Araceli's Journey: Faith After Tragedy

I am Araceli Ramirez, I am 31 years old. I am the seventh out of 14 children. I have lived my life in mission with my entire family. I have been in the Catholic Church my entire life, and believing in God, since I was born. Yet, it wasn't until I was 13 years old, when I was able to experience and truly believe in God, through my own trials and tribulations and no longer through my parents' faith, but my own. At that age, I was in a car accident that left me paraplegic, wheelchair-bound, which changed my life completely. The Lord had given me the grace to be able to accept this mission in my life to be able to be a sign to the world, where you can experience heaven on earth through the suffering. Of course, over the years many things have happened. Through my sins, I became bitter and angry towards God. I began to believe that God had abandoned me in this life of hardship. So,

I thought, if God has abandoned me, then I shall live my life however I want. I began drinking and going out to the clubs and bars, thinking that living this kind of life would bring me happiness. All I experienced was more bitterness and more anger and hate for my life. It wasn't until I was at my lowest point of not knowing what to do anymore with my life, I cried out to the Lord. I was afraid that He wouldn't love me or forgive me for all that I had done. I was wrong. For the first time in my life, I have been able to feel the forgiveness and love of the Lord. I saw that the Lord was with me throughout all of it. The church welcomed me back with open arms. I was lost and tired, and I found myself found and rested in the Lord. Knowing His plan, His strength, His love, was greater than my own.

For this, I ask for your donations, because I have a pilgrimage this summer to Rome; to celebrate with our new pope, Pope Leo XIV, this Jubilee year. A year that God has complete mercy for me and all those around the world. To begin anew with a stronger foundation for my faith, in the midst of this new generation. That it's OK to suffer, that there is meaning to our suffering and God is not indifferent to it. We can be happy and experience heaven on earth; with Christ, through Christ, and in Christ.

Please share!

May the Lord repay you 100-fold!

Thank you once again.

Courage!

God love you!