Providence steps in

As a lost 21 year old enveloped in darkness and despair, I received an unexpected light and hope. The University of Maryland accepted me as a transfer student. I still don’t know how it happened, but attribute it now to the Grace of God. That one letter changed my life forever. It changed me immediately. It was a real sign of hope. It was a sign of life. It represented a new beginning. This

sole light lit up my whole life and shined through my heart and soul. I unpacked my bags, canceled my trip to California, and registered at UMD for classes. Hope!

As Providence (Catholics don’t believe in fate or luck) would have it, Fr. Wells was pastor at the Catholic church next to the university. Also, a good friend from high school, Kevin, worked at the church as the youth minister. Kevin had called me when I was beginning classes and invited me to be a volunteer in the high school youth group he was running. He told me it was super important, to think about the commitment it involved, and get back to him. I thought about it but didn’t get back to him. Weeks later, on a campus of over 30,000 people, who do I run into but Kevin! In that providential encounter, I committed to Kevin to help out every Sunday night with the youth group. I wasn’t particularly excited about all that it meant vis-a-vis religious stuff, but it seemed like a cool new gig to work with Kevin and young people. It was a light that would lead me to the Light.