As a teenager, I went on my first mission trip with CMT where I experienced the joy of mission. I feel so blessed to see the Kingdom of God being built around the world. Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed we ought to allow the youth beyond the walls of our parish into the missions. The communities we join on mission have become my spiritual family and I’m excited for you to encounter Jesus in the missions and rediscover Him in the poor. Our construction projects give teens an opportunity to experience God’s power come from out of them to give tangible evidence of the Father’s provision to the poor. More than we are about restoring homes, schools, and communities, we are about restoring each and every person’s relationship with God, as we offer them our presence, listening to their stories, and prayer. As we are welcomed into the poverty of others, Christ waits for us to invite Him into our own interior poverty, patiently yearning to fill us. Jesus guides us to embrace our poverty, because then we will have Him to share with others. I feel so blessed to serve as the Director of Missions for CMT, to provide the opportunity for young people to give generously of themselves and witness Jesus stir hearts with desire to return back home to bring the love of Jesus to the darkest corner of their family, school, workplace and parish. I pray that all who join us on mission experience the deep personal love of Christ descend upon them and radiate out to those we serve.