Saint Therese, Peru, and the Desires of My Heart

I landed in New Orleans on a gorgeous spring day. It was my first trip to Louisiana, and I was determined to pack all I could into the 24 hours I had in its famous city. After checking into my Airbnb and picking up a delicious shrimp po'boy at a sketchy-looking deli, I headed to the Cathedral. As I entered the first set of doors of the neo-Gothic structure, a friend was waiting for me in the foyer.

That friend was St. Therese of Lisieux, the patron saint of foreign missions (along with St. Francis Xavier). Over the years I have become a devotee and little sister of this 19th-century French nun. It should have struck me as no surprise that a reminder of her would greet me on this trip during which I would be discerning foreign missions with Family Missions Company. A few months prior, I had experienced her intercession at the end of a novena, stirring my heart to consider returning to the mission field.

I stood before her image and asked her to intercede before God for my discernment. The following day, after my self-guided sampler tour of the French Quarter, I began the 3-hour drive to Big Woods, the home of Family Missions Company.

The discernment wasn't all that difficult. I basically knew that I wanted to do foreign missions and that FMC was how I wanted to carry that out. But there was one issue. My desire was to serve as a missionary in Latin America. Mexico had already won my heart, and while I had put closure on that chapter and didn't necessarily feel called to return there long-term, I saw myself continuing mission work in another Hispanic country.

But in FMC there was no guarantee as to where I would be assigned for my first year. I could be placed anywhere in the world, and I had to be okay with that.

In the end, I was able to put my desires on the altar and trust that the Lord's way are higher than my own. He would send me to where I needed to be.

During the course of Intake, I made an effort to become at peace with every possible country I could be sent to. I tried not to have any expectation as to where I might go. I even got a little excited about Taiwan after speaking to a missionary who currently serves there. I hoped that I could rejoice in whatever nation I would be called to bring the Good News.

In mid-November, the day finally arrived on which we would receive our letters of assignment. During our time of praise and worship that morning, I noticed on the wall a small image of my saint-friend, Therese of Lisieux. My heart smiled at this reminder of her, and I recalled her intercession along the way. In that moment, I experienced a voice within saying, you're called to serve the people of Peru.

I didn't know how seriously to take this inspiration, but it was only a matter of hours before I would find out. Later that morning, we caravaned out into the Mexican desert where we would have some solitude with God. We each received a sealed envelope to open during our prayer.

I took my envelope, settled into a place among the rocks where I could view the landscape, and began to pray in an unhurried manner. I prayed particularly for trust in the Lord, to go wherever He was sending me.

The sun peaked out from behind the clouds, and I knew it was time to open my letter. As I pulled it out of the envelope and got a glimpse of the flag and country name, my heart exploded with joy. Happy tears ran down my cheeks. I had an assignment! I had a team! All has moved from theory to reality. I was really, truly returning to the mission field! The Lord had spoken to my heart and fulfilled the desires contained therein.

I like to think I would have rejoiced whatever my assignment, but it was a particular gift from my Beloved to be sent to this country in South America, with this team and community—families and singles laboring together to build the Kingdom of God.

It is no coincidence that a few weeks later we were commissioned as missionaries during Mass at St. Theresa's Church in Abbeville. A statue of St. Therese stands prominently at the left of the altar. Surely this patron saint of foreign missions looked upon all of us gathered that evening, rejoicing in our commitment to take Christ to the ends of the earth.

And again, Therese greeted me in the chapel of my team's home in Pucacaca, Peru. Her image hangs on a side wall, not prominently but as a gentle reminder that she is interceding for me and mentoring me along in this missionary journey. I pray that in this place, among these people, I can fulfill the purpose of the One who is the source and culmination of all my heart's desires.