It’s officially been one full week since my squad and I arrived to Medellin, Columbia! This past week has been so full of growth and Jesus as well as the days leading up to it at training camp. Training camp was an absolutely amazing experience. Going into it the main thing that was on my mind was meeting the people that I would be with for the next 6 months. To have a Christian community like that was something my soul so craved. It was difficult meeting everyone and getting to know people because of the expectations I had set in my head and the fact that we are all so different. Something God has been showing me since then is that the body of Christ is made up of many parts, and each part MATTERS! Going forward I am so excited to learn so many different things from so many different people.
Arriving in Columbia was an adventure for sure! I can honestly say I have never spent the night on the floor of an airport before, but the conversations I had with people and the memories we made were gold. Anxiety really hit me hard my first week in Columbia. During those moments my first thought is to seclude myself because I feel like a burden to the people around me if I let them in on my life. My squad was so quick to remind me that they do care and that they will fight with me. I have honestly never been with a group of people who pray as much as this squad does. In all situations, victories, hardships we pray for one another. I’ve truly felt like heaven has touched earth in those moments when we are praying together.
Our amazing ministry host is Cuidad Refugio in Medellin, Columbia. This ministry works to serve both the homeless population and they have an amazing program for people coming out of drug addiction. I love how intentional this ministry is with everyone who enters into this building and they really care for the people in the program and want to make sure they have a firm foundation when they leave. For example, there is a bakery on the first floor that is run by people who have gone through the program and can now work. I have gotten to spend time with the women in the program and do bible studies, share testimonies and do fun things like play soccer with them. I am SO incredibly excited to get to know these women and their hearts and just grow in faith with them. Please pray for my growing knowledge of Spanish as well as my squads Spanish that we can be able to build relationships with people in the community and in the program through our conversations. Thank you so much for all the prayers and support from back home!
*One of my amazing teammates Ritz is still not fully funded on her World Race account. Ritz has such a huge heart for Jesus and our squad would not be the same without her. Please consider donating to her World Race fund!
ritzmejia.theworldrace.org/
