Eva, Spain: "I discovered that my vocation is to turn houses into homes"

Eva lives in Barcelona and has wanted to share her journey of vocational discovery. Her first contact with the Work was negative: "We were in class, and the tutor, talking about cults, said: 'It’s very dangerous, cults prey on people, and the worst, the worst, is Opus Dei.'” After that comment, she began questioning her faith. "Every Sunday I went to Mass, but why was I going to Mass?" she wondered.

A trip to Seville during Holy Week marked a turning point. "One day, I stood in front of God... and I said: 'What mission do you have for me?'" After watching the film The Passion, she felt the need to do something meaningful: "If God has done this for me, what do I need to do?" She reflected on her vocation and concluded that her calling was "in the world." She considered different options within Opus Dei and eventually asked God: "Assistant numerary?" and heard: "Yes."

We dedicate ourselves to transforming houses into homes.

Eva explains that her vocation is deeply linked to her profession: "We dedicate ourselves to transforming houses into homes." Her work goes beyond cleaning or cooking; it involves "a design, a thought behind it for the person who’s coming, there’s research involved." "Other people could do it perfectly," she adds, "but there’s a special element of dedication and care, and you also put that extra layer of prayer and service for those people."

Her decision raised doubts, even within herself, since as a child, she wanted to be a teacher and was studying Education: "I thought: But I won’t be working in a school! And my friends would say: ‘What are you doing?!’ It’s not so much a renunciation as a transformation. And the subject matter is different. So, instead of teaching Maths or Geography, I teach the importance of the little things, of family, of beauty, of doing things well…"

Living in a centre with numeraries and assistant numeraries has also taught her about living with others. "Each person comes with their own baggage, character, and there are different generations. So, I think it requires a lot of flexibility, understanding, and listening... God is behind it because otherwise, it wouldn’t work!" For Eva, her vocation is a total service that adds value to society. "It’s fulfilling to know that this home expands into the world."