World Youth Day

A few months ago, I was talking to a friend about the fact that although I love my job as a Catholic school teacher, despite it's humble pay, I just wish I had more money to travel with.  I have especially been dying to return to Europe after getting a taste of it in both high school (3 weeks in France) and college (a week in Ireland)  My friend, a wise man, told me to ask God to provide a way for me to go.  Well, I did mutter a little prayer that night and every so often I would ask the Lord to provide a way for me to travel back to Europe. But to be totally honest...I didn't really have faith that God would provide me with travel plans to Europe.  Even though I teach my students that the Lord really wants us to come to Him with everything...that there really is no silly prayer request. I mean there are people starving, dying, and in major crisis, I didn't think that my wishes to travel to Europe ranked high on the Lord's to do list. I think my faith didn't trust that the Lord would provide if He saw fit. 

You can see where this is going, can't you?  Well, about a week ago, I received an email from a friend of mine on Facebook asking if I would be interested in going on a pilgrimage to Rome for a week then on to Madrid for the World Youth Day festivities.  Someone had dropped out and they had an extra spot available.  As I read her message I knew I was supposed to go.  I immediately was reminded of my muttered prayers I had offered up earlier in the year.  I met with the organizer of the trip and she said that earlier that day she had saw me on Facebook, a common occurence mind you, and she felt like she should ask me, but assumed that with my involvement in ministry around town had probably had a million invitations.  Little did she know....

So I am going...yes, it's going to cost me almost $4,000 to go and I am not sure just where that money is coming from yet, but I think the Lord is asking me to trust Him in this.  I have begun fundraising and looking at ways to save money already, and something tells me that somehow all the money will be there.  The Lord will provide. 

In the meantime, I am off to brush up on my Italian and Spanish! :)