Country: Colombia, South America
Dates: 1/25/24-3/15/24
D-Squad Teams: Yolinda (Raquel & Amy), Roca (Ana, Eutiva, Ellie, Kamryn, Darrell), Agape (Hannah, Jada, Sydney, Camille, Payton)
Local Currency: Peso (1USD = roughly 3500pesos)
Favorite Local Food: Anything Christian made in la cocina! (& churro’s from the bakery)
Local Language: Spanish
Common Phrases: Con gusto (with pleasure)
Ministry Partner: Ciudad de Refugio
Ministry Location: Medellin, Colombia
Ministry Host: Douglas & Marilou Calvano, Harry & Margaret Dietrich
Mini-Debrief Location: Guatapé, Colombia
What was difficult? The Bronx. This was a ministry that we did every Wednesday night where we went to the area of the city where all the homeless congregate. It’s safer in numbers so they all stay together and it’s also a hub of drug use and prostitution. It was HARD. The first night was shocking. I had never seen so much brokenness in my life. It got easier each week but only because the Lord helped us all find the ways we were called to help and bring light in such heaviness.
What broke my heart? The children in the inquilinatos. Colombia has a lot of Venezuelan refugees who have fled their country. They usually walk there which is hard and not safe. When they arrive they have nothing and often find themselves in a housing situation called inquilinatos. These are just hotel type places that they can pay nightly or some (in the case of the one we visited) are run by the government and they can stay for up to 3 months to help them get on their feet. These kids were so happy and we loved getting to bring a little of God’s joy to them each week.
What am I thankful for? A ministry that lives out the Bible. The second to last Saturday we worked the usual morning kids ministry. There were an abnormal amount of adults that morning. Usually we have a mom’s teaching but this time we got to open our hands to get to live out Matthew 25:35-36 ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me…’ I got to see the church be a church! The ministry pulled out donated clothes and allowed people who had just arrived from the long, gruesome journey from Venezuela to shower and gave them a warm lunch. It was a beautiful thing to watch and get to play a small part in.
What did I learn about myself? I love listening to my squad and getting to know them one on one. If I didn’t say yes to this trip, D-Squad still would have been D-Squad but what an honor that I got to walk this short little season with these people. I have always had the desire to be a mother and on this journey the Lord let me see that it may look different than what I thought. Little did I know I’d have 10 kids only 12 years younger than me for 4 months. And I loved every second of it!
What did I learn about God? He is WITH us. Not Under, Over, For or From. The marginalized are the ones who came to Jesus and understood His power cause they didn’t have “religion” that worked for them. They were outcast. They didn’t have the distractions of the rules and rituals or principals. They didn’t gain from religion. They weren’t working for a mission that overshadowed the One they were working for. So they understood this Man was their savior, and understood being WITH Him was better than anything. Everyone else saw Jesus as the interruption to their lives that changed things when religion was getting them what they desired which is why there was no need or recognition of Him.
Funniest Moment? Any second spent with Raquel Portillo, especially when I’m sick and sleep deprived.
Favorite Ministry Moment? Squeezing oranges and laughing and practicing my Spanish and singing Spanish worship songs with the women of the program at Ciudad. It was these simple moments that meant the most. It’s not always about what you offer or what you do but sometimes just being with people is where the Lord can reside in big ways.
Favorite Travel Memory? Tubing down Rio Claro for my 33rd Birthday as a free spirit.
Favorite Mini-Debrief Moment? Getting to teach on being created to be “With” God. And making it up all 1,013 steps to reach the top of this rock and getting a little closer to God’s point of view.
Medellin was filled with so many powerful memories that will stick with me forever. I got to see one mans obedience to God impacting a whole city and beyond.
