Netherlands Mission Part 1

The mission was amazing, thank you all for your prayers. This mssion for me topped all the other two misisons we went on, Lisbon Portugal, and New Bridge Ireland. Ireland was our last mission and it was an awesome mission, it had a very demanding schedule where we gave of ourselve constantly. It was nonstop, speaking in class after class at schools, and then at night either at an open house, or pub evangelizing. In the Netherland's mission, we weren't able to speak at as many classes to speak at, and the schedule wasn't as hectic, but I'd say the difference between the two missions was that in the Netherland's we were able to make deeper contacts. When I speak about contacts, what I mean is when we speak with someone and really give witness and share about God, conversing adout subjects like life, love, happiness, faith, truth, and more. I probably say that 8 out of 10 people I spoke to said that they didn't believe in God. But then I'd ask them from a scale from one to ten on how much they believe in God with ten being the highest and one being the lowest. The average answer was around four or five. So for most cases it seems that it wasn't a matter not believing in God, but a matter of not knowing anything about God.

A little about evangelizing, we were taught that if your goal in evangelizing is to try and convince or convert then you're sure to fail, NO in evangelizing you are to listen to the person/s and to just speak about God. In the Netherlands I chose to speak about how God truly loves us, and that we can have a close personal relation with Him. I would go in depth about many other things about God, but that was the main message that I would try to share. I'd even share a little about my testimony if I'd get the chance. (I'll post mine up someday) So, when speaking to people, I would first say what's up or hello, introduce myself, where I'm from, tell them about the parish mission and the upcoming events for the mission, then just talk to them, and maybe try to answer any question they might have about the Faith. I would try to speak in all humility, and love, NOT acting as if I have all the answers, NOT trying to push my beliefs, but just try to share my own story of how I've experience God in my life.

Just to tell you alittle bit about the schedule of the mission, we go there on Friday and 25th of March (Jemery Mendoza's birthday, Happy Birthday!) that night was cool because we went to the Scout meeting and got to hangout with them chilling around the bonfire sappin' beers and sharing with them. The Scouts, as in boyscouts, girlscouts, consists of guys and girl, and is a big/cool thing to be in Europe, where the age range was from eighteen to mid twenties even thirties. At the beginning talked who we were and what we were doing, two people shared their testimonies and then we just hung out the rest of the time. The rest of the week we did some street evangelization during the day and in the night time there was some scheduled event that we helped host. On Tuesday thru Thursday we went St. Augustine high school during the the hole day and spoke in sone of the classes. In the Ireland mission we were invited to speak at five different schools, and at this mission one of the other schools that we were scheduled to speak at flaked on us at the last minute. At the hihg school, they had this circular room in the middle of the school, called the Atrium, where students would go and study or hangout during their off periods. The Atrium was key, because it was there that we were able to speak in small, intimate groups of people, and have some profound conversations.

I've have so many more stories to tell, but I'm pressed for time. We're all getting ready for this Easter Tridium Retreat that we are going to serve from Wednesday till Monday morning. After that we have our Spring Break 2K6 for seven days, where some friends and I will be going south of Italy to party in SICILY!!!! I've heard so much about this place and how absolutely beautiful it is. So to be continued my friends, until spring break ends.

Have a Blessed Good Friday, and a Happy Easter!!! "Always, remember Christ." These were the words I remember my grandfather Santiago Puertollano, telling me the last time I saw him before he passed away. He said these words to me at time when I was turned away from God, and chose not to believe in Him.

I invite you all to meditate on the Passion of the Christ this Good Friday, either watch the movie and/or read it in the Bible, Mark chapters 14 and 15. Know that you all are in my prayers. God knows our hearts, and He knows the people in them. God Bless!!! Ave Maria!!!