Traveler Stories

Jeanette’s Story

The presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable.

Haiti 2016, Kenya 2019, Guatemala 2022 and 2024

Mucho gusto! My name is Jeannette Coury and I have traveled three times with the Church of Nativity through  The 410 Bridge. My most recent missions trip was to Guatemala in the Fall of 2022. I entered into this most recent trip, understanding that the community we would be supporting, Vista Hermosa, did not have any mission partners or church partners through The 410 Bridge engaged. Due to this I expected most of our trip to include a lot of conversation with Community Leaders about what they feel their most pressing needs for the community are. 

We had the opportunity to attend a Liturgy of the Word celebration at the local Catholic Church in the community, one Sunday afternoon while in country. There was not a priest available to say Mass that week, so we celebrated only the Liturgy of the Word and not a full mass. I was asked to get up after Mass and introduce myself to the community and stay behind after Mass to meet with the Church leaders. 

God was seen in the faces of the family members my teammate and I met with during our home visit. I was humbled to be asked to pray with the family over their ill loved one. The fear and uncertainty the family had been holding onto, was lifted during that sweet time and the presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable.