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Maribel Tadong

World Youth Day 2011, Madrid: Firm In The Faith

By Maribel Tadong
World Youth Day 2011 SYM-Philippines Delegate (Pilgrim)

I always tell my friends that when I first dreamed of joining the 2011 WYD in Madrid, all I had back then were my bosses’ permission, my passport and enormous faith. I called it dreaming the impossible, ambitious dream, as I did not have enough funds for the trip.

I have this big picture of Blessed John Paul II on my altar. Every day, in the months before WYD Madrid, I would look at his picture before leaving for work and smile, silently asking him to help me with my preparations. It was the same prayer that I whispered to Don Bosco when his pilgrim relic visited the Philippines. With two saintly ‘heavyweights’ championing my cause how could our ever generous God refuse?