TEAM2014, Alice Gamper. The first volunteers have already arrived to help in the preparations for the Jubilee 2014. Five volunteers are here from different countries: Ester from Spain, Simone and Katrin from Germany, Alice from Hungary, and Wayne from the USA. Later on, many more volunteers will arrive from Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Ecuador for instance.
The girls are living in House Sonneck; it is an old, wonderful building! “It’s like a villa, we’re already acclimated and also very excited about living here,” says Simone.
We would like to be instruments of the Holy Mary…
“To be able to welcome thousands of pilgrims,” “to experience a altogether colorful program” and “to arrange a special meeting with the Mother Trice Admirable,” the volunteers would like to work together. It is the time for preparations. A lot of ideas, expectations and thoughts are flying through the air these days. The volunteers would love to offer themselves as instruments to the Blessed Mother.
The volunteers have been living and working in Schönstatt for two weeks now; it’s something very special for them and a great gift. It is a dream come true: getting the chance to live for a longer period of time in Schönstatt. “All this here makes us very happy,” says Ester. So they start with a lot of power, energy and love in this unique year of 2014.
Our first tasks, impressions and experiences…
“It’s amazing to work here,” says Katrin. “You give and will be triply rewarded. People here strive towards one common goal. As soon as the volunteers got to know the exact program, their hearts caught fire. Wayne is also really excited: “I can only say– it’s going to be so beautiful. Even after the festivities, I think it will be hardly possible to put our experiences into words.”
In the very beginning, the volunteers started to get lot of offices ready, where they can work later on, their aim is to send the up-to-date information as soon as possible for everyone interested in Schönstatt. They would like to be in contact with every country and would like to kindly invite everyone, who is living in the covenant of love with the Holy Mary, to the Jubilee. In a little while… there will be the opportunity for every sister and brother united in the covenant of love to meet personally.
At the daily evening blessings, all those working here in Schönstatt get the chance to see each other. It’s always very nice. Thus everyday, they get the chance to meet, to talk, a short greeting, a smile, a question like: “How are you? How was your day?” This way they experience a happy, lively and powerful atmosphere.
“We take all of you in our hearts. You’re with us all the time, as everyday we visit the original shrine and pray for you to arrive safely in October!” – say the volunteers. Their hearts are open, they are ready! You can contact them at any time!
Translation edited by Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA/schoenstatt.org
The monthly newsletter for the youth as well as all official information on the jubilee celebrations are available at www.schoenstatt2014.org
The official 2014 newsletter “Towards 2014” will be sent again from March 2014.
To the 2014 Volunteers,
May this be a time of grace and blessing for each one of you. I was a volunteer in 2005 in Schoenstatt before the WYD in Cologne. It was an incredible, life-changing experience. My life today is still marked by the 9 months I lived in Schoenstatt.
So I invite you to make the most of the time you have to live in the shadow of the Original Shrine. It is a gift very few receive. Spend as much time as you can in our holy places, build deep relationships with your fellow volunteers — those friendships in the Covenant will sustain you in years to come, have fun, take lots of photos, but most of all, listen. Listen to the signs of the times and our Founder’s vision for a new world — because you will be instruments, educated by our Blessed Mother, who will help the her to build this new society. For the next 100 years. For a deeper life in our Covenant of Love. As a mission for the Church. As a gift to God.
Treasure all these things and ponder them in your heart as our Blessed Mother did.
Your Covenant our Mission
Sarah-Leah (South Africa)