Daniel’s Story

“I needed to go so I went.”

Fresh from SEEK 2015, Daniel knew he had to be a missionary. He just had a sense that that was his next step in life. After much thought and prayer he began applying to various organizations. Little did he know that God would challenge him by waiting six years for his desire to come to fruition.

In 2021, Daniel said yes to Vagabond Missions, the first organization to accept him. The waiting had all started to make sense. It gave him time for growth and healing as a person, so he could be the best missionary he could be. During those six years, Daniel volunteered at a dance non-profit where they taught dances that were culturally congruent with those from the inner city. He also worked at a grocery store where he encountered people through all walks of life. Daniel developed empathy.

Late summer 2021 rolled around, and Daniel packed up his car and headed to Pittsburgh, PA, where he would serve until 2023. He served in the Hill District as well as Sharpsburg. It reminded him of his middle and high school community, and Daniel found that familiarity helpful in relation to the young people he served. During those years, Daniel met young people at the bus stop with hot cocoa, guided those who desired to learn more about the faith, and enjoyed many laughs with the Vagabond community. “It's the little things that become the big things,” Daniel reminisced. Witnessing young people experience the Love of Christ for the first time, hanging out in company with his fellow missionaries at the Pittsburgh mission house, and delighting in unexpected interactions were a few highlights during his time there. One of his favorite memories that he recorded on video was a young person from Pittsburgh, Jovon, randomly asking people what they thought of his outfit at Burger King.

One thing Daniel learned from his time in Pittsburgh was forgiveness.The young people would get into disagreements and then quickly resume their friendships. “God will meet people in the most surprising ways in where they are most receptive,” Daniel affirmed. Pittsburgh also taught him a lot of patience.

Sooner or later, many young people express interest in taking their faith a step further. Daniel helped a young man named Rashawn enter the Church in 2023 even though he had only walked with Rashawn for 4 months before his baptism, Rashawn was so grateful for Daniel’s guidance.

That same year In 2023, Daniel transferred to the brand-new Oklahoma City site, where he still is today. Some of his responsibilities in OKC include manning their site’s social media & making vlogs with the young people he is serving.

He has found that the young people in OKC are more receptive to the faith and have had similar experiences as most of them are from traditionally Catholic cultures. Still, trust must be built as with any relationship. OKC’s frequent group outings encourage friendship: skating at an ice rink, playing soccer at a park, or going to the movies. The site teaches weekly OCIA, where the young people will often hang out after. They also provide several retreat opportunities throughout the year: encouraging the young people to take more steps towards God.

“Bringing people to God is bringing God’s human family to him.” Daniel has experienced the ups and downs, good and bad, misconceptions, and even shortcomings of parents and leaders in the Church. Despite all of it, Catholicism is still the truth and the way of coming back to God, and he does this because he wants to share the faith with the young people.

One thing that surprised him about mission? “I thought they’d be more into dancing, but they are only into TikTok dances,” Daniel laughed.

Please pray for Daniel and the young people he serves!