Münster, Germany
When I learned that the assignment would be in Münster, I realized that it was going to mean stepping out of my comfort zone: talking to strangers is not an easy thing for me.
I will never forget the long conversation with a woman who invited us into her home. I listened to her story, tried to understand her pain. She was so grateful for the visit that the next day she came to one of our masses with testimonies and songs. She told me that she had "recharged her batteries" and that she felt again the desire to come closer to the Church.
The first step was to collect "Good News" - good news - at a young adult school and at a market. Hearing responses like "my little sister is my good news," "I found an apartment," or "I've been drug-free for a year" touched me deeply. Those simple phrases opened doors to honest conversations full of humanity.
We also visited houses. Sometimes we just stood at the door, leaving a greeting and a small souvenir of the mission. But even those brief moments transformed faces: people smiled, and I felt that somehow we had made their day.
I will never forget the long conversation with a woman who invited us into her home. I listened to her story, tried to understand her pain. She was so grateful for the visit that the next day she came to one of our masses with testimonies and songs. She told me that she had "recharged her batteries" and that she felt again the desire to come closer to the Church.
For me, the change was clear: I went from fearing contact with strangers to discovering the richness there is in every encounter. I learned that, going two by two, as Jesus sent his disciples, one receives and gives much more.
Let us illuminate our time was not just a slogan: it was the experience of seeing how God's light passes from one person to another... and also to me. Next year I will be back.
Cristina, from Munster, Germany
