It’s been about a month and a half since I first arrived in Colombia and we are already half way through!! The encounters I’ve had with the locals and the Venezuelan refugees have captured my heart making it effortless to call Ciudad Refugio “home”! Each day is a little bit different but most weeks look the same. When we aren’t in quarantine we are open and willing to serve in any capacity!
Monday-Friday mornings usually start with bible study at 6AM with about 10 or so women from the Restoration Program at Ciudad Refugio. We then jump into Kitchen Ministry until about 12:30PM working alongside these women, chopping and peeling whatever veggies are in sight. Aside from the hard work that comes in preparing food for 100 people each meal, the best part of working in the kitchen is the opportunity to create personal relationships with the women. Once a week we get to tag along on the Women’s Outing which is an additional time to connect with the woman outside of Ciudad Refugio, whether that’s through a game of basketball or a walk to the ice cream shop.
Whatever squadmates aren’t assisting with kitchen ministry are participating in Construction Ministry starting at 7AM. Until about 12PM we are working alongside the men from the Restoration Program digging out the foundation of what will one day be an expansion to the ministry building! In addition to construction ministry, the men in our squad get to tag along on the Men’s Outing and bro-out over a game of soccer.
Apart from kitchen ministry or construction ministry, some of my squadmates can be found doing Work Projects from 9AM-12PM. This looks like packing spices that have been donated to the ministry. Then, packaging them to be sent out and sold for profit that will go back into the ministry. This typically turns into a race to see who can assemble a box, fill it with 12 packets of spices, and place it in the packaging box! By the end of the work projects your fingers are left orange looking like an umpa lumpa from the box die!
On top of the opportunities to serve in womens/kitchen ministry, construction ministry, and work projects on a daily basis, there are ministry opportunities that only happen once a week. These are the English classes, the Feeding Program, Agua Panela, the Amaneceres Program, and the multiple Children’s Programs.
English classes are offered to any of the community members, young and old. Four from our squad are paired with either an adult to practice speaking English or with the children to help facilitate bilingual games or lessons. There can be anywhere from 5-10 children and sometimes up to 5 adults who attend. Sometimes the language barrier just makes you laugh. When the adult in front of you can perfectly pronounce “there’s a snake in my boot” you can’t help but feel overjoyed!
The Feeding Program is for both parents and their children. Typically mothers come with their little ones and are led in games or activities to create the space for fellowship. A warm meal is then provided and sometimes a donation of clothes or groceries! This ministry helps nourish the members of the community and keeps them from looking for other means on the streets.
Agua Panela is a homeless ministry where we actually go out to serve unlike the other ministries where folks come to Ciudad Refugio. Each of the men and women in the Restoration Program, local volunteers, and members of my squad meet at 6PM for a prayer meeting. The intention of the prayer meeting is to intercede for those serving in the ministry as well as for the individuals we will be interacting with on the streets. The area of town we are serving sugar water and bread in is home to some of Medellin’s most vulnerable people. In my opinion, this has been the most challenging ministry. The people we serve are slaves to drug abuse so their bodies are physically there but their minds aren’t present. So, when communicating the hope of Jesus Christ we do so in such a way that when the fog lifts they will remember who this guy Jesus is and this place they can find refuge in.
On Friday’s, a group of high schoolers come to spend the weekend in the Amaneceres Program. This is a youth program for teens who have faced many challenges throughout their life. Ciudad Refugio serves as a refuge for these youth. A place where they can be poured into and raised up as leaders. A place where they can encounter Christ-like love. Most of my squadmates countdown the days until the Amaneceres’ come! Friday evenings we join them in fellowship as we play games. Saturday evenings we join them in youth group where there is a time of worship and a teaching. Sunday’s we get to take them out and play a friendly game of soccer at a nearby field. All the time in between on the weekend when we don’t have a structured time of ministry with the Amaneceres we are typically still hanging out them. This is probably my favorite ministry!
The Children’s Program on Saturday serves anywhere from 40-70 kiddos who come to dance, play, learn about Jesus, and enjoy lunch with their friends. On Sunday mornings, the ministry offers Sunday School for children of the families attending church which is another opportunity to connect with the kiddos and give them unconditional love.
When we aren’t serving at Ciudad Refugio, writing blogs, or stuffing our faces with yummy street food, we are actively praying for the city of Medellin and the folks we get to serve each day. At the beginning of the month my squad started 24/7 prayer. Simply, there is always 1 if not 2 people consistently praying and we rotate throughout the day.
Needless to say, there are always opportunities to press into furthering the Kingdom of God. With each ministry opportunity I learn more about myself and God’s nature through the encounters I have with folks. Although I originally planned on experiencing unstructured ministry on the Race, the structured ministry with Ciudad Refugio has been an unforeseen blessing. I am thankful each day to be right where I am and I pray that I can continue to experience the Lord in new ways on the World Race.
