Hi Friends! 

The following is my update from July where I got a surprise vacation to Thailand and Japan and joined my peers in Cambodia for some outreach. You can check out the scrapbook here Thailand, Cambodia, Japan.

Due to the wildfires and evacuations in Northern Canada, the Pukatawagan summer mission was unfortunately cancelled. However, God opened other opportunities. After the Campus Leadership Summit in Chicago, I was blessed with an unexpected 10-day family vacation in Thailand. After being away from home for a while, it was such a gift to reconnect and spend quality time with my family—relaxing on tropical beaches, scuba diving, experiencing the amazing coral reefs and marine life, and simply enjoying the slower pace of rest and reflection. Towards the end of the vacation I was also fortunate to attend the commissioning Mass for the JY international leaders and animators training in Bangkok, catching up with friends and many international leaders as well as making new friends from around the world. 

With Cambodia nearby, I took the opportunity to visit fulltimers Asha (JY Australia) and Leivei (JY India) with whom I trained with in Sri Lanka last year. It was beautiful to hear and share stories of our times on mission, shared challenges and some of the lessons we learned along the way. After training, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see them again in person, so it felt like a real gift to reunite, share stories, and encourage one another in mission.

I was able to plug into their local ministry—joining their weekly young adult Bible study, a fellowship dinner and apologetics night at the PIME priests’ residence, and visiting the miracle site of Our Lady of the Mekong, as well as a Killing Field used by the Khmer Rouge in 1975. The history and faith interwoven in these places was sobering and deeply moving.

We were invited to lead a retreat for 60 students, 40 of whom come from Buddhist or other faith backgrounds. Vandana Paul, a friend and the leader of our training, was also able to join us and help guide the preparation. The retreat included games, small group discussions, and talks on God’s love, sin, and forgiveness, concluding with a time of healing adoration.

Despite several challenges—including Leivei’s hospitalization due to dengue, last-minute scheduling issues, the fact that most of the participants had never experienced Eucharistic adoration before, and the language barrier (especially with my American accent)—we pressed forward, trusting in God. By God’s grace, one of our local friends stepped up to translate, and during the final sharing of graces, many students were moved to tears. They spoke of encountering Jesus like a friend in the Eucharist and receiving the grace to forgive deep wounds from parents, family, and friends. Some shared stories of forgiving parents who had been absent their entire lives, even since birth. Several also expressed interest in joining the Catholic Church. It was deeply humbling and life-giving to be part of their experience.

My return flight had an 11-hour layover in Tokyo and made the most of it by exploring the city. I visited Sensō-ji Temple in Asakusa, crossed the iconic Shibuya Crossing, got lost in the subway system, sampled a few slices of Wagyu steak, grabbed a quick sushi onigiri from a 7-Eleven, and even stopped by a samurai-ninja museum before continuing my journey home.

The time in Cambodia gave some quiet time for reflection. There was a lot of uncertainty in those days. Returning to Canada didn’t seem like an option anymore. All the plans that I was building up were falling apart. I kept replaying moments of failure, times I felt rejected, misunderstood, or didn’t belong. Discouragement and disappointment raised many doubts deep within. I even began questioning why I chose the path of fulltimership in the first place.

Reading an update from the JY Africa missions, a quote from St. Faustina struck me: "One hour spent at the foot of the altar in the greatest dryness of spirit is dearer to me than a hundred years of worldly pleasures. I prefer to be a lowly drudge in the convent than a queen in the world." It was a spiritual boost, a prick from the Holy Spirit, that I was much in need. This inspired me to spend those days in prayer, asking the Lord where He was leading me. One thing Archbishop Murray often reminded us is that “the Lord never wastes our time.” Even in the uncertainties and fruitlessness, the Lord is inviting me to be with him. The best way I can describe that season is like a honeymoon in a hurricane: everything around me was chaotic and constantly changing, yet there was a deep, unshakable peace in keeping my eyes fixed on the One who called me.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support, especially as I prepare for this next chapter! You all continue to be in mine.

That’s it for now, till next time. 

With Love,

Josh