This trip is all a little uncomfortable. Walking away from the privileges I take for granted at home and throwing myself in to an ‘its ok, no big deal’ environment is the worst kind of masochism.
Sometimes, to grow, this is what we must do. It is one thing to be situationally ‘ok’ with things because you do not have a choice, growing from that, and taking that step for yourself.
I want to put myself in that space so I can reach those that are forced there.
First flight out of the U.S. a Colombian woman passed around candies and walnuts… people are generally good. Everyone deserves to feel loved or to feel love!
When we are poured into we can blossom into something beautiful.
Planning, dreaming, considering different things is a constant for me. I can literally already see myself coming home after pouring out while being poured in to. Also, seeing all the great possibilities of the next steps I along with my team or whole squad will take!
Medellin and the Ciudad de Refugio
At the ministry men, woman, and young adults come to participate in the programs by choice. To either get off drugs, be better parents, or to learn home economical skills all while growing deeper in their faiths.
On Wednesdays the ministry is at its highest functioning potential. During the day there is English Club, Bible studies, and so on, but at night there is church services, a homeless shelter, then ‘Aguapanela’. This experience entails taking hot sugar water and buns to a sector of the city that is maybe four blocks altogether. There the authorities basically sequester homeless, drunks, drug addicts, prostitutes, and others. There we saw open drug use but surprisingly little violence. The idea is to nourish these people and to try to encourage them to get cleaned up enough to stay at the shelter with the hopes of then entering the rehabilitation programs they offer. That kind of approach is not one that I have ever seen but am so honored to have been able to be a part of.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, 45, NIV).
Manantiales
Some of our squad went up the mountain to put on a camp for teens and preteens, where they could all come together, and just enjoy their adolescence which is essential in this community. Many of the parents of these adolescents have been forced out of their homes in the city for various reasons, they live in poverty, but have created this safe space for them, the youth are still put into many situations that are burdensome for a young person coming into their own identity though.
Some young people came with us from the city up into the mountains as a type of retreat!
I will admit, I was fearful. We were told it was going to be cold in this place were we would spend many days with at risk teens. My first thought was this is going to be miserable, getting back talked all while being freezing cold… this was not the case! The young people were so open and receptive, the ages ranging from around ten to about seventeen, all just wanted to be loved on, and have fun! After every meal they went into the kitchen without being asked to and started the dishes. Wow! What a blessing it was to be invited to share this safe space!
A team leader of mine said before we left that Jesus was going to wreck these kids lives in the best way. When she said this I did not consider mine to be included in that, but it was. At breakfast I was sitting alone, and a little boy came up, and sat next to me. We didn’t talk much, just ate mostly. Then we went up to session where I sat down alone. He came and sat by me again. During this session some hard topics came up… in prayer he started to cry… although I couldn’t comfort him with words I could put my arm around him and pray with him. This broke my heart, but in the best way!
This place holds a special place in my heart now. For our last actual day of ministry we went back up the mountain with heavy bags of donations in our daypacks to distribute to the community.
As we were walking all of the sudden a tiny hand fit into mine! We had said hi to many kids along the path but this was a bit unexpected. I looked at my friend Rachel and noticed a little boy walking next to her. The brother of the girl who was holding my hand was quite a bit younger. They followed us around for a long while.
When we got to the first stop we all could not fit into the house so most of us stayed outside and played with the kids! They leaped off of steps into our arms and we danced around. Another house down the way we waited outside again. The little girl played with my hair. We walked again and sang Camilla Cabella songs, it was cute! Once we got to her Aunt’s house they all lead us to her Grandmother’s where we prayed for a bit and the little girl stayed.
The last house we visited a family of five lived in. Two women and their children. One of the mothers expressed her worries as she was a Venezuelan refugee who could not get a job or send her kids to school… again, we prayed. She held my hand so sweetly and when the prayers were over held on. The other woman made us ’Aguapanela’. The whole experience melted my heart it was so beautiful and sweet.
Our time in Colombia has been very impactful to say the least.
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV).
