“The joy of redemption descends from heaven”
Barquisimeto, July 22, 2024 – Since July 18, 32 young people from the Redemptorist missionary presence at Barquisimeto and Valencia met at the Colegio Divino Niño, in El Tostado, to live an experience of faith, growth and service. During the first two days, they shared, learned about the life of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori and the Redemptorist values, reflected on their faith and adored the Blessed Sacrament.
The mission: to bring the joy of Christ
On Saturday, joy overflowed upon arriving at Villa Productiva when the young people, now missionaries, walked the streets, bringing smiles and words of encouragement to every home. They shared games and laughter with the children at the soup kitchen, visited the sick, offering them company and prayer, and ended the day with a Holy Mass that united the entire community.
The experience of these young Redemptorists in Villa Productiva is a call to all to be instruments of God’s redemption in the world. May their joy and enthusiasm spread to all those around them and may their testimony inspire others to discover in the path of God a figure of a close and loving friend.
The joy of these young people not only spread to the community of Villa Productiva, but was also evident in their sharing with the parish community of San José during the Holy Mass on Sunday, July 21. Their enthusiasm and fervor spread to all those present who felt inspired to follow the path of Christ with joy and hope.
On Sunday, the joy of the young Redemptorists was multiplied when they shared it with the parish community of San José. During the Holy Mass and the subsequent sharing, there was an atmosphere of fraternity and contagious joy.
“Fernando Pérez,” one of the young people, said: “I have been deeply impressed by the welcome and affection we have received from the parish community. There is a feeling of true brotherhood in Christ. This experience has motivated me even more to continue forward on my journey of faith.”
A message of hope
The experience of the Redemptorist Youth Camp leaves us with a message of hope: the joy of faith is contagious and can transform lives. May the example of these young Redemptorists inspire us all to be instruments of God’s redemption in the world, bringing joy and hope to others.
Andean Caribbean Province
