Alliance for Catholic Education
Pope Francis said, "Love and charity are service, helping others, serving others. There are many people who spend their lives in this way, in the service of others. When you forget about yourself and think of others, this is love!"
I became involved with the Brazil Mission Group at St. Louis de Montfort Parish shortly after my wife and I moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Fishers, Indiana nine years ago. Hearing about the experiences of those returning from a trip to Brazil made me personally eager to go. A friend advised me, "Pray about it; if it's meant to be, it will happen." That night, I was getting ready to raise the subject with my wife when she said, "Why don't you go on the trip in October?" I had no expectations as to what the trip would be like, but the experience changed my life.
In Brazil, I met Katie, a young lady from our parish who in high school had started Project Discovery, a program for at-risk children in Imbau, our sister parish's town. I was blown away by the way in which a 21-year-old was giving so much of herself to help others, whereas I had been thinking primarily of myself at that age. Katie truly embodied the message in Peter 4:10: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
I really began to see Jesus on this trip, in Katie ministering to the kids, in my fellow travelers connecting with and serving each other and the local community, and in the local community welcoming and serving us. One day, we visited a very poor family with 11 children, the youngest of whom was blind. In anticipation of our visit, the mom baked goodies for us, using what must have been a week's worth of her food money. They were so grateful to us for visiting that they shared what little they had to show their gratitude.
Upon my return from Brazil, I began to question myself. Was I doing enough? I had been blessed with the capacity to help financially, but was I doing all that Jesus wanted me to do? As I honestly examined my conscience and looked to the examples of Katie and my other travel companions, I realized that I was not living up to what Jesus calls me to be. I needed to surrender myself to the grace of God. Asking for guidance and direction was just the first step. As written in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Saint Mother Theresa's words appear on Project Discovery's shirts: "Do small things with great love." After my trip to Brazil, I now try to do at least one small act of kindness everyday. We are never too young to serve one another and our community, nor are we too young to serve as an example for others to follow.
David Mullen
Middle school social studies and religion teacher
St. Philip Neri, a Notre Dame ACE Academy in Indianapolis
Interested in learning more about the Notre Dame ACE Academies? Visit ace.nd.edu/academies.