A christians' perspective
A Christian goes to discover Colombia
Written by Juanita Arellanos, purplefishy@faithmail.com, August 2000.
Counting
On the
Love & Kindness
Of the
Many
Brothers & sisters
In
America
COLOMBIA-WHY?
“Why do you want to go Colombia?” That’s what people kept asking me when I told them where I was going. “Why? It's such a violent country--the kidnappings, the guerilla's etc., etc. Aren’t you afraid?” "NO!" I responded, because I knew that the Lord had been preparing me for two years.
In October 1998, (only four months after becoming a Christian). I met a Colombian Pastor who was holding revival services in our church, Templo Alabanza of Moline,IL. This had been the first time that he had been to our church, as we talked, he told me to start saving my money because he felt that I would be going to Colombia very soon. I silently laughed this off and said, “Yeah right”. Along the way, I kept meeting more and more Colombians. Was the Lord really wanting me to go to Colombia?
Yes, the Lord already had a plan and those words came true this past May, when I spent three weeks in Colombia on my FIRST ever Missionary Trip.
In order to appreciate the magnitude of God’s divine intervention on this trip you need to know that God did miraculous things in my life. It took over six months of medical preparation for this trip, I received nine immunizations, including medication protecting me against malaria which I took before I left, during the trip and again when I returned to the United States. I also received special medication to prevent water retention in my lungs due to the extremely high altitude. Bogota is 8,600 feet above sea level and it is not recommended for a person with severe chronic asthma to visit without medication.
In the end, all of my physicians approved my venture. It is only by God’s almighty power that I did not sustain any illness during this trip (and for me that was a miracle)! To give God all the praise and glory, I recently returned to my pulmonologist for a check up, and now for the first time in years I am able to go without any inhalant medication, and he decreased my oral medication.
Praise God, for his healing touch!
When I arrived in Bogota on May 10, my host church, Alas de Misericordia had a full agenda waiting for me. I had only delivered sermons four times at my home church, I would now be expected to preach almost everyday. The cities I visited and preached at were Bogota, Facatativa, Florencia, Purificacion, Saldaña and LaMesa. Even with my busy schedule, I still had time to do some sightseeing at the Museum of Gold in Bogota which displays over 33,000 pieces of pre-colombian gold. Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar, the National Park and Museum, Independence Day museum, Monserrate Cathedral which was about 10,000 feet above see level all in Bogota. I was able to visit the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira which salt miners had built over 500ft. underground, and the Pierdas de Tunja in Facatativa which is a park with huge rock formations.
From the beginning, this was a trip of Trust and Faith in the Lord, you see I went to Colombia alone. But that didn’t discourage me because I knew I had the best company ... my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was with me, as it says in Psalm 27:1 “A psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The LORD protects me from danger – so why should I tremble?” I was not afraid, for He was my protector.
Despite all the travel warnings from the American Embassy not to travel to Colombia, I knew this was the Lord’s will. Everyone was amazed at the courage I had. YES, at times I even surprised myself, but when a person is in the perfect will of God – there is an abundance of Peace and that is what I was experiencing – Perfect Peace.
What an awesome feeling!
My missions were 1)to share a message of abstinence to the youth, as incidents of AIDS are extremely high among them; and 2) to share the Love and Peace of Jesus and instill a hope in the Colombians that Our Lord and the rest of the world had not forgotten them. Many Colombians believe their fellow Christians have forgotten them because everyone is so afraid to go to Colombia.
I was not afraid and I have not forgotten them, and in that way, this trip was both a blessing for them as well as for me.
I experienced the heartache the country is feeling. On May 15, in a town near Bogota, the guerilla troops placed a bomb in the shape of a collar around the neck of a woman because she did not want to give in to their extortion. While the bomb experts were attempting to disarm it, it exploded, killing the woman and an officer. The pain and shock in the nation was enormous.
Everywhere I went, I heard of one brutal story after another. In one town that I visited, considered to be in the guerilla zone, I was told of the brutal killing of a father when he did not give in to the guerilla’s extortion. There, in front of his wife and children they decapitated him and began playing kickball with his head out in the middle of the street.
I can only imagine the emotional scars left by this act of hatred.
Colombian youth are highly recruited by the guerilla troops, paramilitary troops, drug traffickers, and even Satanic groups. The pressure to conform is so immense they often feel they have no where to turn. That is why I distributed bracelets with the message, “Guerreros de Cristo”, meaning Warriors of Christ, that I had specially made. The youth as well as the adults fell in love with them. It was a reminder to them that they are part of God’s army. Many people still ask for these bracelets. Pastors state that they were a gift from a lady in the U.S. who loves Colombia.
Next time I will take many more.
Despite the atrocities, the Love of Jesus transcends over guerilla lines. In one zone I visited, I was told that the guerillas had requested that all the pastors leave the area, but several brave pastors remained. And now, where there had only been three churches, there are now seven more new churches.
Imagine, right in the midst of this war zone the Love of Jesus is flourishing.
It was also in this area that I experienced first hand the violence Colombians endure.
During the night of May 22nd, a bomb exploded only a few blocks from where I was staying. The following morning the pastor asked me if I had heard the bomb and I said, “What Bomb?” Since it rained that night, I thought it was lightning or thunder. In this town, I saw the mighty power of God’s hand protecting my life.
Later, God rescued me from two more incidents that could have been potentially dangerous.
Through all the violence, God’s people have been faithful in trusting in Him. In ‘the Zone’ I learned that several people traveled for hours to attend church services. Despite the danger, they persevered and their faith did not waver. It was here that I experienced their intense love and appreciation for my visit. Even though they had very little, they truly sacrificed to show their appreciation.
This impressed me tremendously, that although they live in a country wrought with violence, drugs and death, the Love of God permeates within the churches.
In visiting Saldaña, I was taken by the passion and love that the children had for God. From the youngest child to the oldest adult, they exhibited a reverence and fervor for the presence of the Lord. I was ministered by them more than I probably ministered to them. In the last service I attended in Bogota (United Service), during prayer time I was surrounded by many, many children requesting that I pray for them. They came to me with fevers, tummy aches and numerous other ailments.
After the service, they came back to hug me and tell me they were all better, fevers had been broken, their aches and pains were healed and they were praising and thanking God for this touch.
The Lord blessed me with a host family whose love I will cherish forever.
In my entire life, I never expected the blessing like the one I received during this trip. I have not had a very close relationship with my mother, and has recently rejected me because of my faith. On Mother’s day I called her to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day and as I told her how I was doing, she responded, “Did I ask?” It was on this day that God showed me His love through this host couple, and from that point on I began referring to them as Mami Luz and Papi Milton. Their love for me formed an inseparable bond.
It was SO terribly difficult to leave behind all the precious people I had met!
Amid the kidnappings, bombings, drugs, and violence occurring in Colombia, there shines through the love, kindness, sacrifice, fun and beauty of the country and its people.
They live in a country that is blessed with beautiful scenery. The mountains are gorgeous, the land is rich with coffee and other agriculture, emerald mines and much more. Then there are the clouds.
I literally fell in love with how close they were, how it felt I could just reach out and touch them.
Though the surroundings must be a welcome distraction from time to time, Colombians are hard workers and they want to provide for their families. They yearn for their dignity to be restored, and unfortunately have suffered due to the actions of the few who always make the headlines. These people were humble, compassionate, and give the little they have, without batting an eye.
It was such a humbling experience.
I came to realize that in America, we really take everything for granted, even when it comes down to things that are common to us, but are luxury items there, like popsicles. I remember a day I made a comment to my host family that it took my visit for them to taste freezer sticks. Some children whom I have come to love and cherish visited us and I offered them my tasty treat.
Their eyes just widened and they had grins from ear to ear and saying, “You have Bon-Ice,” and from that moment on whenever they saw an ad for Bon-Ice they remembered me.
I now realize we are a spoiled nation compared to them.
In 1Timothy 6:8, it says “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” How many of us are only content with food and covering?
We always want more, we complain at the tiniest inconveniences.
Colombians, on the other hand, are so much in need of help from fellow neighbors. Matthew 25:35-40 says, “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; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison , and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'”
Colombia is now a part of me and I am a part of them.
The youth in Bogota gave me a scripture pertaining to my mission in Colombia and I want to close with that verse. Genesis 28:15: “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
This is not my last trip to Colombia.
Already, I have been offered a portion of my next flight there. Next time, I would like to take extra supplies and donations to help the many children who have been displaced due to the murder of their parents or other family members. Close to one million children have had to leave their homes and towns because of violence. In one church alone, approximately 40-50 percent of the congregation is unemployed, yet when a financial need arises, they continue to give all that they have, just like the widowed woman in the book of Mark in the New Testament who gave her last coins. Colombia doesn’t just need our prayers, it needs our actions. Please pray for the Lord to reveal to you how you can be a part of this tremendous ministry.
If you would like additional information, please email me (purplefishy@faithmail.com). Thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you as you reach out and touch the lives of others.
In Christ’s service, Juanita Arellanos
All rights reserved, Use by permission only.
Comments:
Your Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!
By Evelyn 2002-03-10
Colombia is not violent country. Thats all I want to say!
God's purposes
By Lindis "monacreida" 2002-04-09
Yeah! i think and i nkow that Gos has a purpose for our lifes, i'm from Colombia and i have been in Florida almost two years, even though i'm here myu love for my country has been growing, i miss it and God bless you!
Plan Colombia!!
By Ismael Cifuentes, isciso79@hotmail.com 2002-05-06
It is impossible for any colombian to read this without feeling pain...but beyond the cruel reality, our beatiful country is wating for you and me to help it and what is most important that God will go leading us. Let's pray for colombia: Our brothers need it!!
I think that your mission work would be more valuable elsewhere
By RayneKoest, rayne_koest@nospam.com 2002-07-17
I've visited Colombia 4 times over the last 20 years and I feel that they have a higher % of active Christians there than my own country of Canada... Surely you saw the packed churches and the celebrations of faith in the small towns. Why not use the funds that people generously contributed in other less Christian countries?
I do agree that Colombians can use moral support (who couldn't under those circumstances), but if you are truly interested in spreading the word you should go somewhere that has few Christians.
Yes, How is your coffee?
By pat, galations56@hotmail.com 2002-10-16
We lived in the most blessed country in all th world. The U.S.A. We are so blessed at times it may be proper to say we are spoiled! I have been to Colombia 11 times in the last 7 years. I have seen much when I was there including the miricles that only God can do. You want to see miricles , then go where prayer is needed. Shut off the t.v. I attend a large church in the Seattle area, The pastor has God's presence on him,. red hair and all. I was haveing coffee on sunday afternoon with his mother and a friend of her's. My pastors mother asked how was my last trip Cali? Before I could answer her fried think she was being cute pops in and say's Oh! Are you into drugs? I said well yes I am How is your coffee? Would you like to wear some? It was obvious that I did not like what she said. Again I spoke you need to know the people, Colombia does not have a drug problem! The U.S. and Europe hjas the problem! The consumers have the problem. They need a snote of cke to hide from life and reality. They don't need coke, the need the presence of JESUS in their lives. If the consumer had Jesus he wouldn't need coke. The war in Colombia would come to a stop as the coke users are the one responsible for funding this war. If you know some on coke share this story. Maybe the next line they snort they might have a vision of a dead Colombian child. But their is healing! Gods grace is bigger than any guilt you have. Go to Jesus and confess you life of problems, he will set you free! Now that we are saved ask that you send some funds to help these Pastors and missionarys. Be a blessing not a curse. Don'r know ay pators in Colombia? E mail me and I will provide you with some directions. I am not a writer or a spokesman. God has given a grat love for Colombian people Poor , rich, good and bad. You have never seen anything as beautful as the face of child that you have given hope to.
Like I say I'm not smoothe, but you get the point. GOD BLESS COLOMBIA
Keep walking in God's perfect will
By j.r., njmna@nospam.com 2002-11-10
I have been praying about moving to Colombia. I have 3 children. However, God has not responded. It is great that there are people who still walk in God's perfect will. Everyone wants to be here (U.S.) but what people don't understand that the best place to be is where God wants you to be. You can be in the best country of the world but if it is not God's perfect will you will not feel complete and you will no reap all his blessings. I have missonary friends from S.A. countries who have suffered more poverty in the U.S. than in their countries. It was simply the season in their lives to go through such a trial. God is perfect an awesome and so are his plans. That is why If he sends me to Colombia, AFrica or anywhere I will go. While he is with us we shall not want. All praise be to him. continue to walk in his will and gain courage and wisdom.
God Bless you.
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