Hello friends. Please be patient with me, there is so much I want to share in regards to these past two days but I am not able to get on the computer I was using at the moment so I’m doing this by phone. Besides I believe I need the time to process what I went through yesterday at the vigil. If you’ve seen anything on the news then you might have a very small, unreliable understanding of the hell on earth we were living.
No water available for two million people who had walked at least 9 to 12 miles in 45 Celsius ( over 100 degrees farenheit) to get to the vigil site. They weren’t prepared for the masses of people and there was a thickness in the air of discord, frustration and anger. Gone was the joy of coming together as a community of believers. People were dropping from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Constant sirens from ambulances were heard. It was mayhem and I was in the thick of it from 11am till the sun went down at 9pm…then the torrential downpour came. Pelting rain and roaring winds.
I just can’t speak of it all now, the oppression weighed so much on my chest I had to get out. It brings tears to my eyes still. It was not a ‘normal’ WYD. Not at all. The Cardinal said it well in the opening Mass ‘ there is darkness in this place. We must be prepared’.
Watching the Mass on TV listen to the sirens in the background!!
It’s just not right.
I can’t write more. I need to process my thoughts. I’ll give you a more detailed account soon. Thank you for your prayers for my talk Friday. It was a packed theater, no air but a strong message. Ill begin my recap with that because it goes into whatever God has allowed here in this hell on earth.
For the families of the young adults with me, we are all safe.
Don’t worry. With sleep and water we will be good as new.
Blessings
Shannon