It's Renee-Nichole: My Journey to Rio for World Youth Day- Part 1

Otherwise known as, God ALWAYS provides:)

I've been meaning to publish this for nearly TWO years now...

But better late than never right ?? *toothy grin*

Now I'v been hearing about World Youth day for YEARSSS..When I was first told about it at Church, I was too young to go and of course when I heard the cost I thought to myself: "well hmph,..doubt I'll ever find myself at one of those" and, "How could they POSSIBLY raise all that money??!!"

So I basically put it out of my mind..but the thing is, as a foreign language afficionado, I love to travel and I LOVE experiencing other cultures...I have a bucket list of places and foreign immersion experiences I MUST have before I die. I remember joking with my (then boyfriend) husband the year before about going to Brazil for World Cup..little did I know...

Fast forward to November/December 2012, I saw a post about signing up for World Youth Day Rio as a pilgrim or Volunteer. Curious, I clicked on the volunteer sign up and saw that they provided everything (accommodation, meals, transport) and you just had to find money for the plane ticket and the volunteer package. I talked to some fellow church members to find out what the experience at WYD was like and became even more tempted to apply. Additionally I had studied Brazilian culture at university, so it was appealing on several levels; because I'd get to experience a different language and culture, as well as fulfiling my curiosity as to whether all those things I learned about Brazil was true.

I thought to myself..hmm...I wonder if I could raise that money in 7 months boy???..well let me apply, the worst they could do is decline my application to be a volunteer..

Now mind you, at this time I had just started my business, so WHAT ON EARTH I really doing planning a pilgrimmage to Brazil, while managing a startup eh? My reasoning was, well I dunno how long I'm going to be in the business, but now I'm actually able to arrange my schedule MYSELF so that I can take the time off, instead of having to beg my superiors for the time, so really, why not? And for some reason I felt compelled to go to this particular WYD event. Also, other than the US, it really wasn't going to be any closer to the Caribbean than Brazil any time soon. So I applied.

In December I got a letter stating that I was indeed chosen as a volunteer and I'd have to submit some other documents accepting the position and they' provide further information on training and the timeline and other things that would be required.

*cue excitement*

*Proceeds to google search cost of plane tickets to Brazil* ...

But where I finding 10-12 grand for a plane ticket? And I don't want to go through the US..

Talking to my mother about the money issue, she was like "Why you worried about that? You get through to be a volunteer, God will provide". Listen eh allyuh, to say my mother is my biggest supporter is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the MILLENNIUM!!

I swear to you, if I told my mother I wanted to be the President of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune AND Mars, she would not bat an eyelash. In fact, she would probably start making plans for the installation of family quarters in the presidential suite for each planetary location.

The following January for my birthday, she gave me an envelope with some money in it, marked "Road to Rio" to start me on my savings. Unwavering support I tell you.

As time progressed, I met six other people who were planning to go as volunteers. This was the largest "volunteer posse" ever from Trinidad, as most people go as pilgrims. There was nothing in place by the Archdiocese to help those of us who chose to go as volunteers, so we had to basically figure out everything on our own.

February arrived and we decided to meet up and really start planing and preparing for our pilgrimmage to Rio. We were supported mainly by Rosemary of the Living Water Community who provided A TONNE of help, in terms of spiritual, financial and emotional support. People like to talk about people in the Church being judgmental and stingy and unsupportive. That was not my experience on this occasion. They put their necks on the line for us many times, never once questioning the financial feasibility of the kind of money they put out or whether they would even get a return on their investment. They fronted the money when we decided to hold a fundraising concert. They PAID for our tickets long before we were able to finish raising the money to pay for said tickets. They sent out letters on our behalf requesting donations to help us get to Rio. In fact, on the very day we left Rosemary received a cheque which covered the money they had put out and then some. We even had spending money! Do not underestimate the power of a coin drive!

I talk about this as if it was all smooth sailing, but it was five months of plenty prayers, plenty begging for donations and plenty support too. The seven volunteers was whittled down to three; and of the three of us, one guy wasn't even sure he would be able to go as he had started a new job and was still on probation. The planning, organising and execution of the fundraising concert was another challenge, mainly done by Volunteer Stephen who specialises in such events. (btw check out his page here). Did I mention during all of that my sister had a baby like three days after the concert with a false alarm the night of the concert? See me driving up to the hospital at midnight with her and my mother in tow.

And while I was excited to go, I was unsure of how I'd manage my diet there as I had only started the paleo/SCD diet that February. Being in a foreign place where you don't speak the language very well is a challenge for people with normal digestive systems, far less when you have a sensitive one. How do you say "I have food allergies" in Portuguese? But I had a sort of plan and I trusted that the Lord would work out the rest.

D-day-July 12th, 2013, we ready to go ! Or were we?? Mind you we had done some preparation, but we really didn't know what to expect. We were literally going with God..

And thus began the journey to Brazil..we had to travel from Trinidad to Suriname, then Suriname to Belem in the north of Brazil and then the longest leg (because Brazil is massively huge) from Belem to Rio in the south..

Three planes and almost 24 hours later...