What’s going on? Why are the Venezuelans migrating to Colombia? Venezuela was once one of the richest countries in Latin America. That is no longer the case. Venezuela now has the highest inflation rate in the world making food and medicine inaccessible to the Venezuelans. A box of cereal is now a month’s salary. Prices of goods have been doubling every 26 days on average. The economic devastation in this country, has led to mass migration, starvation, and political unrest.
This food crisis has also created an education crisis. More than 1 million students no longer attend school due to hunger and a lack of public services. Crime rates are higher than ever and there have been constant electric black outs all over Venezuela. Critics of the government and members of the opposition argue that Venezuela’s economic troubles are the fruit of years of economic mismanagement and corruption, but government supporters blame falling oil prices, international sanctions, and the country’s business elite for Venezuela’s troubles.
According to Aljazeera News: “When Maduro took over as president after Hugo Chavez’s death in 2013, the oil-reliant economy was already in trouble. In 2014 global oil prices dropped, and businesses were no longer able to import goods at the same rate as before, causing prices and inflation to skyrocket.
According to analysts, the contraction of the national and per capita gross domestic product in Venezuela between 2013 and 2017 was more severe than that of the United States, during the Great Depression, or Russia, and Cuba following the collapse of the Soviet Union, heavily impacting the living conditions of millions. Thousands took to the streets to protest inflation and living conditions. The government cracked down on the protests, leaving at least a dozen dead.
In 2015, opposition politicians won a majority in the legislature – the National Assembly – for the first time in nearly two decades.
However, in 2016, Venezuela’s government stripped the National Assembly of powers to oversee the economy, and in March 2017, the judicial branch briefly dissolved the National Assembly. The court reversed its order due to the national and international outcry, but by then massive protests were already taking place. Protests left more than 100 dead, and 1,000 arrested.
Maduro also created the National Constituent Assembly in 2017. Stacked with Maduro supporters, the Constituent Assembly has the mandate to drafting or reforming the Constitution.
Since then, the crisis has continued. Millions of Venezuelans have fled soaring inflation, food and medicine shortages and unemployment.”
When I first walked the streets of Colombia my heart broke for what I saw. Homeless people lined the streets, people begging for food, families trying to sell whatever they could get their hands on. My mind was so curious. I wanted to know how these people got to where they are. I wanted to hear their stories. My curiosity led me to sitting down and talking with a mother of two who was camped out on the side of the road selling candy. She began explaining to me her situation and how she was from Venezuela. She had her two children with her, but her husband was still in Venezuela due to being extremely ill. I spent the next several days visiting her and ministering her. I was able to bless her with a Bible, food for the kids, an umbrella, a towel, clothes, and necessities. She was so grateful and blessed by my kindness. I quickly realized that most of these people I was seeing on the side of the road were Venezuelan immigrants.
These people quickly developed a place in my heart. I wanted to do all I could to help them but I felt so hopeless and knew I couldn’t do it on my own. That’s when the Lord led me to reach out to my community back home. I cannot say thank you enough to all who took part in donating to help these Venezuelan refugees. I was able to pass out 12 care packages, Bibles, towels, umbrella’s (which they use for both rain and sun), and 72 lunches. The Lord used these simple acts of kindness to bring hope to these people, to show them that they are loved and cared for. That they matter, that they are seen, and that we have a Heavenly father who will provide all their needs.
We have found several churches here in Colombia that work closely with helping the Venezuelans. There is only so much we can do so thankfully we have been able to direct these refugees to the churches for further help. On Sunday, we will be holding a Venezuelan Social where we will gather for fellowship, provide a free dinner for the Venezuelans, share stories, and offer prayer for them and their families. I know the Lord is going to use this. I am praying for amazing conversations and for the induvial that are going to come and would love for you to join me in praying for this event. Pray for a good outcome and that whoever is there would be filled with hope and would experience the love of Christ.
Next month in Ecuador I have been given the opportunity to work closely with the Venezuelan refugees as well. The Lord has given me a huge heart for them. Being able to bring hope into their situations and shed light on what they are going through is something I am so passionate about. I will be exploring more ideas with my team on ways to help them and how we can minister to them. Please pray with me as we continue to reach out. Pray for the Lords leading and that ultimately Christ would be made known. Excited and honored to share with you in this.
Much Love, Cae
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Below is the link where I received some of this information about the Venezuelans:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/venezuela-crisis-country-190117184349473.html
