There’s a great acronym for understanding joy: Jesus, Others, Yourself. How does what you do every day model Jesus? What are you doing for others? How are you joyful?A Bolivian sun will burn Caucasians. I should know; I’m really quite fair-skinned, and I did get burned some, though a hat and 45 SPF sunscreen a few times a day kept the burn at a minimum. The sun is no trouble for Bolivians; their beautiful brown faces have borne it since the days of the Incas. Their dark eyes have a shape that looked mournful to me. They have wise old faces, worn by years of oppression and poverty in a country where 70 percent are poor. But once they smiled, the age disappeared and joy filled their features.
Seventeen of us stayed at a parish two hours away from Santa Cruz, a city in the eastern part of Bolivia. We visited communities with the padre when he made Mass rounds, fixed up a chapel, visited an orphanage, and helped with children’s games. I remember so much: the friendships, the people, the poverty that had most of us in tears . . . But there was such faith, too; faith in God alive in the community. I am often asked which part of the experience was best, and I don’t know what to say. It was all so wonderful, and sad, and joyous all at once that my response is only, “The people. So giving and welcoming. I cried when we left; most of us did.”
I will always remember the joy of my new Bolivian friends, the jovenes (youths) of Buena Vista. Whether they were teaching us a Bolivian cheering chant, or learning “Boom Chicka Boom” from us (I think we started a new trend), they were very happy. Those beautiful brown people with sad-shaped eyes taught me joy. Joy is elusive; sometimes it’s not found even in the noblest of pursuits. But these people, all of whom were so willing, so happy, so self-giving, so Christ-like, understood joy and gave it freely.
Going to Bolivia, I knew I could never give more than receive—but I never expected to feel like I had done so little. Maybe that’s how the apostles felt listening to Christ—like they’d done nothing but be filled with God’s love, joy, and hope.
—Alice
There’s a great acronym for understanding joy: Jesus, Others, Yourself. How does what you do every day model Jesus? What are you doing for others? How are you joyful?
We all like the feeling of accomplishment when we’ve finished something particularly hard. Sometimes, however, it seems like we’ve actually done very little. Challenge yourself to see the joy, hope, and love of God in all that you do—or don’t do.