In just week from today, I have the opportunity to travel to Rio de Janiero, Brazil with 10 of my teens and 3 other adult chaperones. I cannot even began to tell you all how excited I am!
The theme of WYD 2013 is “Go make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), which I believe is especially fitting for the youth to hear in our society today. They are guessing that this WYD will be the most attended one to date–with even more people from the area attending who are not pilgrims just to see our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
My group of 10 teens from Holy Family have been diligently working very hard over the past year to fundraise–and we have raised just under $37,000 to be able to put towards our trip. And now, we are finally ALMOST there! We depart on Saturday, July 20th and will return the following week.
I am writing to let you all know that we want YOU to be able to experience some of our journey with us. I have set up a blog that we will be updating as often as we can while we are there. The kids will be posting their experiences, thoughts, and prayers on the blog as well as myself and the other adults. Please take a look and share with others who may be interested as well. The website is http://hfccwyd.wordpress.com and it already has a few posts on it (working on getting a few more up before we leave).
I also am asking for your prayers. Please keep us and everyone else traveling to Rio in your thoughts and prayers. Not only for safety while traveling, but that everyone be open to the message that they will hear throughout the week. That they be open to whatever it is God is trying to say in their lives.
My special prayer request? To get a hug from Pope Francis 🙂