Last night after dinner our group had the chance to watch a video about the life of Padre Gregorio, a priest from Minnesota who was sent to minister to San Lucas for what was only supposed to be two years. Although he originally did not want to come to Guatemala, he quickly fell in love with the people and the mission. One thing led to another and Padre Gregorio ended up staying for 48 years. While the video shared stories about his life and how the mission has been responding to the needs of the San Lucas community over the years, it also showed footage from Padre's funeral in 2012. Over 30,000 people came to pay their respects to a man who truly showed Christ to this portion of the world.
I was extremely moved by Father's impact on the people here. It is crazy to think that I would have never learned about this man's life and work if I didn't have the chance to be in Guatemala this week. The more I travel in the United States and abroad, the more I realize that people like Padre Gregorio labor and love all over the world. This simple fact gives me hope. I feel extremely honored to have been here and to have been able to touch some of the projects that Padre Gregorio and others poured their lives into. Whether I was digging a trench to increase water access in the town, repainting the walls of the mission school, learning the rich culture and history of the region, or helping to build a stove for a local family, I saw Christ. This week has renewed my spirit and has once again helped me to realize that although there are many different people in this world, we are united in Christ.
Hay muchas personas en este mundo, pero hay solo un Dios. Por eso, nosotros estamos unidos. Gracias a Dios por todo.
Meredith
No comments:
Post a Comment