24 days to go today before the official start of World Youth Day 2011 and Madrid is getting ready to welcome an estimated 1 Million pilgrims all over the world. 400,000 young people around the world registered for the event of a lifetime wherein Gospel Songs, dance, camaraderie, prayer, reflection and a life changing opportunity to be with the Pope will commence from August 16 to 21 2011. As early as now, the Spirit of sharing / generosity is already sweeping the country as it also spreads throughout the world, as people from all walks of life, with the common faith, tries to do good and share their talent and treasure for the success of this day of the youth. Very inspiring stories about people who went beyond the limit of providence, resources and even geographical locations just to help in the preparation of the world youth day:

Unemployed family shares their home

The vast majority of this registrants will be sheltered by Spanish families, serving as foster families for the registrants while in Madrid for the World Youth Day. But what is interesting about this event is that not only well to do families will offer their homes, even Spanish unemployed families will also share their home for international volunteers that will help in making the event a success; an act we always see during World Youth Days reminiscent of the brotherhood and hospitality of early Christians. Gabriela and Jorge who were migrants from Ecuador 9 years ago has been unemployed for 3 years now. But despite their dire situation to make ends meet, they decided to open their doors for World Youth Day volunteers. At first, after they heard the announcement at mass, the couple decided to just help in the Parish in any way they can. But as the day goes by, an urge to join the circle of families serving as hosts for Volunteers finally sink in and they said yes. Aside from Gabriela and Jorge, their sons 14 year old Esteban and 3 year old Quique is excited to meet the volunteers. Perhaps the most striking about this story is Gabriela’s reason for agreeing to host two volunteers: “We should always remember God, in the good times and in the bad, besides, this experience is an example for our children, especially the oldest who realizes the situation that we are in”.

Brooklyn Nuns volunteer to sew liturgical linens

Thousands of miles away from Madrid, Spain, these Nuns garbed in Blue Habit volunteered immediately upon hearing the campaign “Just a stitch away” to sew liturgical stoles that will be used for the World Youth Day, despite the fact that they have no resources to finance the project. But it did not deter them to share their talents for the large family within the catholic church that transcends language and racial barriers. The Nuns proceeded with the project hoping that Divine Providence would settle in and they were right. They already made 25 stoles and has been shipped to Madrid financed entirely by Donations. From New York, their stoles would now be seen in Madrid this coming days. The Nuns said: “We know that they will not only be used during the days of World Youth Day, but that they will also be sent later on to the poorest missions. We can certainly say that we are participating in World Youth Day, not only with what we most dedicate ourselves to, our prayer, but also with our manual labor, making sacred linens used in the worship of God.”

Spanish mom with Portuguese son

This is one touching story indeed. A Spanish woman who was willing to host international volunteers for only a week during the WYD dates got an early chance to host a volunteer four months earlier, and not to mention, a Portuguese at that (Spanish and Portuguese rivalry goes back to the days of the Gallion trade). Maria Ines was ready to host some pilgrims and volunteers during the third week of august. But she got a surprise when Andres, member of her parish, called asking her to host Portuguese volunteer during the next four months. He was arriving the next day to help in WYD . Ines said: “The last thing I thought is that I would host a Portuguese person. My brother was concerned about it and he said to me: you don´t know him at all. I don´t know Portugal. When I was young my parents used to take Portuguese workers in, they looked starving… That´s all I can remember about them. I was a bit scared about the whole thing when I thought: There are no races for God, we are all a big family, God´s family, and if we don´t help each other, who will do it?” So Ines felt she had to say yes in spite of her fears; so she said to Andres that from the following day up to the WYD, she would host Carlos, the Portuguese volunteer. It has been a fantastic experience. Ines said to Carlos: “get used to the idea that in Spain I´m your mum”. She feeds him well so his parents don´t see him thinner when he goes back to Portugal. “This is a multicultural family. I feel like a tiny part within a big family, but I belong to it and I feel honoured by it.”

Cafe owner Volunteers for WYD

When Miguel Ángel heard that Benedict XVI was coming to Madrid, he thought “if pilgrims and the Pope are coming to town, we’ll have to give them our best.” That’s why during the week of WYD, “Casa Sotero” will offer all WYD participants its specialty – coffee with churros – at 1 euro. It was while he was visiting the website, madrid11.com, and observing the many business partners of WYD that Miguel came up with this idea of not only contributing as a volunteer in his parish, but also at a company level. They went down to WYD headquarters in Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz and said: “We’re here for whatever you need!”. Of their two children, the eldest – age 11 – is filled with excitement. Laura would have liked to be a volunteer, but not being old enough, she is willing to work wherever she is needed. During the week of World Youth Day, they are considering the possibility of closing the bar-restaurant on some of the evenings in order to attend the ceremonies. Miguel’s wife, Pilar Montalbán, is hoping that this WYD will challenge her and the entire city of Madrid to grow in their faith. She also sees WYD as a unique opportunity to show today’s world what having faith is all about. Both see WYD as a great gift to Spain.

Spanish students raised funds for Mexico Participants

Charity events, raffles, fundraisers…any excuse is good for raising funds to help offer the chance of attending WYD 2011 to young people from countries where paying a plane ticket to Europe is unthinkable. This was the idea that first-year students at Madrid’s Highlands School had when they decided to organize a charity event. They did it all themselves. They hired the DJ, bought the drinks, cleaned up the school gym, and using social networks, invited crowds of young people to attend. There was a very positive response: about 600 students attended the alcohol-free celebration. The result: 2,500 euros sent to the solidarity fund and missions in Mexico. Something similar took place with a group of students that organized a surprise party for one of their friends on his birthday. Instead of buying a gift, they decided to donate all the money to the solidarity fund. A total of 252 euros ended up being sent to this fund, and young people like Ezequiel Escobar of Argentina have seen their dream of attending WYD come true. Upon hearing the news, the young man commented: “This is a really exciting moment for me. Just thinking that I could participate in WYD is something beyond words. Knowing that we will be with the Pope, the successor of Peter, the greatest authority of our Church and that we will share our faith with millions of youth from around the world is empowering.”

Bishop’s Chauffeur is a woman

Marga Palau is a clear example of an all-terrain volunteer, willing to do whatever is needed for WYD. First, she offered to work as a driver, taking bishops from on place to another. Marga thought that with her impeccable track record – “I’ve had a driver’s license for 33 years and I’ve never been in an accident”, she comments – she might fit the profile, but unfortunately, she did not meet one of the prerequisites for the position, as the age limit is 40. In her everyday life, Marga is not a driver but a doctor. She works in the Spanish government’s Ministry of Health and when the WYD chauffeur idea didn’t work out, she decided to contact the health department at WYD, to offer her help. The only thing was that as she had spent so much time working at the Ministry’s offices, she had moved away from clinical medicine, so it was decided that she should try looking into another option. Finally, it was the Secretary General who signed her on as a partner. She now works Tuesdays and Thursdays attending callers at the WYD call center.

AND… because most of you cannot attend the WYD in Madrid, you can still be one with all the young People in the World by praying the rosary for the event every Saturday and tuning in to various websites which will cover the event live. We Continue to pray for the success of the event. (most stories were taken from the official WYD 2011 website).

OTWOMD WILL RUN A WEEK LONG BLOG COVERAGE OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY IN MADRID TO KEEP READERS UPDATED