This year, I decided to volunteer to help with the California Summer Vacation. I like to organize and thought that maybe I could be of some help. We did something new this year and stayed in condominiums with four bedrooms, so there was a mix of people and families in every condo. I was asked to assign people to their condos and I had a good time trying to figure out who would like to be with whom and how we would all fit best. But then I got asked to do more and to be on the phone calls to help plan and before I knew it, I was right in the thick of it. Typically when this happens, I completely ignore my kids and husband and get very stressed out and have a hard time enjoying the actual event. But for some reason this year was different. I was able to tell myself that even assigning the rooms is not separate from my relationship with Christ, my relationship with my friends, but actually a part of it. Being on the phone calls was a big help from that perspective because Damian kept asking us what were we hoping to get out of the Vacation and so I had to ask myself that and focus on it. Then, when we were on the actual Vacation, I was able to see what was happening in front of me and enjoy it, even though I was worried the first night about all the late-comers and if they would make it into their rooms!

After the witnesses one evening, Damian said, “What is Christ’s promise? The hundredfold. But what form does that take?” What I saw over and over again on this vacation was how Christ chooses a form different than the one I would choose. In my freedom, I can be angry about that form, or I can trust that He’s planning to give me more than I can imagine. During the witnesses, Claudia, Edwin, and Letizia talked about that very thing; difficulties in their lives that actually pointed them to look deeper. Did they want a solution to the particular problem at hand or did they want Christ there accompanying them in the difficulties? And what they found was that He was accompanying them the whole time.

I had my own small difficulty the next day when one of my kids got sick because of the altitude. I was really looking forward to the games, but had to leave and go back to the condos with him. It was not according to my plan, but with the witnesses the night before in mind, I looked to see what God had in store for me. My friend Simon agreed to leave the games with us to drive us back to the condos and, as my son was sleeping, Simon and I were able to have a nice quiet lunch together and catch up. Later, as I was trying to take care of my sick son and practice for the choir, my younger daughter wanted me to take her to the pool. My family had scattered so they couldn’t help me. So, I asked Letizia if she could take her and ask whoever else might be there if they were willing to take responsibility of her. She took her and Eric said yes and she got to stay and play! I saw how even in these small struggles and deviations from my plan, I am so well-cared for.



The following day, we had our hike which will go down in infamy in California Vacation history. It was very beautiful and I think we were all thrilled to be there. We stopped for lunch in a stunning location and listened to the choir sing Alpini songs. Then, Chris pointed out the sky and the dark, black clouds that had rolled in. He gave instructions about how we would go back quickly, while watching out for one another, and we entrusted ourselves to Our Lady with a prayer. Everyone was a bit nervous as we started. The rain started immediately, and close behind came the lightning. A bit later the hail started, which was difficult because then it hurt in addition to being uncomfortable. But everyone helped each other. Paolo offered me an extra poncho since I was woefully unprepared for the rain. We were all trying to get down as quickly as possible since there was so much lightning. But when we came to the big creek to cross (which by now was bigger than it was on the way up), people stopped and stood in the creek to help everyone across. Adults and older kids held the hands of younger kids and we all remembered that we had entrusted ourselves to Our Lady. Once at the bottom, completely soaked, but safe, we could hear the kids talking about the adventure that they had. It was definitely not something in our plan and it was scary, but I saw how, again, we were cared for and accompanied.

From the witnesses to the hikes, from the games and presentation that I missed to stay with a sick child to the moving final assembly, I saw how Christ truly accompanies me. And how His presence satisfies my desire more than everything going according to my plan. I was very happy to be a part of this vacation to be reminded of that once again.

Yvonne, California, USA