Our Pilgrimage of Hope

The Dream That Lingered

Years ago, we talked—well, dreamed—about living abroad. It wasn’t a structured plan, more of a whisper in our hearts. We’d watch YouTube videos of people thriving overseas, living their dreams in countries far from the Philippines. Their stories lit something in us.

And to be honest, the growing instability and political unrest in our homeland added to our yearning. But this post isn’t about that. It’s about what we did with the longing.

We seriously considered Canada. Then Australia. Then New Zealand. We spent countless nights researching visas, costs, and the paths available to Filipinos. Every road led to the same wall: money. The kind we didn’t have. Migration required a substantial amount—not just to apply, but to prove you could survive. It seemed like the door was closing before we could even knock.

If someone told me two years ago that we’d be packing our lives into suitcases to start from scratch in Spain, and then, walking the cobblestone streets of Rome, attending a global Catholic conference in the heart of Vatican City, I might have laughed. Or cried. Because back then, we were stuck. Really stuck.

Finding Rome by Faith

Yes, we’re members of Couples for Christ (CFC). But we had no idea the Global Conference in 2025 was going to be in Rome. We found out, of all places, through a Facebook post.

That was sometime in 2024—while we were right in the thick of processing and applying for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa. The decision to attend the conference felt wild. Risky. And yet, deeply right.

We registered ourselves without knowing whether our visa would be approved, if we’d have the budget for it, or what would happen next. It was a leap of faith in every sense of the word.

As Filipinos, traveling outside the Philippines isn’t easy. Going to Europe? Even harder. Aside from the financial demands, there’s the visa process. The complexity of holding a Philippine passport meant the odds weren’t in our favor.

We didn’t even know if our DNV would be granted in time. If it wasn’t, we’d have to go through the painstaking process of applying for a separate Schengen visa—something that’s never guaranteed.

So we prayed.

“Lord, if You want us there, we’ll leave it in Your hands.”

Rome: More Than a Destination

Rome has always been one of those dream destinations. A city we quietly admired from afar but never seriously considered visiting—at least not yet.

But when we learned that the CFC Global Conference 2025 would be held there—and that its theme aligned perfectly with the Vatican’s Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope—it felt like a divine nudge.

It wasn’t just about visiting Rome. It was about what Rome represented. A deeper journey. A spiritual pilgrimage.

We documented our experience in a series of vlogs, which you can watch here, but even the best footage can’t fully capture what we felt there.

Rome was breathtaking. Sacred. Timeless.

We walked the streets of the Vatican. We stood in awe beneath the towering dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. We wandered through the ruins of the Colosseum, the history brushing up against our skin. In those quiet moments, we felt small—and yet never insignificant.

We were pilgrims—not just in Rome, but in life. And Rome became more than just a place to visit. It became a spiritual checkpoint. A place to pause. To reflect. To breathe.

Somehow, against all odds, we were there. And honestly, even now, I’m still not entirely sure how everything came together. But I believe it was meant to.

The Conference: Faith, Family, and Fire

The CFC Global Conference was a spiritual recharge we didn’t know we needed. It was filled with energy, worship, and the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit. Families, couples, singles—all united in one purpose. The atmosphere was electric, but deeply personal.

In the middle of all the songs, prayers, and sessions, something inside us broke open. I found myself releasing years of fear, doubt, even pride. And then one speaker said something that hit me hard:

“Hope isn’t passive. Hope is courageous.”

That line stuck. It sank deep into our bones.

We’d been praying for clarity. For direction. We knew we were being called to something new—but the idea of leaving everything behind, starting from scratch, with no guaranteed success? That was terrifying.

Yet, in that space, surrounded by people who had chosen radical trust in God, something in us shifted.

What if this moment was our invitation to leap?

Spain: The Leap of Faith

Two months before Rome, we had already taken that leap.

We packed up everything we could into a few suitcases and boarded a one-way flight to Spain. There was no job waiting for us. No fallback plan. Just our God-given talents, a bit of grit, and the dream of building something new.

We took the leap and became digital nomads—offering creative services like web design, video editing, and graphic design. We also embraced life as content creators, vloggers, and remote workers. It was a bold decision—and to be honest, it felt like free-falling into the unknown.

And no—it wasn’t glamorous.

There were nights we stared at our bank account, unsure if we’d make it to the next month. Days we questioned our decision. Moments of loneliness and discouragement.

But each time we felt like quitting, we reminded ourselves: this is why we started. Not for comfort. But for hope.

And hope, we’ve come to learn, always demands something in return.

It demands courage.
It demands surrender.
It demands persistence.

From Rome to Reality

Looking back now, I can see the divine thread that wove this entire journey together.

Rome wasn’t just a trip—it was our pilgrimage of hope.
The conference wasn’t just an event—it was a call to mission.
And our move to Spain? It wasn’t just about finding work. It was about faith in the unknown.

There’s something sacred about saying “yes” to God without seeing the whole plan. There’s a strange peace in starting from zero—not because it's easy, but because for the first time in a long time, you feel alive.

Now, we’re slowly building our online presence under our brand, myjseven.com. Our Youtube channel, youtube.com/@myjseven, It’s not perfect. Some days, we feel like impostors. Other days, we feel unstoppable.

But every day, we choose to show up.
To plant seeds.
To water our dreams.

Final Thoughts: For the Dreamers, the Risk-Takers, the Pilgrims

If you’re reading this and you feel stuck—if something inside you longs for more, but fear keeps you frozen—let this be your sign.

God rarely gives us the full map.
He gives us the next step.

And sometimes, that step looks like moving to a new country.
Sometimes, it looks like attending a conference you never planned to join.
Sometimes, it looks like packing everything you own and starting over from scratch.

But always—always—that step is worth it.

Because when you walk in hope, you’re never walking alone.

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