Gema learned she was pregnant right after signing up to volunteer and now her “new arrival” will coincide with WYD

 Gema Hernandez Sanchez works at a school in Getafe, a city south of Madrid. She was very excited about making all the preparations for World Youth Day and she even signed up at her parish as volunteer coordinator. Once everything seemed to be on track, something new and unplanned popped up on her agenda for August: she was pregnant! For her and her husband, this was great news and they have had to change their plans to make way for this new pilgrim who will arrive at the same time as the rest of those coming to WYD. The only difference is: this little pilgrim’s here to stay.

Gema and her husband during the “Cadena 100” concert, with other volunteers

Gema has had to put aside some of the initiatives she had originally planned on for the third week of August, considering the fact that she will already be overdue by then. “Man proposes, God disposes,” she says with a smile on her face.

The day she was originally going to go to a residence to distribute Grandparents’ Club cards, Gema had to go for an ultrasound. Even so, with everything her pregnancy implies, she had the time and desire to participate in working at a WYD Information Point during a “Cadena 100” concert. There, she spent her time talking to all the young people who visited the stand, explaining what World Youth Day is and how they could help out with it.

So, Gema has two countdowns pending, WYD and her baby on the way, whom she is expecting in late August, just after the end of the big event. Even so, Gema will remain a fully committed volunteer in what will ultimately most help WYD: prayer.