Abundant Hospitality

God chooses instruments to show us his caring and loving concern! – Sr. M. Frances shares an unforgettable WYD experience on the way from Marienfeld to Schoenstatt

Caminando a la estación de Sindorf: gente de Kerpen saliendo de sus casas les ofrece torta y bebidas a los jovenes Walking to the Sindorf train station: people from Kerpen offering cookies and something to drink to the youth Unterwegs zum Bahnhof Sindorf: Anwohner in Kerpen kommen aus dem Haus und bieten den Jugendlichen Kuchen und Getränke an
„Kerpen saluda a la juventud del mundo en la JMJ“ “Kerpen greets the youth of the world at WYD” “Kerpen grüßt die Jugend der Welt auf dem WJT”
Descanso en el patio de la familia Heinz Rest at the house of the Heinz family Rast im Hof der Familie Heinz
Comida en la casa de la familia Blumenrath Eating at the Blumenrath home Abendessen bei Familie Blumenrath
Cantando a las familias Singing for the families Ein Lied für die gastfreundlichen Kerpener Familien
Hna Gabriela Maria con el „heroe de Kerpen“ Sister Gabriela Maria with the “hero of Kerpen” Schwester Gabriela Maria mit dem “Held von Kerpen” Fotos: Sr. M. Frances © 2005

WYD-MOMENTS. After the closing Mass at Marienfeld we, the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth from the USA had an experience we will never forget. We were a group of 52 pilgrims including two sisters and three chaperones. After Holy Mass we ate lunch and divided the group into five small groups to go on our way to Horrem tram station, the place we were supposed to meet. On our way to Gate 8 of Marienfeld we had the impression that everyone had chosen the same gate to exit the field. It was packed like all the other gates I suppose! When my group finally made it out of the gate and I looked back to see if we were all together, I realized that I had lost seven of the girls in my group. Where were they?

It was impossible to try to find them among the huge crowd. We could only see hundreds or perhaps thousands of people going in the same direction we were. I decided then to place my trust in Father Kentenich and ask him to see to it that I would find them at least when we got to the station, which was an impossible mission.

The people from Kerpen came out of their houses and offered water, sandwiches, cookies…

On the way, two of the girls in my group asked me if they could buy ice cream. Meanwhile I went and approached a policeman that was close by and asked him if we were going in the right direction since the mass of people made it impossible for me to see. The policeman politely enough told me that we were going in the right direction but that the station was closed. He then presented me with two options: one station ten kilometers away or one that was four kilometers away. Needless to say we chose the Sindorf station that was four kilometers away. To our surprise when we started our walk in the direction the policeman told me, we found three of our groups heading toward the Horrem station. I told them what the policeman had told me and we all continued on our way. From these groups there were only two of their group members missing. So at this point we were missing only 20 girls: one whole group, the girls missing from my group, and the two girls missing from another group. We started heading toward our destination.

On the way we found many hospitable people. The people from Kerpen came out of their houses and offered the young people water, sandwiches, cake, cookies, etc. It was amazing to see how happy they were and caring. This gave us a lot of joy!

All together again!

At one point on our way we decided to stop and get something to eat and drink. We stopped in the parking lot of a Café and rested for a while. Some of us prayed! Many questions passed through my mind. Did the girls missing choose the same way we did to get to the station? Are they all together? Will they be able to find their way to Königsforst and find the house where we left our suitcases? Something inside me told me that Father Kentenich was not going to disappoint me. So far everything I had asked him during our pilgrimage he had answered. Will he answer now? After about an hour, I looked down the road through the group of people going to the same place we were going, and among the crowd I recognized a face. To my surprise it was one of our girls. I ran toward her and called her name. As soon as I got close to her I asked for all the other girls. She told me they were all together. At one point they found each other and they stayed together. We couldn’t but thank for such a great gift. Once we were all together we sang a hymn of thanksgiving: With Heartfelt Love! We then decided to continue our walk to Sindorf station. On the sidewalk we found a couple on their bikes. We asked the lady if we were going in the right direction and she told us to follow her and she would help us take a short cut. We followed her! On the way a gentleman on his bike stopped me and asked where we were going. I told him and he said it didn’t make sense because he had heard on the radio that that station was also closed. He asked me to please get my group together and bring them to his home because we might have to wait six to nine hours to get the train and it would be better if we were in a comfortable place. He loaned me a bike so that I could get those girls who were ahead. We all got to Mr. Heinz home and met his wife. They welcomed us as if we had known them for many years. They and their neighbors, the Blumenrath family, made supper for us. Some of the girls helped prepare the meal and get the dishes ready. Afterwards as in any of our Schoenstatt camps they helped with the dishes.

A "little" detour: via Vallendar to Essen

In addition to us Mr. Heinz also brought home four pilgrims from Spain whom he found on the road trying to get to the station, one was a boy who had some feet problems. They also ate with us and then left on a taxi to the place they were staying. However, we had to wait for a few more hours, trying to figure out how we could get to Königsforst to get our suitcases and go to Cologne’s main station to take a train to Vallendar. Mr. Heinz then decided to ask a man from Essen that had parked his truck during the day in front of his house to help us with our suitcases. He gladly accepted! To our surprise this person knew Schoenstatt and the Schoenstatt Sisters in Essen. He left with Sr. Gabriela María and went to pick up our luggage. They made it back by 9:00 to 9:30p.m.! On the way back the gentleman was wondering what we could do to move our group to Cologne faster in order to catch the train which was leaving for Vallendar at 11:38p.m. He then decided that he could take our suitcases to Vallendar on his way to Essen (which means quite a detour as Vallendar is some 130 km south of Kerpen and Essen some 80 km north-west of Kerpen/some 150 north of Vallendar). We sent two girls with him and his children so that they could show him the way to Bundesheim. The whole group was ready to start a new adventure.

"Kerpen greets the youth of the world at the XX WYD in Cologne!"

The son and daughter-in-law of the Blumenrath family, the Heinz neighbors, decided to help us in this endeavor. Christian was the head of the group. He went on his bike and led us to the Sindorf train station while Melanie was at the back of the group trying to keep the group together and moving. We walked very fast!

When we were closer to the station we passed a café. A man from there called me and wanted to give me something. I was a little reluctant to go and get it so Christian went and got it. He gave to our group a big "Lebkuchen" in the shape of a heart with the words: "Kerpen greets the youth of the world at the XXWYD in Cologne!" We got into the train and made it to Cologne with plenty of time to get the train to Vallendar. We arrived in Vallendar at 1:00a.m. and couldn’t help but thank Father Kentenich for giving us more of what I asked for. We could experience the caring and loving God through the caring and loving concern of two families we don’t know and many people in the town of Kerpen that showed us in their simple way that God cares for his people and uses his instruments!

In Germany we experienced many hospitable people and caring people we will never forget!