World Youth Day 2008 is over, with lots of up and it's share of downs. Here is a sort of recap. For the World Youth Days accomidations my group was lead to the olypic park in sydney, then onto the DOME, where we sleept on solid concrete for 5 straight nights. We got used to it over time but never did get enough sleep. However that could have been because of the early morning cathecisms that my group lead, and the late night youth festival events that I just didn't want to miss.
A little on the cathecisms. We were given a stadium as our location the first day we cleared 3000 pilgrims. I ran and danced as I got people up on their feet to sing nad dance along with the choir. The third day was a little more frustrating. You see, we couldn't give the words out for the songs because of copyright issues, so the pilgrims were depending on learning small amounts of words in order to join is. Now up beat wordy songs not bad because they can still dance and do actions, but quiet wordy songs just put people to sleep. The choir director was worned about this problem but didn't change her song outline. I had to run extra hard, and put so much more energy into it to make sure everyone didn't just fall asleep. However My efforts were rewarded as pilgrims and pilgrim leaders asked to have pictures taken with me. God came through and the people left happy, and full of the spirit.
The youth festival was awesome. I, of course choose all the praise and worship events. In the 3 days I saw teh Matt Maher's band, Fr stan the rapping fransiscan, hillsong and much more. I danced, I jumped, I sang and I praised God, until my legs hurt and my throat gave out.
The stations of the cross were beatifully done. They acted in out and Jesus travelled through the streets to various places where different stations would unfold. MY group where stationed in the garden of gethemany, watching Jesus in the garden and the arrest. We watch the rest of it on big screen.
The next day we walked for just over 3 hours to ranwick, where the vigil would take place. The vigil was beautiful lookign at all the candles lite up was something else. However my experience was kind of interupted as we realised that one of our guys had there bag stolen. I eventually found it abandoned by the bathrooms, where some cold pilgrim had taken the pants and blanket out before discarding it. It was cool however the manor in which I found it. I prayed that God made me look to my right where I bag was there unattended. God is good.
it was a cold night, but we all got through it, and in the morning the Pope rewarded us all by driving all over the stadium in the pope mobil;e the next morning. He went by my groups twice, I even got a vidoe of it.
We are now in a youth hostel, ready to enjoy a bit of sydney before we go. However the pilgrimage of faith did not end with the mass. We saw 24 young people being confirmed by the pope and we all reafirmed our baptism. We have "received power, when the Holy spirit" came upon us, and now we will be "witnesses".
Returnign to the roots, our baptism, that is at the heart of our worship.
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