Today is my last day in Medellin and in South America! Tomorrow my squad leaves for Africa. We will have three days of travel until we get to Kigali, Rwanda. Please pray for us to have safe travels and to be able to sleep on the plane rides as much as possible!
I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Medellin working with Fundacion Cuidad Refugio. Cuidad Refugio has many different programs but it’s main ministry is a rehabilitation center for men and women and a homeless shelter. They also do lots of different kid/youth programs in the community. Everyday ministry looked different. So, here’s what a week in ministry looked like in Medellin.
Every morning at 8:00 am my team had our morning prayer and then at 8:30 we had breakfast in the bakery downstairs that is run by men in the rehabilitation program.
Wednesday
After breakfast some people helped in the kitchen, others worked with food donations, and the rest went upstairs to practice singing songs in Spanish for later in the day.
Lunch was usually around 12:00.
After lunch we headed to a nearby park. There we played music and sang worship songs in English and Spanish. We also handed out juice and just talked to people and prayed for them. This park had a lot of people there who were involved in drugs. We just tried to pray for them and over the area as much as possible and invite them to the Wednesday night service that we had.
After we got back from the park we would have team time. In team time we do check ins (how are you feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually) give feedback, and just spend time together as a team.
Dinner at 5:30.
After dinner we had Wednesday night service with awesome worship and a sermon. Usually two people from the squad would give their testimony before the sermon.
After the sermon about 12 people would go to Aguapanela. Aguapanela is when a group goes to an area where the homeless/transient population are sleeping that night. We handed out hot water and bread and just walked about and prayed for people. I saw people doing drugs, witchcraft, and just passed out on the street. I’d never seen anything like it before. If you want to read more about this, here are two links to some of my squadmate’s blogs about it.
Thursday
After breakfast people helped in the kitchen and with food donations, some had time off, and others went to an organization called Pa’Mi Barrio. I was able to do this every Thursday and it was amazing. This organization formed nine years ago in one of the most violent neighborhoods in Medellin. It’s an organization for youth in the area. They can come before and after school and get food and also do different programs. They had art, music, computer programs, and a library/toy room upstairs for the kids. They also have a scholarship program. Kids who show a drive in their education can be sponsored to go to private schools nearby. They can also eventually get college scholarships through the program too. In total there were 32 people on scholarships, most in school, a few in college, and even a few moms of kids who wanted to go back to school. There we just helped in whatever way we could from washing dishes to playing with kids. You could really see the fruit of this organization. These kids were all so well behaved and clean and healthy. They took care of these kids so well.
Here’s a link to the organization’s website.http://pamibarrio.weebly.com
If you would want to donate to this amazing organization or sponsor a child feel free to email me about it!
Dinner at 5:30, team time after. Then lights out!
Friday
After breakfast people helped with kitchen and food donations while the rest had time off to pack for their overnight trip to Monantialles. The first and third Friday my team and some others went to Monantialles. This is a neighborhood up in the hills of Medellin that is home to a very poor population. I’d never seen poverty at this level. Dirt floors, no running water, houses on stilts that looked like they were about to fall over. We walked through the community on Friday to tell the kids about the program the next day and just pray for people.
Friday night we ate dinner at a local school where we spent the night. Then we played games all together along with people from the organization that came with us.
Saturday
Saturday morning we woke up, had a quick breakfast and then went to greet the kids. And there were a lot. Over a hundred definitely. We started with VBS like music for the kids with dance moves to go along. Then we split the kids up into age groups and I was with the 6-9 year olds both times. It was so fun to hang out with the them and get to teach them about Jesus.
After handing out food and clothes to the kids we headed back to Cuidad Refugio and got to rest a little until dinner at 5:30 and then service at 6:00. Some of us went to the service while others went and did a lesson for some of the kids we brought back with us from Monantialles for the night.
After service/hanging with kids it was team time then off to bed!
Sunday
Sunday after breakfast we had church at Cuidad Refugio from 10 – 12. Some of us went to the service and others helped with the youth service upstairs. After service we had lunch and then a meeting with our host Rebecca. After that we were free for the day.
Monday and Tuesdays were are “off days” to rest and process and explore the area.
I’m excited to head to Africa but also sad to be leaving this city. I loved working with this organization and its many parts. I’ll remember this city and these people forever.
Some of the sweet girls at Pa’Mi Barrio who did my hair.
Two of the young boys gave us our own personal concert.
One of the days at Pa’Mi Barrio we made “cookies”.
One of the sweet girls at Monantialles.
These two loved coloring and just sat in my lap and colored for an hour.
Mateo sitting and coloring.
While Mateo was coloring, this little boy kept making swords out of markers. Obviously, we had a sword fight. He won.
Henry loved to talk even though I could only understand about 10% of what he said.
These girls loved playing on the monkey bars and playground.
