Hola friends. Welcome to my first blog on the field – the first of many provided I stop procrastinating and get a move on.
I thought I would keep this one simple in the form of a short rant about Ciudad Refugio, whom I have the pleasure of working with for the next two months and who are possibly the most inspiring and impactful group I have ever come across.
A five-story building in one of the poorest parts of Medellín is all they have. But every single resource is creatively and selflessly used to give to those in need. The ground floor is a homeless shelter by night providing men with food, showers and a safe place to sleep off the streets. By day the space is the heart of their Church that reaches out to the community, providing them with hope.
They also have their own small café – which may cause me to come home a few kilos heavier – which is staffed by volunteers and recovery program participants, which acts as a source of income for the organisation whilst also giving the participants helpful work experience before they go out into the world. The food is cheap, delicious, and every scrap of leftovers goes to the homeless.
The first floor is home to men in the drug recovery program. At the moment there are about 30 participants. These are men of all ages who have hit rock bottom and who are seeking to turn their lives around. For 12 months they are given shelter, food, work experience and are nurtured in their faith. So much care is taken to send these men out, not only healed of heir addictions but also as strong effective men of God.
The second floor is home to the women participating in a similar program and to some of the volunteers. On the third floor, we have the kitchen where both men and women from the program cook for the residents using mainly food that is donated from nearby businesses that would have otherwise gone to waste. There is also a space for the men to do work projects that are provided by local businesses, and classrooms for the various youth and kids groups that Ciudad Refugio hosts.
Up on number 4 is where I live – in a tiny apartment with 9 other girls. There is a balcony space where children can play when we do kids-group. They have also installed solar panels which is another source of income. And the 5th floor is home to our beautiful host and her daughter but is also rented out to a phone company.
Ciudad Refugio is 100% financially self-sufficient and is expanding – they bought the building next door and construction is well underway. But I think what is even more impressive than their business model is their effectiveness in changing people’s lives for the better. Some of the volunteers that we work with are graduates of the program and are some of the most beautiful and Christ-like people I have ever met.
The joy and the hope that they bring into this broken community is incredible. Their mission is simply to give, to inspire, to serve, and to love wholeheartedly, without seeking anything in return. What a blessing and what an inspiration it is to live and learn with these people! And what a model it is, in our self-seeking and corruptible world, of what true discipleship is!
