Hola from Colombia!
I’ve been here for just over a week and it’s already been a whirlwind of activities and emotions and I’m excited to fill you all in!
The city of Medellin is so beautiful. The people. The land. Everything. I love it so much. It’s a place where stop signs are optional, mopeds can carry far more than you think, toilet seats and toilet paper are hard to come by, showers are ice cold, and rice goes with everything. Even spaghetti.
Ministry this month finds me at a homeless shelter named Ciudad Refugio (which means City of Refuge). It’s a busy place which not only houses the homeless at night, but has drug rehab programs, children’s ministry, community outreach, and hosts church services two times a week. Most of my involvement so far has been with the community outreach, which meant I got to travel up the mountain (in a bus that I’m still wondering how it made it up there) to a place called Manantiales, to spend time with the older youth that have been displaced from their homes. Most of the kids and their families used to live in other parts of the country but had to flee up the mountain due to drug lords and gang violence. Heartbreaking.
If I’m being honest, the language barrier made it really difficult for me to feel like I was connecting with these kids, and that has probably been the most difficult and discouraging thing so far. You can only say “hello” in Spanish so many times before you’re kinda just awkwardly staring at each other and wishing you had been more diligent with your DuoLingo app. But not all hope was lost, because when the volleyball came out, no language barrier in the world could keep me from loving on those kids.
Meeting them was like stepping into a completely different universe. Most of them live in poverty, many are abused, and food is not a guarantee in their lives. It’s actually really hard to believe it’s true, and I was there. I was with them, looking into their eyes which have seen and known things I never will have to, and holding their hands that have held pain I will never know, yet I still could hardly fathom their reality. It was easy for me to feel helpless, but I’m choosing to trust in the sovereignty of God, and that my presence there was a part of His bigger plan.
The topic of our time with them was forgiveness. Aside from letting them just be kids and dance and play sports, we also taught lessons and some of my teammates shared their testimonies. We also got to do a small skit which was a little out of my comfort zone (seems to be a theme these days), but I channeled my inner Jennifer Aniston and totally crushed it. Of course, we also worshiped. If you think I’m a terrible singer in English, you should hear me sing in Spanish. I’m incredible. (Kidding!)
But in all seriousness, God moved that day. I don’t fully understand the depth of hurt or bitterness or pain that those kids have had to walk through, but I do know it takes a very real God to be able to meet them where they’re at, and allow their beautiful hearts to forgive all the injustice that has been done to them. These kids, several of them in tears, slowly made their way to the front of the room where we got to pray over them as they chose forgiveness, even though they had every right to be angry about their innocence being stolen. I think this is the beauty in the ashes. The glory in the brokenness. They understood a truth I think many of us miss out on, that freedom is on the other side of obedience.
As I prayed over those kids, tears rolled down my face and I begged God to never let me forget that holy moment. I pray I never harbour unforgiveness in my heart, because on that day those kids showed me a perfect picture of what my Heavenly Father has done for me, and it is so very humbling. It is so very good. His presence is just so very good.
I sometimes catch myself missing my people back home, but I’m starting to see that I will gain far more than I will lose. I’m incredibly thankful for every one of you.
Audios for now mi amigos! Ya’ll are the best.
Kaelyn
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord…”
Acts 3:19-20
