I am now in the last month of my race and I feel so fortunate to be serving at an incredible ministry called Ciudad Refugio in Medellin, Colombia. This ministry’s mission is to not only provide nightly shelter and meals for the homeless but also rehabilitation for men and women who have been caught in the dark world of drugs, alcohol and the pain that follows addiction.
On a daily basis we work by helping the men and women with small tasks like packing boxes (the tasks are a part of their work training), prepare food in the kitchen and do daily devotionals. We also help with prayer meetings, church services and street outreach on Wednesday nights. We serve food and heated sugar water while praying for the homeless and drug addicts living as squatters all over the city. Colombia has the second largest population of internally displaced people, larger than some war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq. (The report, Global Report on Global Displacement, outlined that with an internally displaced population of approximately 7.2 million people) Colombia has done an amazing job restoring the country after Pablo Escobar dominated the drug trade in the 70’s and 80’s, but most of the homeless population today still makes their money and struggles with the drug problems and trafficking that is still very present.
I have learned so much from this ministry already and the restoration that goes on in this place to completely transform the lives of the men and women who are here. I wish I could write out all the stories of the men and women we have met because they are truly unbelievable. This month,more than ever has shown me the importance of giving HOPE over giving help. This is why I became a missionary.
Helping people heal is beautiful. Helping people turn their life around is powerful. Helping people find a new path and alternative can be transformational. But giving HOPE is different. Getting to meet these men and women is such a privilege, but it can be hard to leave after a month and say, “what did I really do?”. However, working with Jesus is a whole new ball game. We get to partner with him, as HE does the work. I can come in and point these people to someone so much greater and so much more powerful than myself. I can point them to a father, a son and a holy spirit who can be with them at all times to show them a new way. A man who gives us new life and healing. A savior who gives them hope for their life here on earth and in Heaven.
As missionaries our heart is to bring people into relationship with Jesus so he can call them out of darkness. We want others to know the love of Christ because it is never ending, always powerful and never failing. If these men and women are open to receiving Christ, their lives will be changed whether we are present or not.
“The great missionary hope is that when the gospel is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, God himself does what man cannot do: he creates the faith that saves. The call of God does what the call of man can’t. It raises the dead. It creates spiritual life. It is like the call of Jesus to Lazarus in the tomb, “Come out!” And the dead man obeyed and came out. The call created the obedience by creating life (John 11:43). That is how anyone is saved.
We can waken someone from sleep with our call, but God’s call can summon into being things that are not (Romans 4:17). God’s call is irresistible in the sense that it can overcome all resistance.
This is what man cannot do. It is impossible. Only God can take out the heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). Only God can draw people to the Son (John 6:44, 65). Only God can open the spiritually dead heart so that it gives heed to the gospel (Acts 16:14). Only the Good Shepherd knows his sheep, and calls them by name with such compelling power that they all follow — and never perish. (John 10:3–4, 14).” – John Piper
I have been so grateful to see that this month and every month this past year. My heart continues to be on fire for God and being His hands and feet on the mission field. I have felt this irresistible call on my own life and I have seen dead and dark areas of my heart come alive because of Jesus. Aside from working in the homeless shelter and rehab clinic my team and I did two extra days of ministry at the supermax prison here in Medellin. This is another incredible ministry that has seen a revival amongst the most dangerous male prisoners in this country. Talk about being chained up physically, mentally and spiritually…. These men have had hearts of stone as they have killed hundreds of people, raped, stolen and trafficked drugs all over the world. Their stories are intense, yet the only one to soften and transform their lives has been Jesus.
Volunteers have gone into help them heal, help them grieve, process and reflect on their past. But it wasn’t until Jeannine Brabon stepped into the prison in 1992 and started spreading the gospel with these men that the prison started to see tangible and undeniable differences.
As a young woman, Jeannine was one of the first to minister in the extremely violent prison. At that time, Bellavista was experiencing several murders every week. As the Gospel took hold, despite fierce opposition, the murder rate dropped. Hundreds of men have accepted Christ now and a Bible Institute had formed in the prison.
These men go through bible studies, discipleship and a seminary training to become pastors. They meet once a week with Jeannine and other missionaries for a service and training but beyond that they have small groups and evangelism throughout their cells. They are being raised up as leaders to go and share with other inmates, to create prayer chains and regular fasting and discipleship for one another. It is absolutely beautiful.
Colombia uses restorative justice methods so if you murder over 100+ people you still have a chance of getting out early. Many of these men go on to start their own church. One man we worked with, Eduard was a head drug trafficker during Pablo Escobar’s time and got out of prison 30 years early after coming to Christ and working with the ministry. He went on to Pastor his own church and many of his elders are previous drug dealers who were under him years ago.
After learning that many prisoners get moved around from jail to jail, I wondered how the ministry was still effective if they were not regularly meeting for services and surrounded by their Christian brothers. However the most powerful thing I heard this week was the story of a prisoner telling the guards that were moving him, “You can strip me down, take away my possessions, my family, and my whole life but you can’t take away my faith and love for Jesus Christ”.
This is HOPE. This is the hope that my heart burns for. This is the hope I so badly desire to bring to the world. No matter where, and matter what is going on, no matter how dark of a place we are in physically or mentally, we have a Father who is greater than all of that. He is the only thing we need. He is the only one who satisfies.
To hear that a man who is facing a life sentence can still have joy, peace and a fulfilled life worshipping and serving the Lord is nothing short of a miracle. But a miracle that is accessible to everyone.
This new life is not just for the lost in the prisons or the homeless facing relapse and a horrible cycle of drugs. This is possible for me and you too. This is possible for people in America who are perfectly comfortable and suffer from a breakup. This is possible for men and women who are facing depression. It doesn’t matter what your suffering looks life, Jesus is our HOPE. He is the only one who can take that pain away and give us complete satisfaction.
I can do my best here to love and serve the people in Colombia but at the end of the day I know I can’t fix every problem. I know I can’t save anyone’s life. I know I can’t be the one to transform these women’s hearts and desires to end their family’s cycle of drugs and abuse. I can only point them to the one who can. I can point them to the one “ who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20). I can remind them “we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). I can pray for them and keep sharing the testimonies God has given me of bringing my own heart into a new life and how he can do the same for them. I can keep sharing his living HOPE.
