Charlie, Medjugorje Local

Charlie moved to Medjugorje from Tours, France in 2007. He told us his story of becoming a local here. 

I came here during the war in 1993 as a charity worker to help refugees. I stayed two years the first time, then I came back in 2007.

I built a house, thought it would be a holiday house but it became a permanent house. I felt Our Lady was inviting me to stay, but I didn’t want to at first. Then my spiritual director said it is better to obey, so I am obeying. Like everywhere, you have to carry your cross — there is the good side and the more difficult side.

When you live here you lose the grace of the pilgrims; you’re not a pilgrim anymore. You have to discover a new way of living here. The most important part is the evening program, the three hours of prayer. That is what Our Lady asked of us. That is the only reason for being here to be honest.