A Testimony From the Editor
Letter from the Editor
Volume 2 Issue 11 July 2007
Fellow Trailblazers,
It has almost been a year since Trailblazer's last pilgrimage,
Guadalupe. I also realized that I never wrote a testimony about my
experience in Guadalupe. I have decided, since we have a lot of people
viewing the Compass for the first time, that I would tell about my
experience in this letter.
Traveling with Trailblazers was a wonderful experience for me since it
was the first time I had ever been to a foreign country. (I don't think
Canada counts as foreign!) Mexico is remarkably different from the
United States. Not only in climate and terrain, but also in the people
and their culture. One thing that struck me the most was the churches
we stayed at or passed through. Although these people are obviously
poor, they are able to maintain the most beautiful churches I have ever
seen. Many times, when Fr. Paul said mass for us there were villagers
sitting in the back also attending the mass, even though they probably
couldn't understand of word of English.
Two other special experiences stand out in my mind; celebrating my
seventeenth birthday and seeing the tilma of Juan Diego. I made a point
of not telling anyone about my birthday; I didn't want it to become a
very big thing. That was rather hard to do considering I had two very
good friends who were also pilgrims with Trailblazers. We started our
day of hiking and after lunch, Fr. Paul, two other pilgrims and I, sat
on a curb in a small town to play dominos. (We were all too sore and
achy to continue walking) We finally reached the church where we would
be staying and sat down to dinner. Once everyone was finished, one of
the Mexican moms who was cooking for us brought out a cake and
everyone started singing. I was shocked. I blew out the candles and
then the scouts handed me their birthday present to me: a small tote
bag with a cartoon image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on it. I was very
touched by their sweet gesture and in case any of you are wondering, I
still have the bag.
Of course, seeing Our Lady of Guadalupe topped all other experiences.
To stand mere feet away from the tilma was incredible. Words cannot
describe what I felt when I looked up at Our Lady. Seeing her made all
the hiking and soreness disappear. When we visited her before leaving Guadalupe I
couldn't stop crying. It was as if I was leaving my mother behind. It
wasn't until after we had left Guadalupe that I realized that I hadn't
really left her. She was still, and always will be, with me.
God Bless You All!
Virginia - Editor of the Compass
Contact us:
Virginia: editor of The Compass - compasseditor@trailblazerswyd.org
Amy : Trailblazers Secretary-
secretary@trailblazerswyd.org
(248) 722-5808 * www.trailblazerswyd.org
Mailing Address: Trailblazers, WYD, Inc., c/o Bovitz, CPA, C.P., P.O. Box 445 , Trenton, MI 48183
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