Colombia remains volatile and dangerous, although a strong government has stabilized the nation in recent years. Levels of violence, kidnapping and assassination are still abnormally high. Leftist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries both seem to have abandoned ideological agendas and have effectively become gangs profiting from cocaine and kidnapping. Political or religious leaders who oppose such groups are targeted. Cocaine production has actually grown despite the government’s efforts to reduce it. Crop destruction has driven the rebels and coca growers into national parks and ecological reserves where they are destroying much of Colombia’s rich ecosystem and biodiversity. Pray for a government that will be strong in opposing violence and wise and just in moving the nation forward. A number of key government figures have been exposed as having ties to paramilitary groups. This is a revelation that will ultimately prove healthy for transparency and accountability, but will shake many people’s trust in the government in a land where faith in state institutions is already weak.
Support ministries:
- Literature is still underutilized but increasingly vital for evangelism and for teaching believers. The Colombian Bible Society works with various organizations to distribute Christian literature among the poorest and children, and it has overseen large-scale distributions of hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature.
- Christian radio. Evangelicals have little access to national radio, but local Christian FM broadcasts are popping up. Evangelical broadcasters broadcast 667 hours per week in Spanish.
- Audio and video resources reach many who do not or cannot read. The JESUS film is available in Spanish and nine other languages, including Colombian Sign Language, (the deaf are the nation’s largest unreached group). A large proportion of Colombians have seen this film.
