Community Building Blocks

During our missionary activity we visited a catholic parish in the hills of Mexico City. It was ravished by poverty and there were drugs and criminal activity all around. I was a little bit “green behind the ears.” We arrived in this parish I thought to myself, “so this is what missionary life is all about”. This was exciting, this was an adventure. We were a group of protestant missionaries who were going to evangelize the Catholics. We met with the parish priest Padre Navarro, a big man with an even bigger heart. He gave us a big welcome. I was surprised that he would invite a majorly protestant missionary organization to come and evangelize in his Parish. Coming from South Africa I really didn’t know anything about Catholics. I had one friend who was catholic and wanted me to attend his confirmation classes with him, but that was quickly prohibited by my parents. I didn’t think Catholics were even Christians. In our introduction to the local parish, which Padre Navarro gave he said “You can come to my parish, and you can see many problems here and there are many bad things which are happening in my parish, but you can also see many precious people who are hungry for God and who love the Lord in my parish. However, my question to you is what do you want to be? A rubbish collector or a treasure finder.” That really sat deep in my heart. I knew what was going on in my heart. I was seeing all the things that were wrong in this parish and all the things that I felt were wrong in the Catholic church and that God had sent us here to bring everything in order. I had agreed with him that there were a lot of things that were not right in his parish and I as a protestant missionary thought I had all the right answers. But that day I recognized how proudful my attitude was and that day I made a decision to always want to be a “treasure finder” and not a “rubbish collector.”
And what a treasure I found! The people were so lovely and beautiful. Friendly and would always invite us into their most humble homes. We were always invited in for a meal. I was totally overwhelmed by their friendliness and the joy that they had despite their destitute poor situation. We attended the Catholic mass. I had never been to one. I didn’t know when I needed to sit, kneel or stand. But it seemed to me that they were always really pleased when the mass came to an end. Because it was only then that they erupted, rejoicing and praising the Lord. Usually in the church that I was a part of we would start with the praising. But I felt the presence of God so strong, there in that Catholic mass. God was truly at work in this Catholic church up in the hills of Mexico City. I can still remember that I would sit in front of the altar and the blessed sacrament where I would have my quite time in the mornings. There was such a peace, and the Spirit of God was very strong. Some of my best times before the Lord were there in front of the altar. I didn’t know about what Catholics believed about the “real presence” of the Lord in the host (the Eucharist). All I knew that God was there, and He was meeting me, speaking to me and pouring out His love on me. It was beautiful, an experience I would never forget. I enjoyed and soaked up the presence of God. God was tugging at my heart. He was doing something in my heart – I didn’t quite understand what it was. This is not supposed to be happening to me – I mean I was in a Catholic church filled with icons, a statue of Mary and God’s presence was very real. I fell in love with the people there and I fell in love with this little catholic parish.

After our time in the Parish, we returned to the busyness of Mexico City. The World cup soccer games were at its peak. We would travel to the stadiums where the soccer games were being held and we would do street evangelization before the games. We met people from all over the world. Many of the people I happened to meet and ministered to were from catholic nations. Suddenly, another world had opened up before me. Before I had hardly recognized or known Catholics and now there were people from all over the world who were Catholic. Weather they were from Brazil, Argentina; Chile; Italy or Spain. I was totally amazed. I asked myself God what are you trying to say to me.