Month 6 of the World Race has finally taken us into South America! Our squad spent the month of June in the BEAUTIFUL country of Colombia. I had the honor of serving with team Fuente (Dani Rogg, Brenna Lucero, Carlie Smith, Kathryn Krause and Misha Shonkwiler) in Cartagena for the first few weeks.
*Team Fuente. Photo courtesy of Carlie Smith
We partnered with Alex Rocha, a native Cartagenian who has started Alex Rocha’s Youth Center. They offer English classes, sports ministry and church services Sunday mornings in the youth center reaching out to the kids and teens within the neighborhood.
Cartagena was quite the surprise in my eyes. The first time I heard where we’d be going my mind immediately wandered back to the movie, Romancing the Stone. Believe it or not, it’s one of my favorites. When Alex isn’t serving at the youth center he works as a tour guide giving some of the best walking tours throughout the “Old City” side of Cartagena. One of our first weeks in town Alex blessed us by taking us on a tour full of sites and historical details to confirm that Cartagena is as beautiful as it boasts to be: gorgeous architecture, flowers, fountains, views, culture and music.
But what about the other side of town? What about the side rarely featured in films or captured on camera by tourists? It was there that we lived and served. Away from the fancy cafe’s and beautiful beaches we ministered to children and youth in the barrio of San Francisco. Alex Rocha and his family have been reaching out to this community with the Gospel and an immense amount of love, patience and forgiveness. In this lesser known district kids run free on the street playing soccer at all hours, knocking at our door late in the evening and even try to sneak up on us via late night greetings through our window to get us to come out and play.
Some days were exhausting. And the heat didn’t help. While other teams were literally “chilling” in Medellin and Bogotá, cities with much cooler climates, we were sweating up a storm as we taught English, played guitar, baseball and soccer in the streets and on the field. I’m pretty sure these were some of the most wild and active children I’ve ever met. But, despite physical and mental exhaustion on our part, I’m convinced that the kids we loved hard on were not just attracted by six new and exotic “gringas.” Rather, I believe it was the Love of Jesus they saw, they craved, thirsted and hungered for. It was love, attention, patience and forgiveness we poured out over them. Abilities that were not of our own but came from our Father above.
While I was only with this team and these kids for 10 days I witnessed some of the brightest spirits and the most beautiful hearts. We went there to feed them with the bread and the water that their souls long for and I can testify that each and every one of these women gave their all to do so.
There is one evening in particular I remember and cling to as a favorite throughout my time I would love to share with you.
It was one of those intense, hot summer evenings that we sat on the porch step watching the motos pass by, hearing music of dogs barking and observing the children run up and down the street. As the children became aware of our presence one after another ran to our doorstep. As there was room, they melted into my arms listening attentively to a fairy-tale I made-up on the go. Something random about a pet fox, a girl named Maria and an adventure in the forest.
Their eyes lock on mine and their hands held tight to my arms that were wrapped around their waist. Hearts were beating at a regular rate now that they had stopped jumping up and down. (At last) they’d given me their full attention and trust. It was a moment lasting for who knows how long. A moment in which, regardless of my words/language, I was able to pour out love in hugs, eye contact, words and undivided attention to each of these precious niños sitting around me.
I almost cringe to think of how I nearly decided to stay inside where it was conformable and cool. But I was convicted to go outside, sit, watch and wait. Because of that act of obedience, the Lord not only blessed me with a beautiful memory but also a beautiful time of ministry in a unique form.
As the days pass, weeks go by and we travel to a new country, I am seeing even more clearly just how importance our obedience to the call of the Lord is. That when we obey, love like Jesus loved and put aside our own preferences & comforts, beautiful things start to happen and hearts that were once stone, the Lord begins to mold into flesh.
*Team Leader Dani Rogg with several of our precious niños. Photo courtesy of Carlie Smith
