Welcome! Thanks for checking out my personal blog which I will update monthly throughout my mission in Honduras. I’ll be serving with the Missioners of Christ, a Catholic-Christian community, who are devoted to serving the poor through missionary service.
Blogs will begin when I’m preparing to leave for Honduras in late August 2016!
Vanessa’s Story:
Help Vanessa reach her missionary fee goals in order to serve on the 2 year mission in Honduras! – visit her fundraising site
The Lord has called and I’m responding! Three years ago, I went on my first mission trip to the poor and underdeveloped villages in the Dominican Republic, to serve the people there in service of teaching music and simply being in relationship with them with the love of Christ. My heart was moved being so close to the poor; their simplicity, authentic joy, their trust and faith in God, sense of community, and generous hearts despite the nothingness they had.
Pope Francis sums up well: “”Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our “technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy”. I can say that the most beautiful and natural expressions of joy which I have seen in my life were in poor people who had little to hold on to. I also think of the real joy shown by others who, even amid pressing professional obligations, were able to preserve, in detachment and simplicity, a heart full of faith. In their own way, all these instances of joy flow from the infinite love of God, who has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ” -from Evanglii Gaudium
Two years ago, I went on my first mission trip to Honduras with the Missioners of Christ. Within the two weeks spent there, it was clear I wanted to come back. To serve, to love, to build relationship, and continue encountering Jesus in the poor who had what we so lack in the United States. Now that I’m graduated and after much discernment and prayer, I’m convicted of this call to return to Honduras (God willing) for two years with this same community.
God has had great mercy on me and continues to use me as an instrument to bring others to this encounter with the living God! He’s allowed me to see His great gifts given to me and for me to give right back, to Him and His people! “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Matthew 10:8) For the God who has given me everything, created me, and loved me into existence, and has chosen to use my weak self to bring others to Him, why wouldn’t I give everything back to Him? For this reason, He has asked, and I’ve chosen to respond to Him, to follow Him into this next adventure.
My Commitments to My Donors:
1. Pray for you and any intentions you may send me (we have almost 4 hrs of prayer daily! please email me with any intentions)
2. Serve faithfully and diligently on the mission
3. Keep you updated on my personal blog at least monthly
Thank you for your support, both your prayers and any financial gift offering. May God inspire you in your current mission, whether at the home, work place, classroom, parish, or maybe even joining me on a short term mission with us! 🙂
Vanessa Carrillo - Honduras Mission 