Hey everyone!
I have arrived in Medellin, Colombia for my first month of the race!!!! It’s happening people!!!
So, I have been here almost a week and have already had so many incredible experiences!!!
This blog post is about the logistical stuff this month-where I am staying, what I am doing on a daily basis, etc. I will be uploading spiritually-based blogs later!
I am staying at Fundación Ciudad Refugio (to learn more about them click Here). It is a large complex-type building. There is an open-air bakery/coffee shop (so many places in Medellin is open-air and it’s great) in the bottom floor to make money for the foundation’s operations. The next floor is a large multi-purpose room used for church on Sunday and Wednesday, a place for homeless to sleep each night, and various Bible studies and events during the week. There is a men’s and women’s rehabilitation program on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 4th floor is for volunteers to stay and has the kitchen where we eat. The 5th floor is an open terrace with a net around for kids to play soccer. It’s a super cool building because they have various programs going on for the foundation to financially operate without help from the government. There are solar panels on the roof and they contract out small assembly-type jobs from companies in the area for the men in the rehabilitation program to do in their free time as part of recovery.
Our meals are all provided by the foundation. We get a bakery item (SO GOOD) and coffee for breakfast each morning from the bakery. Then, for lunch and dinner, we eat from the kitchen in the foundation. They feed us, the other volunteers that live here, the men and women in the rehabilitation program, along with others as well. We have had rice with every meal and lots of soup and beans as well. The stomach is doing okay so far (thank you, Jesus).
The area we are in is a large city with a market, coffee shops/panderia, and a mall in walking distance. There is so many forms of public transportation-Uber, busses, taxis and a metro. There is even a cable car system that goes to the top of the mountain! Super cool stuff. The elevation in Medellin is similar to Denver, CO.
Ministry for the month has looked different this first week because the kids were out of school so we held kids camps (basically all day VBS) for the past few days. I got the opportunity to go up the mountain to the outskirts of the city to a village, Monatilais, where the people have been internally displaced. This is just a fancy term to say they were forced to move within their own country. It is a poor district with dirt streets and small, tin homes. Ciudad Refugio has a YMCA-type of place on top of the mountain where they hold different programs. Kids in the community came and had a 3 day stay-over camp. I played lots of sports. They love volleyball and, of course, soccer. We even had a frisbee game going sometimes. It was so fun!! The kids craved attention and someone to love them. They were super patient with my lack of Spanish and even taught me some words! We shared music with one another in English and Spanish. They surprisingly listen to Hillsong, Elevation, etc. in English!! Also, I helped out in the kitchen some too. We made spaghetti sauce from ketchup and paired that with rice for a well balanced meal…but also had fresh squeezed orange juice so that was tasty!!
We arrived back at the foundation in the city on Saturday and held youth group that night. Then, Sunday morning we had church, which is super similar to church at home (except in Spanish). They have worship with the words on a screen up front and a praise band. I didn’t stay for the message because I went to help with Sunday School for 6-8 year olds. So cute!!! This was also in Spanish so I didn’t really understand much but the teacher talked about what an evangelist is, or at least that’s what the translator told me. The kids don’t care that I do not speak their language. They still climb up in my lap and hug on me and talk in full sentences and I just smile and nod haha.
The rest of Sunday was chill. We had journey markers, which is a Bible study with our team, then a free afternoon. I took a nap because that is my normal Sunday afternoon schedule. That night, my team had a movie night complete with snacks and Lilo and Stitch. It was so relaxing!
So moral of the story-we have it pretty nice in Colombia because we are in a decent sized city. We have WiFi at the foundation, beds that have a frame and mattress, toilets, and a even a washer! The buildings where our living quarters are will be demolished once we leave to build a medical clinic so they definitely have their faults, but in a short week it has become our humble abode.
God is faithful to provide our need. All we really need is Him. The rest is just luxury and blessings! If there is one thing I have learned so far, it is that we can survive with wayyyy less than we have + that’s kind of beautiful to discover.
Please let me know if you have questions or comments!
Xoxo
Katlyn
