Christ is leading me to Lisbon, Portugal!

A blessed Solemnity of All Saints!

I am Audrey Criscille "A.C." P. Abatol, a Catholic young adult from Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines. By God’s grace and with a grateful heart, I am going to Lisbon, Portugal as a long-term volunteer of the World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023 Local Organizing Committee (LOC)!

October 31, 2022 | Meeting Archbishop Jose S. Palma, D.D. of Cebu to ask for his blessing before departure for Lisbon, Portugal

As you may already know, we owe Pope Saint John Paul II the initiative of the World Youth Days, which have brought together and encouraged millions of young people all over the world to do something great with our lives for God’s glory. Pope Saint John Paul II was also very influential in my spiritual journey. Growing up, I have followed him accompanying the youth and in the World Youth Days. His love for the youth has inspired me to discover my own mission in the Church and become a youth worker. I also had the opportunity to be part of WYD both as a pilgrim delegate in Krakow (2016) and Panama (2019), and as a short-term international volunteer in Rio de Janeiro (2013).

I am blessed to be the only long-term volunteer of the WYD Lisbon 2023 LOC from the Philippines. I will be part of the international relations team as a pilgrim manager and I look forward to encountering Jesus together with the people I meet. This is also a great opportunity to experience the universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and his Church.

October 22-23, 2022 | Silent Retreat with Pure Heart Philippines

I cannot fulfill this mission alone; I need your help to get to Lisbon, Portugal. My volunteer commitment is about ten (10) months. I will be departing for Lisbon on November 3, 2022 and ends on August 15, 2023. The WYD LOC will be providing the volunteers with food, accommodations, and transportation. My goal is to raise $5,225 (~Php308,275) to cover for the rest of the expenses not covered by the organization which include visa application, roundtrip flight ticket, travel insurance, and some pocket money.

Some people give to God’s mission by going, while others go on mission by giving. God has called me to follow him boldly, rely on his providence and be humble to ask for help from others. Would you support and join me in this journey? Should you wish to help financially, you may donate through these channels. I also ask that you share this to your friends who can donate. Any help would definitely go a long way.

Mission with Pure Heart Philippines

Thank you so much for your time. May we help each other in generously answering Christ’s call to be his faithful witness. I keep you in my prayers and I look forward to updating you with my journey through my blog. I also rely on your prayers!

To Jesus through Mary!

Audrey Criscille "A.C." P. Abatol

Long-term volunteer, Local Organizing Committee

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023