Update from Colombia

It’s been a while. Not easy to write a blog when I’m writing a bunch of documents all the time. The last thing I want to do is type again. Lots of things had happened in the last few months opening the possibilities for more help to the people here in Colombia.

My friend from the States moved back to Florida, my daughter, Erin and Kaya came to spend few weeks in the summer and helped at CDA. They don’t know how much we miss them. My daughter Jo moved to San Diego to live at 75°F instead of a 100°F but left tons of friends in Las Vegas. Mafe in the meantime is enjoying the rain in Bogota. O.M.G. it rains here!!

During this time CDA has hosted several visitors from Canada, U.S, New Zealand, Ecuador, and the Netherlands. Still expecting for friends in Florida and Las Vegas to come and see what God is doing in this country.

Also, several challenges have risen, in the organization and in my personal life. It’s interesting to see how every time you walk towards the purpose and the vision, immediately the obstacles, problems, and attacks show up. The weaknesses and the flesh also show up to remind me I’m a work in progress; as soon as I know the answer He changes the question humbling me to my limitations and giving me “opportunity” to be a better person. Some times I take advantage of these opportunities; most of the times I’m not good enough.

It was given to me the chance to go back to Cartagena with visitors from Holland who wanted to see the possibility to sponsor a home construction project for the poor in the community where CDA has its project. Visiting people’s homes and seeing the conditions is overwhelming. This is a project where the city puts some of the money and CDA needs to find donors to raise the remaining.

Then, I had to go and visit one of the most historically dangerous areas in Colombia called the Magdalena Medio (Middle Magadalena River) (Magadalena river is the largest longest in Colombia) where thousands of people have been killed for decades in the conflict between the guerrilla, the paramilitary groups, and the government army all mixed with the drug trafficking in the area. We were invited by the mayor to visit a small town, San Pablo, on the edge of the river to explore the option for CDA to take over the education, health and income generating programs. I went with a Doctor, the Scientific Director of CDA’s Health program and a co-worker who was taking care of driving and making us feel safe.

I knew it was going to be an adventure because of:

- An unknown territory famous for the internal conflict, the constant killing and kidnappings

- There was a supposedly 6 hours driving (really 10 hours) to the main city closer to San Pablo

- Then, we had to take a one hour chalupa (boat) trip on the river

- And the hot weather especially because I noticed we had a car with no A/C.

The countryside was beautiful, the river was huge, and the people warm and friendly. We visited the hospital, the schools, and the homes constructions sites in a very fast 5 hours tour so we could take the chalupa back to the city and drive another 10 hours to Bogota and the cold weather.

We talked to the people and asked them about the violence history and they told us there was a day when 80 people was massacred when the guerrilla, the paramilitary groups and the army took turns to take over the town of 32,000 people. They put most of the names of the people killed in a big tree in a park (see pictures). We are praying to do God’s will. If we are supposed to start the education, health, and income generating programs in this town and start a transformation of thousands of lives we will need the finances. There is no one NGO or a company in this area of Colombia because of its history.

In a 39 hours trip we spent 22 in a car and 3 in chalupa; we got home exhausted but motivated by the possibility to impact thousands.

In our trip back to Bogota we stopped in a place on the road with a gas station and few places to eat. When we were waiting for the food to be served I saw one of the most impressive acts of faith I have seen. Right there in the gas station I watched several plastic chairs and pews; something told me I should go there; as I got closer I saw a keyboard, drums, microphones, and some youngsters putting everything together. I told myself, only Christians do things like these. I approached them and asked if this was a church, they said, looking at me as an opportunity to share the Word, no, it is a concert and you are invited. How many people you think will show up, I asked, by faith, all of them. They were not ashamed of showing their faith and beliefs in the middle of nowhere, on the road, in a gas station. When we were leaving (we had a long road still ahead) less than ten people were in the chairs and they were saying over the microphone they were waiting for few more friends who promised to come before they start the concert. It was nothing like the churches I know in AmericaColombia with huge screens, air conditioning, ushers, coffee, children’s church, etc. but they were excited, joyful, and proud to have the chance of praise and worship God. or What a lesson for me and hopefully for some of us! (See pictures here)

I promise I will keep this blog more up to date. I know several of you have been praying for me and the less I can do is to keep you informed and show you how your thoughts and prayers are impacting in this country, its people and in my life. Some of you encourage me through your emails. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

See you soon.