“Alive in Christ”: I didn’t knew that an online group could make so many changes in my life

Hi, My Name is Jaish from Karachi, Pakistan. I’m 19 years old and a student and also doing a part-time job to manage the expenses of my studies accordingly. Before sharing my experience as a member of Shalom Alive in Christ Prayer Group. I would like you all to know a little about myself.

I was born and raised as a Catholic in my family and after my confirmation at the age of 12, I joined my church’s choir and started going to Holy Mass on regular basis on every Sunday. At the age of 17 I got invited by my teacher to attend a one week retreat  which was to happen in another city, I was small and didn’t know where I’m going and for what I’m going there but I had that desire of knowing and to experience God’s love and His mission for me in my life, there I encountered the Holy Spirit and I said Yes to the Lord to work for His people and to do His mission. After one week I came home from the retreat and my life seems to be so beautiful and my focus now was to do great things for the Glory of the Lord. To be Christ-like among my neighbors.

And today I’m very delighted and happy to tell you all that I represent Pakistan on such a big platform that is Shalom Catholic Community. I still remember the day when Bárbara invited me for the online prayer group called Alive in Christ on August 2, 2020. I used to follow this page on Instagram for the online rosary and when I got the text from her, without asking any questions I just said Yes to her and said that I will join the prayer group on Sunday.

I was unaware of the Shalom Community but the format of the prayer group really touched me the praise and worship and the talks and the way I was welcomed in the group made me so happy, people from all around the world having the same desire of loving God and to experience His love in their lives connected me a lot with them. I didn’t knew that an online group could make so many changes in my life, through the Online Prayer group every Sunday I started to learn about icons, shalom songs which has become an important part of my life, like Abba Father and Ruah these are my favorites and I listen to this everyday while doing meditation.

Another important thing which the prayer group brought me is having a desire to learn more languages since in the prayer there are people from all over the world and that brought an interest in me to learn more languages like Spanish, Italian and Chinese… One more thing which I have received through this prayer group is how to do evangelization through social media platforms, I used to watch weekly online rosary on instagram and from their I’ve got this interest in me that I also should do something like this, since I’m very devoted to the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, through this Chaplet I’ve received many graces and blessings from God, and one day during my personal prayer I got this understanding from God to start this Chaplet of Divine Mercy online so that others may also know and experience the same love and blessings of God which I have received through this powerful prayer. Very soon I will be starting this Chaplet on instagram by the grace of God in 5 Languages, just like the online rosary.

The most beautiful and the important part which I learned from this Shalom online prayer group is to know about missionaries and their lives. I used to think that there are only two callings for a person to serve God through Priesthood or Married Life, but I came to know from this group about various missionaries like life community and covenant community, I love to watch there testimonies and there experience how God called them for His mission. The best part is the wooden cross which all the Shalom missionaries wear everytime. I love to see it. I hope to be connected to the Alive in Christ family in future as well and to grow together in this journey to serve and love God.

God bless you all and May the Peace of Christ be with you and your family.

Shalom!

Jaish Yousaf, 19
Karachi, Pakistan