Medellin Colombia, it feels like we are in a massive bowl with the Andes are surrounding this massive city. There is so much going on here, and the people are so unique. It’s like the Austin Texas of Colombia (shout out yee yee). If you don’t know anything about Medellin Colombia, you should look it up. They have a very unique form of transportation with the Metro Cable system. Sense there are a lot of houses on the highest point of the mountains it was hard for the residents of those communities to get to and from work every day. To solve the problem, they created essentially a ski lift looking contraption that gets people from the top of the mountains to the bottom. This means of transport has been super successful for Medellin, not to mention it’s so fun! While in the cable car you get to see the whole city, tons of graffiti, skate parks, and the billions of houses that are going up the mountain.
This month we are working with an organization called Ciudad Refugio (City of Refuge). This is the link to their website http://ciudadrefugio.org/en/ They are doing SO much. It’s actually beautiful and so refreshing because they are going into the hardest parts of Medellin and finding the lost. This place helps men and women who were once on the street, get off the street and find Jesus! They take in the homeless (we have over 60 homeless men sleeping on the bottom floor of our building each night), the drug addicts who are ready to surrender, and they welcome about a billion other people. We have been helping them with feedings and bible studies they have up on the top of the mountains for internally displaced families who have been ran out of their homes by a specific gang here in Medellin. A couple of days ago I visited a family on the top of the mountain a 15-year-old pregnant girl her dad, her mom, and her brother. A month ago they were attacked by a gang here in Medellin and the 15-year-old girls boyfriend was stabbed to death and died, and her brother was stabbed 6 times but ended up living. The family had to flee immediately, leaving everything they had, and now they are found in this tiny shack one bed that the sick father sleeps in and a hole in the ground for a toilet. I tell you this not to depress you, but to bring you into the light! There are so many family with a similar story like this on the top of the mountain here in Medellin. The whole story is pretty dark, but ah! Name a better place to bring light, hope and love of Jesus. This is what Ciudad Refugio is doing and I feel lucky and blessed to walk aside them. This month has looked a lot like seeing how BRIGHT a light can shine in complete darkness. It makes most sense for a light to be placed there right? A bunch of lights in one area is cool yea totally super refreshing and great I get it! But something tells me Jesus gets so hype when He sees a light, a sweet bold light walk into a pit of darkness ready to piss the darkness off hahaha. That’s the light I think He’s attracted too, and I’m attracted to it too.
I’m seeing a lot here. I’m seeing the blessings that come out of obedience to God, I’m seeing repentance, healing, and faith being built up.
One more thing. So, if you follow my journey on Instagram you would have seen me post a lot about the situation that is going on in Venezuela. To make it short Venezuela is going through a really hard time right now, inflation rate is insane, and many are fleeing the county. Many Venezuelans are coming to Colombia, Peru, Ecuador to get away from the impossible living situation in Venezuela. When they come here there is a huge problem a lot don’t have a passport, so they can’t get a worker permit, so they are unable to work. Which mean they are left selling cigarettes and gum on the side of the roads. I have meet countless Venezuelan families, shared meals, shared stories, and was just able to exchange such a beautiful experience. My heart is for Venezuela. After much time spent with many families I have realized that in this time of hopelessness for many families, a change of heart and mind is what is to be emphasized. Many families are in crisis mode and need guidance. The power of Jesus is what I want to carry with me while I am interacting with these families, so I can come up with ways to help them long term not just for a couple of days. Sustainability is something that I want provide. Jesus has been holding my hand this whole process, because it has been a lot. My heart has been ripped out 39923 times and sometimes I find myself feeling hopeless because of the massive amount of families who need love, attention, and help. That all being said I will be working with Venezuelan refuges next month in Ecuador, not at all sure what that looks like yet but expecting and am super excited for what God and me and my team dream up together. Pleaseeeee pleaseee be praying for me for revelation on what exactly God has in mind for me while in Ecuador. Ah, I just know I follow such a cool creative God who is so excited for this partnership me and him are about to be in together. Prayers for the county of Venezuela as well, if you don’t know whats going on check out these videos, these people are our brother and sisters in Christ and we need to lift them up in prayer. They are such beautiful people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYVkFcWqcIo
Till next time, eeep! Or shoot me a text ,an insta dm, or a whatsapp message if you want to talk, because Id love to. Peace and Love!
