WYD Trip Part 4- Madrid, Spain

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is the last post in my World Youth Day post series. It's taken me long enough, but forgive me, I have been absurdly busy lately. Thank you Jesus for weekends! Anyhow, now for my WYD trip conclusion post... (drumroll please)

August 19th 2011
Madrid


This will be brief, I don't have much time. Today was blessed. Left Rome at 6:30, missed bus, took cab, flew to Madrid, arrived at Colegios Bosque. We went to way of the cross with the Pope! Ran into Steven from ECHO, that was crazy. We missed adoration, came home and had an awesome prayer. The Pope's address was sooo beautiful and inspiring! God blessed by him, it was Hollis' birthday.


-Alyse


So, that was basically a key word outline of my day, now to expound. We did leave from Rome at 6:30 and manage to miss our bus, non-refundable of course, and had to take cabs. It was funny to see how some of the people who hadn't ever ridden in cabs were excited about it, until the insane Italian cab drivers almost killed us all (not really but it felt like it). By the grace of God we made our flight to Madrid. We walked to the school that received us and got settled into the gym, the guys slept outside. Then we went out amongst the millions of people to the stations of the cross. Every station, the cross was carried by a group of people that the station related to, it was really beautiful. We were all blessed by the Pope after an amazingly inspiring address that I only wish I could remember. My beautiful friend Hollis received her first Papal blessing that day on her birthday, it was super cool. Then we went to the English speaking building for WYD, planned to go to adoration after going to supper, and then missed adoration. It was disappointing, but God really looked out for us. Also, crazy side note, Hollis and I ran into Steven who we had met at T.O.B camp this summer. Steven is from South Africa, was in Louisiana for a little while, and was at WYD with some of his South African buddies. It is truly a small world. That night we went back to the school and had a really blessed prayer time under the glorious blanket of stars and realized, "Guys we just saw the Pope!" it was a pretty epic day.

August 21st 2011
Flight Madrid to London


Yesterday was so blessed! We walked to the WYD field after leaving our school accommodations.  It was insane to see how many people were there! More than the eye could see in every direction, they estimated between 1.5 and 2 million people! It was such a blessing to see so many Catholics in one spot. We ate lunch, and then walked around. We me Mexicans, Italians, Americans, Canadians, and Irish people. I was able to go to confession in one of the chapel tents. The Pope arrived and it began to storm! Wind was blowing and it was raining. He had to pause in his address to let it pass. During the pause, the chapel/canopy tent thing collapsed, with the babies and moms of our group inside. Only by the grace of God were they not injured. We had to leave that night, because we would miss our flight today if we didn't. We did stay for the Pope's address, benediction, and adoration. It was so blessed to be a part of the multitude. As I prayed the Our Father and said "Thy kingdom come" I felt that WYD was a foreshadowing of heaven. We are His kingdom! We spent the night in the airport, went to mass there, and are now headed to London. Praise God for His faithfulness!
-Alyse


WYD was really such an amazing blessing. I really felt that I was in God's kingdom. I always hear how we are His church, but I have never had such a clear image before that. That crazy night, when there was an extreme storm and the Pope's hat flew off (pretty awesome) the tent collapsed. I say tent, but it was more of a temporary building, the same that I had gone to confession in earlier. About two hundred people had gathered inside to stay dry from the rain, including my aunts and cousins. When it started to sway the people left, including my aunts, they say that they saw a metal beam fall on the place they had been sitting only seconds after they walked out. God really protected them. My Uncle John Paul was afraid that his family had been killed, this experience was a really profound one for our whole group. It seemed sad at the time to miss mass, but we had to leave for the babies, since they had no shelter now. We left and the next day found out that mass didn't have communion or electricity anyway, no one there received Jesus or heard the Pope's homily. Even though it was sad, God was looking out for us. We were able to go to mass in the airport with a little priest that made me think of Saints. Then, we caught a flight to London where we enjoyed each other's company before a many-hour-long plane ride. It was a life changing two days.

August 23rd 2011
Home- Wrap Up


To sum up our trip, we arrived in London at Gatwick and went to Heathrow, where we stayed the night. That night we all shared the ways that we were touched on the trip, it was so blessed. It was so wonderful to see the unique ways that God impacted each of us. I realized just how blessed I was to be around such an amazing group of people. The next morning we flew to Houston and were greeted at the airport. I knew that the 27 people that stepped off of that plane were not the same as the people who stepped on 15 days before. God had impacted us so much, and we all were changed. Even if it wasn't something super noticeable, it was profound, lasting, and unique in each one of us. God's promise was fulfilled, "Where two or more are gathered in my name", we gathered and he came. I arrived home with Anika and we shared our experience with our family. Summing it up for them made me realize just how full and blessed it was. I can honestly say it was one of the most blessed seasons of my life. The knowledge, growth, truth, sacrifice, and divine love that I was able to partake in still amazes me. It was all so big that it was/is hard to grasp. I do know that God is good, he showed up, and we lived with and for Him. Praise God!
-Alyse


Peace and love in Christ,
Alyse