VIDES (Volunteers In Development, Education, and Solidarity) is an international and domestic volunteer program in which young adults are trained to serve in mission with our Salesian Sisters and Priests throughout the world. From January 6-20, 2020, we had four volunteers participate in the formation experience in San Antonio, Texas under the direction of Sr. Sydney Moss, FMA and Sr. Mary Gloria Mar, FMA. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they embark on their missionary journeys: Jocelyn Baca: Tampa, FL; Carolina Gomez-Salinas: Oaxaca, Mexico; Kennidee and Garrett Bohach: Philippines.
We arrived on January 6th to start our training as VIDES volunteers. The first week was full of self-reflection, learning about the Salesian culture, and getting to know the Sisters through immersion into community life. The week culminated by joining the community at the Salesian Family Day where we were commissioned as VIDES Volunteers. The second week we put into practice what we had learned by running a Bible camp at the Archdiocesan outreach ministry for unaccompanied minors called St. PJ’s Home. The experience opened our hearts to the Holy Spirit and filled us with excitement for our upcoming missions