Also today we give voice, through Jessica’s testimony, to Fernando della Mora’s Friends AJA Vocational Youth Mission, “A lesson in humility and service.”
“At the end of our mission, I was deeply touched by all that I had experienced. The days spent in María Antonia and Carapeguá taught me the importance of humility, service and closeness to the most vulnerable.
The Sisters of Charity are not only evangelizers of the word, but also examples of Christian living, ready to sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
Moreover, the people of these villages, with their simple smiles and unwavering faith, reminded us that the real purpose of our mission is to grow together, strengthen our faith and live the Gospel in a tangible way. The beauty of this trip was not only in the teachings we shared, but in everything we received: the gratitude, love and closeness of a community living in the joy of the Lord. Conclusion: the mission continues
This missionary experience was a real life lesson, reminding us that mission is not limited to a trip or a specific project, but must be a permanent attitude in the Christian life.
In María Antonia, in Carapeguá and in every corner of the world, Catholic mission is still alive, guided by the Holy Spirit, and continues to transform hearts and communities. Returning from this mission, I brought with me not only memories, but a deep desire to continue to serve and witness to God’s love everywhere. For as the Sisters of Charity and the communities we encountered taught us, true mission is in every act of kindness, every gesture of love and every effort to do good.
Take me where men need your words, a song that resonated very strongly within me when I arrived at this mission, and to be honest it was my first experience of this kind, I had never gone on a mission so far from my home, to Colonia María Antonia in Paraguarí and then to Carapeguá.
This was honestly a new adventure, to which I went with fear and a lot of anxiety, and my conversation with God as I packed my things was, Father God, I go where you call me and hope to be your instrument. With this feeling I left accompanied by my friend and during the journey I got to know better the Sisters of Charity, whom I met in this mission, but in every moment I felt at home.
And one of the most important things I understood was the reason why Jesus said that to enter the kingdom of heaven you have to be like children, which I understood clearly with the children, because I tell you the truth, I felt in them such a sincere love without malice, tender and charming, as if these children can understand the word better than any adult.
I liked it because I felt like a child again, the things that were distressing me were nothing compared to the joy and peace I felt at that moment, and it is nice because I went with the intention of giving something and I was the one who received more.
It is really such a beautiful act to visit the homes of strangers to bring God’s word that is full of love, full of hope and to be able to listen to them, because they are people who want to be heard.They shared with us their experiences, the things that God has done in their lives and the small and big miracles and the faith with which they shared with us in each home we visited was a completely different experience. I felt so good because in many situations it was God speaking through me. I would like to talk about a particular case where a man questioned us about why several young people suffer from certain diseases without a cure and the man mentioned LUPUS: -I have been a lupus patient for 5 years- and I remember feeling in the same situation when my disease had gotten much worse and I also asked God Why me? why am I suffering from something that has no cure and these were the same words of this man (his daughter was going through this situation) and I realized that I went through those bad times but I was never alone, that God’s presence was in all the people who were with me and that many times they are not a punishment but rather a challenge, a test where in the moment we go through it we don’t understand it, but then God brings us to be so well and to be a testimony and a light for those who go through similar times.
It’s a matter of surrendering to God, and there won’t be a trial that we can’t face from His hand and now, 5 years later, I could understand why I went through it and I’m sure the girl can understand it too and without a doubt I keep saying to God BRING ME WHERE MEN NEED YOUR WORDS.”
Jessica Belen Lezcano Caseres
