Colombia remains a volatile country with high levels of violence, kidnapping, and assassination, though the government has brought more stability in recent years. However, cocaine production has increased despite government efforts. The document discusses praying for the Colombian government to strongly oppose violence while governing justly. It also notes that Christianity has grown significantly in Colombia despite threats from drug cartels and other groups. The mission team's purpose was to encourage Christian leaders in Colombia and let them know they are not alone in fighting for peace. Several members of the mission team shared personal experiences, such as being impacted by impoverished children and witnessing God's power through prayer and sharing the gospel through actions.
2. Colombia’s Struggles Colombia remains volatile and dangerous, although a strong government has stabilized the nation in recent years. Levels of violence, kidnapping and assassination are still abnormally high. Cocaine production has actually grown despite the government’s efforts to reduce it.
3. Pray for a government that will be strong in opposing violence and wise and just in moving the nation forward. A number of key government figures have been exposed as having ties to paramilitary groups. This is a revelation that will ultimately prove healthy for transparency and accountability, but will shake many people’s trust in the government in a land where faith in state institutions is already weak.
4. Answered Prayers The Church continues to grow, even out of Colombia’s history of crime, lawlessness, terror and murder. From a tiny minority in 1960 (0.6% of the population), evangelicals have grown to 7.5%, and charismatic's now number an estimated 18% of the population. Such growth is all the more wonderful considering that Christians have often been targets of drug cartels, guerrillas, paramilitaries and others. The greatest denominational growth has been within indigenous Colombian churches which have sprung up locally.
5. Our Mission Our teams mission was to inspire and encourage the leaders in the churches to fight for peace in Colombia, and to let them know that they are not alone in this battle.
7. Personal Experiences “One of the days God really touched me was when we visited a local day care center, the coordinator had told us that almost all of the children's parents were either prostitutes or drug addicts. This really stuck with me because when we later spent time with them they were so quick to love you, and it was just so hard to think how bad they have it compared to me.” ~ Lynzie
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9. “When we had to pray for the teens at the Saturday night service. I was praying for this girl who was just weeping. I don't speak any Spanish and the girl didn't speak any English, but we were both speaking in tongues. I felt that God was translating my tongues for her to understand what I was praying. I felt the spirit of Heaviness come off of her and God was setting her free, because she was forgiving the person that hurt her. God did an amazing thing that night.” ~ Jamila Coker
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11. “The purpose of the trip was to change the lives of the Colombians but they changed mine, as well as made me a better Christian and stronger in my faith.” ~KwameKoranteng “One of the things that really impacted me from this trip was how eager everyone was to hear or share God's Word. No matter what, these people went after God with everything they had!”~JaunineHackmon “So what I saw in Colombia was God using a lot of normal people in a lot of big ways. I learned that God could use pretty much anybody to do big things. ~Simi Akintorin
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13. “I experienced the power God in a completely new way in Colombia. I was stretched and used by God in a lot of ways, but one of the most valuable lessons that I learned was that God is limitless. He can work through anything and anybody. I think it's funny how even though we didn't even speak the same language as the people there, we still had a lasting impact on their lives, and they had a lasting on ours. I learned that the gospel that Jesus wanted us to share was through our actions, not just our words. Jesus didn't call us to live our lives and then share our faith. He called us to live our faith, and then share our lives.” ~YomiAkintorin
