally beat the Croats at football after a 2 year losing streak and about 30 games.
Day 4
We got up at 6:30 to go see the apparition but the crowds were that big we couldn’t get anywhere near so we headed back and got ready for our “day of rest”. Before the fun began we went to mass in Hodovo where we met some of our friend’s families, in the afternoon we went to Blaga Bhuna which is a river. Sadly we weren’t allowed to go swimming but Ante took us to a lake were we could and we enjoyed it very much. We also visited Mostar and saw the huge bridge where people jump off into the river below
Day 4
Today was another day in the village, there was still plenty of work to be done We went the Emanuel’s for lunch which was very nice. We ate a lot of meat while we were there and his family was very polite. Later in the afternoon some of the people that hadn’t been before went to look at the white tomb stones in Stolac
Today was a very special day for me because we finally went up Apparition Hill were Michael decided to go up in bar feet but this was also our second to last
Day 5
Today will be the last day with the Croatians and someone people got very very very upset and cried a lot but we decided to spend as much time and have as much fun as possible, the garden was finally finished and it looked amazing as we walked back from mass in the small village chapel saying the Rosary
THE Croatian children also prayed with us
In the evening we finally went up Apparition Hill which was very special for me, Michael decided to go up in bar feet but this was also our second to last
Day 6
Today we packed early and set off for our next hotel, we went caving were it was 30 degrees outside and 12 in side with very cold wind inside.
Afterwards we travelled on to Tribenji so we could be closer to Dubrovnik when we got there we got some pizzas and chilled out until next morning were we packed our things had some breakfast and travelled to Dubrovnik, but sadly we got stuck in border control for 2 hours. So we arrived at customs 10 minutes into boarding
This journey has meant a lot to me because I have made strong friends over there and it has defiantly strengthened my faith with Jesus, I hope to go back there and vist them again soon.
Thanks to everyone in the parish who made this trip possible for us
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[toggle state="closed" title="Lucy & John Slater"]
A short summing up of what was a wonderful experience for John and I.
Thank you everyone who made the Youth Pilgrimage to Hodovo a reality, without your support, generosity and continued prayers, this would not have taken place and our young people would have missed out on a wonderful, prayerful experience.
It was a pleasure to spend a week with everyone and a joy to be reunited with the boys and girls and adults we'd welcomed into our parish and homes just a few weeks ago. We were warmly welcomed too and invited to be part of their community during our visit which involved getting to know the parents and other brothers and sisters, playing sport and eating lunch together and praying each day and attending Mass on Sunday morning.
Everyone involved in making us feel so welcome throughout the week, showed enormous generosity, especially the families who invited us into their homes and those who provided lunch for us each day. We were overwhelmed by the hospitality and love shown towards us, one parent told me she'd remember the time we all spent together for the rest of her life and promised to pray for us all. I especially learned a lot from these families, they were so giving and epitomised how I would like to be.
Our young people were respectful and loving towards each other during our time in Hodovo and Medjugorje. They involved themselves willingly with anything asked of them and most importantly we prayed daily on more than one occasion for each other, our families at home, our parish, for the many blessings we have and so much more. We would urge you to spend time with these young adults if ever you get the opportunity, they are a real tonic!
What ever your views are about Medjugorje, once experienced, there is no denying it is a prayerful place. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main streets, the domain is unique and despite the thousands of people, young and old, there is opportunity to be lost in your thoughts and prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to be at one with Jesus Christ. John and I have lots of lovely memories of the week, we all got to know each other more and enjoyed each other's company and fully appreciated everyone’s God given talents. We are very grateful to Steve and Father Darren for navigating and driving us safely all week and to Michael for his skill and patience in 'project managing' the Peace Garden which was difficult at times with only one saw, thankfully though his fifty years experience came in mighty handy!
Two of our favourite memories are listening to the fabulous choir who sang at Mass at the church in Hodovo and praying the Rosary as the sun was setting during our walk up Apparition Hill.
Lucy and John Slater.
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[toggle state="closed" title="Nisha Thanikachalam"]
Thursday 30th July
The journey was long and tiring but it was nice to leave rainy Preston for the 40 degrees Celsius heat of Croatia. We walked to Medjugorje in the evening and it truly is an amazing place. As soon as I stepped into the church, I felt an inner peace and a new happiness that comes only from Our Lady and her son Jesus. Prabhu, George and I prayed the rosary together in St James Church whilst we had some free time in and around the church. It was nice to have some quiet time after an incredibly busy day.
Friday 31st July
We spent the morning and afternoon in Hodovo. It was amazing to meet all of our friends again and other friends from last summer who weren’t able to come to Preston on the exchange visit. It was very hot but work on the Peace garden commenced and there was a lot of teamwork needed to move the wood and rocks to the place where we’d start building. We spent a lot of time with the young people, playing football and the girls doing eachother’s hair. Lunch was made by Darija’s mother on this day.
In the evening we went to then Welcome Mass for the Youth Festival at Medjugorje, which was an incredible experience because there were thousands of people there from many different countries, all united as Catholics although we all speak different languages. We took a selfie with guys from Lebanon and made friends with some Italians. It was so nice to talk to people from other parts of the world.
Saturday 1st August
Today we continued to work on the Peace Garden in Hodovo and spent a day there. It was nice to meet the parents and family of some of the Hodovo children, who were all lovely and welcoming people. We celebrated mass in Hodovo with the children there.
Sunday 2nd August
Today we celebrated Mass in the church where the people of Hodovo and some other local villages gather on Sundays. It was interesting to celebrate Mass in another language because I could follow Mass and understand what they were saying and which part of the Mass we were on.
After mass we met the parents, families, friends and teachers of the children which was lovely because they were so kind and grateful for everything.
Lunch was made by Ivan and Damjan’s mother (two boys who came to Preston on the exchange visit). She made a lovely chocolate cake for us with the message ‘Thank you for everything. Preston and Hodovo’.
Then we went to Blagaj Buna, a river, in the evening and some of us went swimming in the river.
Monday 3rd August
Again, we had an amazing time with the Hodovo children and their families. It really does feel like we’re one big family now and we see them and they see us as brothers and sisters.
We had lunch in Emanuel’s house (another boy who came to Preston). Lunch was made by Emanuel’s mother and Lea and Gago’s parents. Ivona’s mother made dessert. It was so lovely how the families had organised who would cook lunch for us on which days and how welcoming they were. They made a lot of amazing food for us, which shows just how generous and loving these families are. For me, this is what our faith is all about; friendships, giving and receiving. Although the Hodovo families have so little compared to us, they didn’t think one second about making lots of incredible food for us and making us feel so at home in their village.
In the evening, we climbed up Apparition Hill and had some prayerful reflection time at the top. It was nice to see everyone completely immersed in prayer. Every evening, we also had night prayer in the hotel, before bed, when we prayed a decade of the Rosary together for different intentions. Every night, I remembered our parishioners at St Clares, who we’re all so grateful to, who made this trip possible for us by supporting us both financially and spiritually.
Tuesday 4th August
The last day with the Croatians in Hodovo was very emotional. We have all become the best of friends and it was so sad to be leaving them. We all now know that we have brothers and sisters in Hodovo and our relationships are very special and I know they will continue for the rest of our lives. It’s so amazing to have friends in another country. We showered the Croatians with little gifts we’d bought them and they also gave us bracelets and rosary beads. It was very emotional, but we all know that this isn’t the end and our friendships will last forever.
Wednesday 5th August
In the morning, we went to some caves in Vjetrenica which were so beautiful but unfortunately you were not allowed to take photos in them. The caves were very cold which was a nice difference to the blazing heat outside. We then continued on our journey to Trebinje where we stayed in a lovely hotel for the night, as it’s closer to the airport than Medjugorje. As a group, we young people grew very close to one another and it was nice to have another evening together reflecting on our fantastic week.
Thursday 6th August
Today we flew back to England!
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[toggle state="closed" title="Oliver"]
July 30th 2015
We arrived at church at 4am in the morning for our mini bus so we could set off for Manchester airport. Our overall journey was long and tiring but we were all relieved and happy to get to Medjugorje. As this was my 3rd time going the setting of Medjugorje was a comfortable and familiar setting.
July 31st 2015
Firstly we visited Hodovo. It was a good feeling to be re-united with our good friends. We started work on the peace garden as no further painting needed to be done in the school. We created a weed-free and flat area of land where the peace garden would be placed. Some of the adults created decking for the peace garden. After our lovely and filling dinner we had a half an hour walk to Medjgorje centre for the youth festival for some of us to attend mass whiles other looked around the shops. Unfortunately we missed my favourite part of the festival evening which was the singing and dancing with 50,000 people because we had to make our way back to the hotel.
Saturday 1st August 2015
Today we went back to Hodovo to continue work on the peace garden. We were welcomed by a few of the children and as the day went by more children arrived. The first coat of varnish was put on the decking. We then covered the border of the decking with stones. We left around 4:45pm to return to our hotel for another night at the festival in Medjugorje.
August 2nd 2015
The day started off with a very long and tiring walk to Apparition Hill to see a visionary have an apparition. When we got to the bottom of the hill the adults said we had to walk back so we would be in time for mass at Hodovo. We enjoyed a few hours at a river which most of us swam in and jumped off a rope swing. We visited Mostar which felt like a Turkey in setting and the shops and culture.
August 3rd 2015
Today we went back to Hodovo to finish the peace garden. We had a huge lunch in Emmanuel's garage which was generously organised by the parents' of the children in Hodovo. Me and some others visited some historical settlements in the town of Stolac which were very interesting and cultural. In the evening we went up Apparition Hill which was a very numinous and spiritual experience that helped me grow in my faith.
August 4th 2015
Today was our last day with the Hodovo children so the mood of the group was quiet and sad. We also had one last delicious meal at Darjia's cafe. The peace garden was finished once we got back from the Hodovo chapel where we just had mass and it looked so beautiful with a statue of Mary overlooking the village. A few tears were shed when we had to say our goodbyes to the Hodovo children as our bond with them was now so strong. Tonight was also our last evening in Medjugorje which was very sad for me as it is like a second home to me.
August 5th 2015
In the morning we loaded the vans with our luggage ready to move onto the next hotel in Trebinje. We thanked the lovely staff of the hotel and set off for Hodovo where we fortunately got to pick up three of the older children who were to come visit a cave with us. The cave was very cold which was nice compared to the scorching temperatures of the outside world. We then had to say some very emotional goodbyes to the last of the children ( some particular people cried more than others).
When we got to Trebinje we checked into a very glamerous hotel which was extremely different to the place we had stayed for the past 6 nights. We enjoyed a nice last meal in an Italian restaurant before we went to bed for a day of travelling awaited us.
August 6th 2015
In the morning we had a short tavel to the airport where we boarded our plane ready to return to England. Once we got back to church we were reunited with our families which was very nice after not seeing them for a week.
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[toggle state="closed" title="Prabu Thanikachalam"]
My religious experiences in Medjugorje
In the evening of our first day we visited St. James’s church for the first time, after an eventful mass, where many songs and dances occurred, Nisha, George, Heather and myself did a rosary in the church. After this rosary I felt a lot more peaceful.
Both Friday and Saturday we built the peace garden in Hodovo then spent our evening praying in St. James’s church. On Sunday an apparition was mean to occur on apparition hill, we walked to the hill. However due to the tremendous crowds we were unable to climb the hill. We were all very disappointed as to be not in the presence of Mary. However this was quickly forgotten as we went to mass in Hodovo. Although the mass was in Croatian it was very interesting. They had an exceptional number of altar servers and 3 priests including our very own Father. Darren. After mass we went to Blagaj Buna and spent our afternoon there. In the evening we returned to St James’s where we witnessed the procession of Mary. After the procession there was exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Where I prayed deeply about many things and felt closer to God after it.
On Monday after a day with the Croatians we climbed apparition hill. We went halfway up to a statue of Mary where I wrote many things and placed it on Mary’s feet. After this I knew that everything I wrote would be granted, I had a feeling that I won’t be let down, I was so happy.
Tuesday was the last day we were with the Croatians so it was an emotional day. We ended the day with one last visit to St James’s church and bought gifts for our friends and family. On Wednesday we started the day with a visit to Vjetrenica where we went caving. 3 of the Croatians came with us and after we said bye to them we set of to Trebinje. The journey was quiet and sad as we all missed the Croatians. In Trebinje we spent our day in the hotel just talking. And finally on Thursday our trip came to the end. After our visit I feel a lot closer to God and a lot happier too.
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[toggle state="closed" title="Sarah Williams"]
Day 1 - Thursday 30th July
We got to St Clare’s for 4am, which felt very early and we were all very tired, but excited for the week ahead! We then travelled to Manchester airport in a minibus and got to the airport in good time, in order to get through security in time for the flight. After that, we flew on the plane to Dubrovnik. Before setting off, there was a special announcement to say Happy Birthday to Father Darren! The flight was good, and when we got off the plane it was swelteringly hot, which was a nice change from typical British weather!!! After this, we had a bit of a wait until the minibus came so that we could get to Medjugorje. We then travelled for about 1½ hours to get to our hotel. Next, we had some free time to walk around Medjugorje, and some of us used this time to go to the Candle Area near St James’ church, which was very nice! All of us had a nice but tiring first day.
Day 2 - Friday 31st July
The following morning, after a good night’s sleep, we went to Hodovo and saw the young people there. It was really good to see them again! We began our day with them by having mass with them in their school gym. We then started on the peace garden by levelling out the ground and by raking away the leaves and grass and cutting away any plants which would be in the way. This was very tiring work as the weather was so warm. Later in the afternoon, we had water fights with the Croatian young people which were really funny. The youth festival in the evening was very nice and spiritual, and it was very fun taking part in the mass. However, we had to leave early as others wanted some free time around the Medjugorje town centre. We then returned to the hotel. Today has been very fun, but hot!
Day 3- Saturday 1st August
Firstly, we went to Hodovo. When we arrived there, quite a few of the young people were there to meet us. This was lovely as they are always very welcoming. We then had mass with them in their school gym which was nice. After that we moved wood so that we could start to build the peace garden. We then applied the first layer of the wooden structure in the peace garden. We also applied the second layer of varnish to the wood after the first layer had dried and moved rocks to cover up the gaps around the wood. In the evening, we went to the candle meditation which was part of the Youth Festival in Medjugorje, which looked very nice.
Day 4 - Sunday 2nd August
As today was a Sunday, the day of the Sabbath, we didn’t have to do any work on the peace garden. Instead, we woke up at about 6am to walk up a mountain to see a visionary. However, as we needed to get back to go to the hotel in time for breakfast and the Hodovo mass, we didn’t get to be there. The walk back was very tiring, and although it was still very early in the morning, it was swelteringly hot. After breakfast, we set off in the minibus to the church in Hodovo. The church itself was beautiful inside and was very nicely decorated. Even though mass seemed very long, it was really nice, and I could tell that it had the same structure as mass at St Clare’s. The choir there sounded very good.
After this, we went to a river with the young people from Hodovo which we dipped our feet in. This was nice and refreshing and the water was very cold, however as you couldn’t swim there, we went somewhere else. Some of us swam at this place, dived into the water, and went on the rope swing. Carrying on from the river, we went to Mostar and walked over and stood on the famous bridge from which people like to jump off. The scenery there was stunning! After tea, we went to the Youth festival in Medjugorje in which there was a procession with the statue of Our Lady. Today has been my favourite day so far!
Day 5 - Monday 3rd August
In the morning, we went to Hodovo to see the Croatians. Even though it had been raining last night and there had been a storm, the weather soon warmed up. At lunch time, we went to Emanuel’s house to have lunch. The food was fantastic and they were very generous with how much food they put out!! During the afternoon, whilst everyone else stayed in Hodovo, a few of us visited Stolac. We saw an archaeologist site, gravestones, and we walked around Stolac for a bi
In the evening, we walked up Apparition Hill. Even though this walk was very hard (especially on the way down) and a bit tiring, it was definitely worth it! The walk was really nice, especially as we said the rosary at some of the stations and the view was beautiful. After the walk, we visited some of the local shops to buy some bracelets and other gifts for the Croatians, as tomorrow would be our last day with them.
Day 6 -Tuesday 4th August
We spent the day in Hodovo with the Croatians. During the day, we visited the Hodovo village and went in Gago’s house. We also had our last mass with them in the chapel in Hodovo which was very nice. Before we went, we gave the Croatians presents such as bracelets and some of them gave us presents as well. We were all very emotional at the end of the day when we had to say goodbye. I really hope we get to see them all again, especially as we have become such good friends with them! In the evening, we visited Medjugorje. We did some praying in the candle area and then looked around the shops. When we returned to the hotel, we had a BBQ which the hotel owners had put on to say goodbye. Today was really good, even though it was very emotional.
Day 7 - Wednesday 5th August
Today, we went to some caves in Vjentrica, and we met some of the young Croatian people there (Darija, Ivan and Gago.) We went in some caves there, in which we had to wear helmets. The caves were awesome, and it was nice to feel cold rather than being really hot. We then had to say goodbye to Darija, Ivan and Gago which was really sad.
After this, we went to Trebinje, as this was where our new hotel was. Luckily for us, this journey only took us about 1/1½ hours, instead of the 6½ hours it took last year! When we got to Trebinje, we went to the new hotel. I was sharing a room with Emma and Hannah, and our room was absolutely massive and looked (and felt) very elegant!
Day 8 - Thursday 6th August
Today, we woke up, packed our belongings and then went on the minibus to the airport, which only took about an hour. We then flew home from Dubrovnik airport to Manchester airport, and as we arrived it looked as though it was raining and cold. However, when we got off the plane, it felt nice to have colder weather for a change, and not feeling boiling hot all the time! I have found this whole experience amazing and it has been brilliant being able to have a chance to make such good friends with the Croatians and being able to visit places such as Mostar and Apparition Hill. I have found this whole experience amazing and it has been brilliant being able to have a chance to make such good friends with the Croatians and being able to visit places such as Mostar and Apparition Hill. This whole experience has meant a lot to me, as I have been able to become really good friends with the Croatians over the past 2 years, as I met them last year when I went over there for the first time. I have also been able to build and strengthen my relationship with the other young people from St Clare’s. Hopefully I will be able to keep and strengthen my friendships with these people by being involved in future fundraising events and social events within the parish. Furthermore, this experience has benefitted me spiritually and has helped to deepen my faith, especially through experiences such as going to the Youth Festival in Medjugorje and going up Apparition Hill.
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[toggle state="closed" title="Emma Gardiner"]
For me the trip to Hodovo was an incredible life changing experience. I've always been a girl that's felt quite close to God but words can't explain the difference I felt coming back. When we landed in Dubrovnik we had a beautiful drive to our hotel in Medjugorie which took about 3 hours with 4 borders to get through. Arriving at the hotel situated on the hill into the city we had an amazing view of the area around us. We got our keys and then sat down for our first meal together, followed by a night of being in the city and socialising with each other. The next day was our first day in Hodovo. Due to being at work I never got the chance to meet all the children when they came over just a couple of weeks before but I'd heard that they had been asking about me and as soon as we all stepped out the van they ran and introduced themselves to me and said hello. Although there was a language barrier and I hadn't met them before it was like I'd know them all for years. We started off by celebrating mass in their gym and soon later everyone got to work on building the peace garden. On the first day the frame got built and a few rounds of friendly football had been played. Every night was finished with a visit into the city of Medjugorie for peaceful self prayer and then a decade of the rosary altogether at the hotel. The third day saw us back at Hodovo at 9am sharp, the day once again started off with mass and then the next parts of the peace garden were built. For lunch every day one of the family's of the Hodovo village cooked for us and the food was incredible. I couldn't believe the hospitality they all gave us, they were all so kind. As the days went on we visited a city called Mostar and went to a swimming river (everyone was so hot that we all just jumped in!) and spent so much time with the children over there. The more I got to know them, the more I heard about their childhood and I've come home with friends for life. On the Sunday we celebrated mass with the Parish priest in their parish church and the people couldn't be anymore welcoming as he said a little part about us at the end. During a couple of the days we went into the village and all the families welcomed us into their homes and showed us around. On our last day in Hodovo we finished the peace garden and it was an amazing achievement, it looked beautiful! This was the day we said goodbye to all the children excluding Ivan, Darija and Dragan. On the last day when we left for Trebinje we drove to some caves and had a look round there and then we said our goodbyes to the rest of the guys from Hodovo. So many tears had been shed the last 2 days and presents had been exchanged.
The trip has given me memories I will remember for the rest of my life and I'd just life to thank every member of our parish who made it possible and you were all in our prayers throughout our week.
Thank you!
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[toggle state="closed" title="Nijo John"]
Each and every moment I spent in Lourdes was special, it made me feel special. I felt close to God. As I gave myself into his hands in Lourdes, he helped me to get close to him and be with him. As I spent every second in the Grotto at night, my heart flowed calm and peacefully like a river. The Statue of Mary is still in my mind. At night, the statue stood out the most. It felt like Mary was actually there in that statue, that’s how much it shined.
By helping the pilgrims get through Lourdes, it has given me more confidence to communicate with other and help the public. I had great joy talking to the pilgrims and spending time with them. We had a lot of laugh as we went drinking after each event. We went to services and for shopping together.
I made great new friends and companions. Learned new things, got new skills and I found out who I really am. We enjoyed our self when we went to the Lake Le Lourdes. We swam half the Lake, we wrestled on the paddle boat and we went kayaking. We jumped off from the edge of the pier into the water. It was one of the best experience I have ever had. We also had a fancy dress party where we danced and had few drinks. Some of the costume looked hideous. Well that was the main aim of this party.
This trip was one of the best event I’ve done. If I had the chance to go again, I would certainly go. From hearing this, don’t you feel like going? I bet you will have more fun than me. You should try it out some time.
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