Deus e bom, o tempo todo!
Or, for those who don’t speak Portuguese, God is good, all the time! This phrase resonated deeply with our mission group on July 8th when our flight from Washington, D.C. to Miami faced multiple delays, causing us to miss our connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro. As we say on every FOCUS trip, it’s not enough to be flexible. On mission, we need to be fluid.
Find out more about FOCUS Mission trips!
After rebooking, we faced a 47-hour layover in Miami, leading to a two-day delay to our mission trip in Brazil. Surprisingly, this extended layover allowed our exhausted group—13 students, 1 chaplain, and 3 missionaries, including myself—to bond and prepare better as a team. During an evening holy hour and daily Mass at a nearby church, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.
Upon arriving to our mission trip in Brazil on July 11th, we traveled to Petropolis. We started our mission in the community of Carangola, providing dental hygiene presentations to local kids.
Throughout our stay, I experienced moments of doubt about my usefulness.
But God reminded me through prayer that the mission was not about me—they needed Jesus.
One touching moment was when a little boy, shy about praying, was encouraged to simply say, “Jesus, I love you,” which he enthusiastically repeated.
Read more stories like this on our blog: “I Was A Catholic Missionary at the Olympics” or Becoming a FOCUS Missionary: Was it worth it?
Our mission trip days in Brazil included a pop-up clinic and house visits in Petropolis’ Meio da Serra neighborhood. The house visits were particularly powerful, allowing us to connect deeply with the community and lead intercessory prayers. Our group’s witness, especially from newly baptized students, set a strong example of faith.
Cultural immersion days followed, where we made bracelets, learned traditional dances, and attended local festivities. A highlight was visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue and celebrating Mass, where, again, a profound sense of peace enveloped me.
Departing Brazil was emotional, filled with tears, goodbye hugs, and promises to stay in touch.
Reflecting on our experience, three words stood out: community, humility, and beauty.
As they commonly say in Brazil, fica com Deus, which means, stay with God.
Additional Resources
Read more FOCUS stories: “I Was A Catholic Missionary at the Olympics” or Becoming a FOCUS Missionary: Was it worth it?
Find out more about FOCUS Mission trips here!
For even more great Catholic resources, check out our podcast, which features talks from our SEEK conference, and our YouTube channel for videos and more!
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