From an Experienced World Youth Day Pilgrim

I am going to World Youth Day because pilgrimages always end up being life changing experiences for me, World Youth Days in particular. There's something about combining world travel with a deep religious experience that speaks to the soul in ways that little else does. For me, the 2005 in Germany was a big jump, especially being from a small town where most people will never take a trip to Europe. Waking up in a house where everyone spoke a different language than I did really took me out of my comfort zone. I think it's in leaving our comfort zone sometimes that the Lord can work through us the most. Now granted the language barrier will still exist when we go to Australia but I know that the Lord has many things planned for me there, probably most of which will be uncomfortable. But, the bottom line to me is that by experiencing those things and all of the other parts of World Youth Day, I know that I will come back a different, more well balanced person, who is even more prepared to do the work of the Lord.
I have been to World Youth Days in Toronto in 2002 with John Paul II and with Pope Benedict XVI in Germany in 2005.
You know, I don't really look at the things I will be giving up as sacrifices going into this trip because I have already seen with past trips how much the blessings out weigh the sacrifices. Sure I will not be able to see my family and friends during that time and I will not be able to do the things that I like to do in my spare time. I don't let those things hold me back because I put my trust in the Lord, knowing that I would never improve as a person if I did not get out and try new things. This trip will give me an opportunity to make many new friends. Who knows, maybe it will be like in Germany where the family I stayed with was able to come to Michigan and visit my family. The other thing I think about is how I will be able to take this experience and bring a piece of it back to everyone I come in contact with for the rest of my life. Most people we know will never get to do something like this and our testimony can be a small way for them to share in the trip. So with all of those things in mind, the sacrifices seem very small to me.