My experience at World Youth Day has been such a blessed time. At the beginning of it, I was thrown into a group that I wasn’t very familiar with, but over the past two weeks, I’ve been able to get to know some of the most positive and supportive people. That in itself is life-changing.
We’ve faced so many adversities together, like our bus getting stuck, sleeping in a dirt field in 35-degree weather with no shade, and managing transit packed so tight you’d be chest to chest with random people.
Throughout this whole experience, our team has been optimistic and selfless. We kept it cool by praying the Rosary, singing, and cracking jokes.
People continually offered up their suffering and encouraged each other. This has been so impactful, showing me how to be gracious, selfless, and thankful for all the good things that have come our way.
I have also realized how much we take for granted, like a cozy bed instead of dirt ground, a laundry machine being 30 seconds away instead of 15 minutes, a washroom that doesn’t get clogged, a mother who cooks good food, and a province where it rains.
I’m so thankful that God blessed us with a beautiful team, a magical time, and a cozy home to go to when this is all over.
Patrice Quon is a pilgrim from St. Joseph’s Parish in Langley.
