Carolina G. D. S.

Hi, my name is Carolina. I am currently studying Food, Nutrition, and Health at the University of British Columbia, and I have lived in Vancouver with my family since I was 10 years old. I come from a small town in Brazil, where faith is deeply ingrained in the culture. From childhood, I was gently formed in the way of love through service, first by the example of my parents, and most especially through my father’s family’s lifelong dedication to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. These early lessons instilled in me a heart eager to serve, yet for many years, I walked the path of faith dutifully, not realizing that I knew much about Jesus without truly knowing Him. It was only in my final years of high school, after the passing of my grandmother, that I encountered Jesus in a personal way. In my grief, I found myself praying through the words of a song she loved. For the first time, prayer became real, not just a ritual, but an invitation to love and be loved by God. From that moment on, Christ became part of everything that makes up my “about me.”

I feel like this wouldn’t be an “about me” without mentioning that I love reading. My current favourite book is The Diary of St. Faustina…. which I haven’t finished (but in my defence, it’s very long), but she’s already my new Saint bestie. I’m also reading a book about Wales, because it feels only right to learn about the people and place I’ll be “missioning” at.

Why do I want to be on Mission?

One of the greatest joys in my faith journey has been leading faith studies and watching people my age encounter Christ through CCO. Through this experience, the Holy Spirit has grown in me a desire to share the love of Jesus with others in simple and genuine ways. I want to go on mission to Wales because my soul longs to respond to the mercy God has poured into my life this past year.