Madi Mission: Bread of Life Youth Retreat

The Bread of Life Eucharistic Youth Retreat began on Friday, January 15th, in the late afternoon. There were about 125 total youth in attendance: 50 participants each from the Madi parishes of Nimule (St. Patrick’s) and Loa (Assumption), 10 from the Acholi parish of Magwi, and 15 team members (from Torit, Nimule and Loa – all of whom participated in the previous Bread of Life retreat last May) in addition to those who came from the US and Honduras to direct the retreat.

As always, we began with warm-up music, an introduction, the Rosary and Mass. After breaking for supper we returned to the hall for exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament – the particular focus of this kind of retreat – and a talk on the Eucharist. The Sudanese youth were extremely responsive and entered into the flow of weekend right from the start.

On Saturday there was a lot of lively singing of praise and worship songs, and a morning talk on Jesus given by Mario Dance (below).

Afterwards the young people broke into small groups to discuss and digest what they heard.

When the youth returned they heard a series of testimonies from team members. Chris Josef (below) gave a testimony/talk on God’s mercy, drawing from some difficult challenges he’s had to face in his own life.

Sunday Akech (whose testimony in Acholi was translated into English and Madi) shared about the strength the Lord gives her to care for her sister’s orphaned children while working full time and serving in the Church.

And Maynor Vallesteros spoke in Spanish (translated into English and Madi) about the way his first Bread of Life retreat in Honduras eight years ago changed the direction of his life and led him to become a lay missionary and member of Missioners of Christ.

The Eucharistic healing procession on Saturday night is the high point of the retreat. Jesus passes by each young person, giving them the opportunity for a face to face encounter with him. It was a deeply moving and stirring time of praise and worship.

This man's disability did not hamper his enthusiasm, nor his ability to dance and kneel!

Even the young women who were helping to prepare and serve the meals joined in the praise and worship overflowing from the hall.

At the Sunday Mass concluding the retreat more than 20 youth responded to the vocation call and were prayed over and blessed for the Lord's guidance and protection as they discern His will for their lives.

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