Colombia RECAP

Month 3

Where I was?

Another all-squad month in Medellin, Colombia at a ministry called Ciudad Refugio.

My sleeping accommodations:

• The first week, Team Bloom (my team) travelled to what we call the cloud house with Pastor Willie where we had a mattress on the floor in a room with no windows.
• The rest we stayed at Ciudad Refugio with another under construction setup. But we had bunk beds for the most part in what is coming along to be a great place for visiting missionaries.

The ministries:

Oh my goodness!! So many different facets of ministries!! The first week with Pastor Willie, past teams did prison ministry. Another COVID shift and we had a week to learn and dive deeper into the Holy Spirit with this INCREDIBLE team. The first night we were there, Pastor Willie asked our team to make a Holy Spirit skit that we performed three times for that many services. The rest of the time we rested, and the Pastor would give us a teaching and it was so good.

My friend Dana recorded one of the missionaries at Ciudad Refugio do a tour of this ministry that I will add below. It is far better than my ability to summarize, but here is a short description of an AMAZING ministry. Ciudad Refugio started by an Argentinian man who lived in Canada, but grew his faith in New York City through a program called Teen Challenge. After establishing his faith, this NYC church sent him to Medellin before it was cute coffee shops and very much in the drug cartel Pablo Escobar influence. One night after being fed up with massive depression he went to the streets where the homeless were known to live and use drugs. Ended up praying for many salvations and started his homeless ministry. It became clear that just having a safe homeless shelter wasn’t enough so throughout the years they would see a need and try to fill it. For example, they have a floor for drug rehab for the men, another floor for women, another floor for at risk teenagers, multiple classrooms to teach English and bible study, a coffee shop to make the homeless shelter look presentable to a culture unaccepting as well as teach the graduates of drug rehab to work in a healthy environment, as well as reaching out to the growing Venezuelan refugees that live in the abandoned mansions of drug lords. I know I’m missing so much , but please take a look and learn more about this heaven minded ministry.

The night we came back to Ciudad Refugio we went to the most drugged street (The Bronx) possibly in the world as Medellin is the cocaine capital of the world, to pass out agua panela (sugar water) and bread and asked them to come to the shelter where they can start their journey to recovery. Then throughout the weeks we bounced back and forth between the rest. One day we helped the men with their work project packing spices into a sellable product, since labor is cheaper than electricity. Spent the day with the women of the program in bible study, celebrating a birthday, and making endless French fries. And finally worshipped!! The worship in this place was endless and the absolute most powerful worship I’ve ever experienced contrasted to the darkness they deal with on a daily basis.   

People I met:

So many people!! The building had what felt like a plethora of people, but when the men are in the program they are not allowed to interact with women. So we couldn’t really talk with the men or really the women of the program.

• Sarita, Estephanie, and Joesf are some of the at risk youth that live in the building. We interacted with them probably the most because they were entertained by us. I got close with the girls due to unforeseen hardships we experienced
• Pastor Wille, his wife, and the two translators we called the Suzies!! Such an amazing group that invited us to be like family in their home and were quick to be loving as well as very spirit filled.
• Mariam is a missionary from Scotland that came here through her World Race group. When COVID forced them back home she stayed with Ciudad. I absolutely loved getting to know her and do very normal things with her since she doesn’t have many girls to hang out with.
• I wish I got to know Rebecca more, but the interactions we did have I was beyond impressed by this powerhouse of faith. She came with vulnerability and left you with an indestructible belief that God can and will do great things.
• Ruth has an unshakable joy that ignites anybody around her with love. She is Venezuelan refugee that escaped with her daughter (INCREDIBLE voice) and son. We sang with her for the homeless church and she brought us around to the Venezuelan homes. Love her and worshipping by side her!!
• Yeson (Jason) is a graduate from the men’s drug program that now leads them. He is such a humble and kind man of God that has the testimony to show for it.  

Adventures:

• While up the mountain at Pastor Willies my team went paragliding!!
• My team consists of a soccer coach and another former player so we went to a professional soccer game!!
• A hike that was as incredibly beautiful as difficult to climb over 1,000 steps before we even started the hike.
• We shopped at the malls a lot and had some American days at amazing coffee shops and laundry.
• Reading “Redeeming Love,” in two days and being wrecked.

Travel: How and what type of transportation

From Managua, Nicaragua we flew to Bogota, Colombia to be bussed a projected 11 hours to Medellin. The bus actually was closer to 16 hours because it broke down an hour away from the terminal. Mind you, Medellin is a HUGE city and has a working airport…   

New Experiences:

• I know I’ve already said cold showers, but up to this point everywhere we have had a cold shower it was hot outside. Medellin is known as the “eternal spring” and can be very chilly making the glacial showers and nearly shower free month for me. Just kidding… mostly.
• The Bronx at night was a very different experience for my regular life. Speaking with somebody while they have their means to get high in their hands.
• Singing worship up front for the first time to the homeless men church.
• Fun coffee shops with laundry cafe
• Rooftop worship, workout, dance party, and soccer.
• Three story high bunk beds
• Living above a bakery for the first time. (so fun, but dangerous to my lifestyle) 

Food:

• Donuts the bakery at the bottom of the building called Churros!!
• Another great cook and great food, but most of it was American food to accommodate the gringas.
• Corn in everything! Including eggs
• A minimum of three carbs with every meal.
• Papas Fritas not the Spanish word for french fries but a fried potato balls.
• Chocolate Agua Panella 

What I enjoyed the most:

I am honestly still processing this month and all that we did or happened. But by far the thing I enjoyed the most was the worship of this place. I spent a whole day and most of my mornings and evenings finding a spot either on the roof or some abandoned room worshipping God and praying. It seemed that every member of this ministry family had a dynamite voice! The times that stand out the most to me are before we went out to the Bronx we worshipped and I’m not sure I have felt the Holy Spirit so presently. Another time was when Ruth and her daughter took us to the Venezuelan houses where we sang acapella throughout the building.    

Memories, ASK me about them!: some of them might be funny!

• Before paragliding Morgan and I didn’t know what paragliding was. Also picking our songs about flying or dying before we flew.
• Eating a KFC after doing laundry and leaving 3 friends richer and possibly knowing God a little better.
• The Suzie’s surprising us by taking the gondola as public transportation over the city.
• Going to a professional soccer game.
• Holy Spirit skit 

How to pray for where I was and the ministries I worked in:

• Continually every Wednesday if you can for the Agua panela and bread group going out to the Bronx that their continual presence will bring more off the streets into God’s waiting arms.

• Praise for the lives changed and also that their new build will be full of God’s children worshipping from all walks of life.

• For Venezuela. Almost every country we have been in we have seen Venezuelan refugees.