Alvaro Zapata is 25 years old; he was in the Formation Program with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for five and a half years.
He comes from a family of three: his mother, his sister, and himself. He got involved with the Youth Ministry Program at María Inmaculada Parish in Tijuana at a very young age. After four years of serving in the SEARCH youth retreats, he decided to join the Missionary Oblates to see if God was calling him to Religious Life and the Priesthood.
He stayed with the Oblates for several years. He then decided to continue serving the poor and the most abandoned but as a lay person.
Alvaro says that his time spent in formation with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate has been the most meaningful part of his life. In his own words:
“I have learned a lot from the Oblates. I learned about my prayer life, how to serve others, especially the poor and most abandoned, and most of all, I learned how to be a better Christian. The man I am today is all thanks to the Oblates.”
He knows that he wants to continue living the Oblates’ spirituality of serving the poor and the most abandoned, coming back to the place where everything started for him.
Alvaro finished his degree in Philosophy with the Missionary Oblates. Now that he is out of seminary formation, he wants to continue studying Psychology so that he can continue to help people in our community, especially the youth. He wants to help people heal from past experiences so that they can live fuller lives.
Alvaro is an example of courage for other young men and women regarding vocations. He says, “Even if you don’t stay in the Congregation, the experience itself can transform your life and help you become a better Christian and human being.”
Alvaro says that what he seeks the most now is to be a Saint. He will continue to help at the Oblate Pastoral Center. He is going to be serving and helping other people to learn about this great mission in Tijuana, offering English classes to our community and working with donors, visitors, and other people who want to learn more about the work that the Oblates are doing in Tijuana.
Please pray for Alvaro as he starts a new journey outside the formation program, and if you have any questions or thoughts or are interested in having a mission experience in Tijuana, feel free to talk to Alvaro Zapata.
Leave a Reply