Just when I had resigned myself to carrying out the volunteer work alone, one night, while watching The Simpsons on TV, my phone vibrated with an unexpected message on WhatsApp.
"Hi, good evening. I read something about a volunteer activity, and I'd like to participate," the message said.
It was a simple phrase, but something in its tone caught my attention.
"Good evening! Nice to meet you," I replied immediately, with a touch of curiosity, and then added some voice messages to explain what the volunteer work was about. "If you're interested in the idea, you can join."
The reply came almost instantly, with a naturalness that surprised me.
"Yes! I agree, and I love what you're doing. Congratulations on your work. My name is Catalina," she added, with a smiling emoji.
Her words, so sincere and direct, struck me.
"Nice to meet you, Catalina. Thanks for your interest. I'm Facundo and I coordinate the project. I do everything from the heart, in honor of the Virgin Mary, who guides me every day."
Unlike other conversations with interested people, ours flowed with uncommon spontaneity.
Her name was Catalina Kowalski, she was 26 years old and had been born in San Cayetano, a small town in the province of Buenos Aires. As a child, she had moved to La Plata and was of Polish descent. In fact, her surname Kowalski is of Polish origin.
I noticed that she didn't have a profile picture on WhatsApp. Normally, I wouldn't care about such things, but this time I couldn't help but ask.
"I see you don't have a profile picture."
"Ah, I was just about to change it now!" she replied, laughing. "I saw your Facebook post and got distracted, haha."
Minutes later, Catalina updated her photo. When I saw it, I was speechless. Her face was enchanting: fair skin, beautiful light-filled brown eyes, dark brown hair elegantly tied back, and in that profile picture, Catalina wore a smile that seemed to light up the screen with her white teeth. Her physical appearance matched her Polish heritage; she had features to match.
The conversation continued for hours. Catalina told me she worked as a kindergarten teacher and was a practicing Catholic. She didn't belong to a fixed parish, just like me, but she visited different churches seeking that special peace that can only be found through Catholic faith and inside a Catholic temple.
Then, with a mix of shyness and courage, she asked me something I didn't expect.
"I'd like to know something: are you single?"—when I read that, I was surprised and couldn't believe what she had asked.
I hesitated a moment before replying honestly. I didn't want to seem weird.
"Yes, I'm single and waiting for the woman God chose for me. And you?" I asked, while my heart began to beat faster.
"I'm also single and waiting for the right man," she said in a voice message full of sweetness. "It's not easy, but I feel that God and the Virgin Mary will guide me to him."
Knowing she was single, I clenched my fists and let out a quiet, "Yes!"
Honestly, I was very surprised by how direct Catalina was with me and how she almost took the initiative in the conversation. In Argentina, women don't usually approach men first, but Catalina seemed very curious and confident.
Her voice was pure harmony: feminine, melodic, with a warmth that seemed to embrace the soul.
"It's nice to know you're waiting for the right person. I think love is a matter of courage, of seeking something authentic and lasting," I said, feeling that those words came straight from my heart.
"I think exactly the same. I feel like you're a special person," she replied, sending a heart emoji.
That night, I fell asleep with a smile I hadn't had in a long time. Catalina had awakened in me a feeling I thought forgotten. Those butterflies in the stomach, the inner peace, the feeling that everything is right—I only felt them with her.
The next day, after completing my obligations, we resumed our conversation. Catalina sent me a photo of her cat, Nino, a small white feline with golden eyes.
"What a cute cat!" I wrote back, sending her a photo of Tito, my black and white cat. "I love cats!"
We shared laughs and anecdotes about our pets, but soon the conversation grew deeper. We touched on some sensitive topics directly related to human values, like abortion.
"I firmly believe that abortion is murder. You can't kill a defenseless baby. Say what they will, abortion is a criminal act," Catalina said, expressing her pro-life stance, and immediately showed me her light blue scarf, a symbol of the pro-life movement in Argentina.
Every word she spoke ignited growing admiration in me. The following Saturday, we would meet for volunteer work at a senior center.
That night, I looked up at the stars and whispered a prayer of gratitude. I felt Catalina was a gift. Even from a distance, she seemed lovely, a good person, with beautiful values and a kind soul. I couldn't wait to discover the destiny God had planned for both of us. Everything was looking bright from the very beginning with Cata.