Ciudad Refugio – Ciudad Refugio

Reaching the Community through English

Julia R. | Long- term volunteer

The ability to speak English fluently has proven to be an important key to success in our generation. It is the most popular second language people wish to learn and has been adopted globally as the language of business, science, and much online activity. There is a high demand among students and adults alike to learn English.

For Ciudad Refugio this year has been marked as a time for outreach and evangelism. And we at the foundation, have been brainstorming how to better reach our immediate community in Medellin. The Lord heard our concerns and provided an unbelievable open door for us. By the grace of God, we were recently given the opportunity to launch a brand new English Club at a local high school, Intitución Tulio Ospina. Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, a group of English-speaking volunteers will head out to the school to practice conversation, pronunciation and grammar with the students.

We hope this club is the start of creating a bridge between high school aged students and the foundation. We pray that this one of many ways the foundation will continue to influence the people of this city, and eventually win many disciples for Christ. Please pray with us as we venture out to make an impact for Christ in Medellin!

To Become as Children

Sarah Z. | Short-term volunteer

The past few weeks of being in Medellin, Colombia, I have had the incredible opportunity of being a part of the ministry pouring into the children at the City of Refuge. I took part in putting together songs, games, activities, skits (including a puppet show), Bible teachings, and memory verses for each gathering. The children’s programs are on Thursdays and Saturdays from 3-5pm. Prior to the programs each day, we took a couple of hours and went knocking door-to-door in the neighborhoods around us to invite the parents and their children. Despite the mid-day heat and the language barrier (thankful for the great translators that always came with us), it was always such a joy and pleasure to be able to meet and talk with the local families who reside in the nearby communities. It was amazing to see how accepting and open the people we encountered were when taking some of their time to speak with them.

Week after week, witnessing to these children has become a blessing in my life. Seeing them come from a life where they don’t have much, yet they still carry so much joy and laughter, brings me so much gratitude in my own life.

I am often reminded of how God has called us believers to become as children, that is, to be humble, simple, innocent, constantly seeking guidance, and turning to the Father in time of need. Jesus says in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Worship Without Borders

Jen | Short-term volunteer

This month, I have experienced some of the most powerful worship I have ever witnessed. Our team has such a great gift of worship; we were able to share that gift countless times with many we ministered with- the people at the foundation, the people in the church congregation, and the people in the local community. We have led worship in both English and Spanish, but despite any limitations due to the language barrier, the people’s hearts were so on fire for the Lord that it was always obvious that the Holy Spirit was present . Two of the congregation’s favorite songs were “Cardenas Romper” and “Gracia Sublime”. Whenever we got to share those songs, I watched as everyone in the room boasted in the incredible freedom that the Lord has given them through this amazing opportunity given to them due to the work of Ciudad Refugio.

Personally, I believe that worship is the most powerful way to connect with the Father; but it is also a powerful tool to reach out to community, and I was able to see that here this whole month. No matter who the people were, what they believed, whether they were singing, dancing, playing an instrument or simply praying, the Holy Spirit was moving in incredible ways during worship this month.

It was such an honor to connect with these people by worshipping with them in their native language and feeling God break chains and shed light and love in the dark places. It has been truly amazing.

A Reason to Leave Everything

Caleb| Short-term volunteer

Every Sunday for the past eleven or so years, I have had the pleasure of teaching young children about Jesus. Every week I would prepare a small group lesson or memorize a drama script to present it to the children on Sunday morning. While I loved my time with the children from my home church, watching as God changed their lives and the lives of their families, I had always craved for more. I joined the World Race with a hope to move past a script, and instead reach the unreached. That was exactly what I had the opportunity to do through a ministry called Manantiales.

About twenty from our team arrived in the beaten-down impoverished displacement village of Manantiales, fully armed with bags of coloring books, colored pencils, and other trinkets for the children of the community. Our purpose in being there that day was to go house to house delivering these care packages to families who have been involved with the program City of Refuge offered every Saturday. However, we were able to do much more than that. I was discouraged at first as I didn’t see my impact in being there. My whole group was simply following the leader from City of Refuge passing people along the way. Something in me didn’t feel right. On one particular street, our whole group stopped as our translators went to speak with a family further down the path. While waiting, a couple of us noticed a little girl and boy playing outside their house. We walked up to them, handed them some coloring utensils, and watched as their faces lit up. The mother noticed us from inside their house, and we all started talking. We were there for so long that the rest of the group left without us! We prayed over them and invited the family to check out the program.

As we continued on our way and walked through a tight alleyway, we were greeted by a hoard of happy young faces wanting to play! Many of them were not already involved in the foundation’s program, nor had ever heard the name of Jesus before! Naturally (me being the child I am inside), I jumped right in to play with them. I saw as the boys walked away just a little bit taller after being told that they were strong; I watched young girls blush after we told them they were beautiful. We walked for what felt like miles with kids hanging all around. It. Was. Glorious.

We had invited the kids and their families to come to the children’s program happening that next Saturday. We were able to see 280 kids come out to that event! If we didn’t go that day, how many kids would have continued their lives never hearing the Gospel? How many people are living their lives separated from God, simply because no one will go out and tell them that He made a way for them to have a relationship with Him?

As I was playing with the kids in the streets of the slums of this village, sharing the Gospel with them, I thought to myself, “This is why I left everything I’ve ever known to follow Jesus. This is the life I want.”

Ciudad Refugio on the Move in the Local Community

By Rebekah S. | Staff

“As an NGO we want to work inside our walls offering a refuge, a place of healing, hope and restoration for those in need. As a church we want to live outside our walls reaching the lost and affecting human need in the name of Christ. Let’s strive to be both a refuge and a lighthouse.” – Pastor Douglas Calvano, Ciudad Refugio.

In the months of November and December of 2018, Casa de Refugio launched an initiative encouraging the local church and community to invest funds towards feeding hungry families in Manantiales, Colombia’s second largest camp of displaced persons. As a result, in January we were able to deliver food boxes and school supplies to 200 needy families.

In addition, we received a group of 44 youth who came to partner with us as a church in local community outreach. Together with these passionate youth, we were able to impact 350 kids from public schools as well as nearly 300 children from local communities. We also facilitated live music and evangelistic events in El Refugio, the Ciudad Refugio bakery and cafe, and local city parks.

We are excited to be a part of what Jesus is up to in our community, and we pray He continues to teach and guide us as we share His light.

Coming to Medellin

By Julia R. | Long term volunteer

In elementary school I remember my teacher passing out small notecards and asking us all to jot down what our dream profession would be as adults. I remember looking down at the paper, fiddling with my pencil, and scanning the classroom full of young faces scribbling away with ease. I thought for a while, and not genuinely comprehending what I wrote, I copied, “missionary” between bright blue lines.

I had the privilege of being introduced to Jesus at a young age. I was taught that there existed a God who created the world, and this God loved the world that he created. My spirit came alive at the concept, and by the time I could spell my own name, I decided that this was a God I would pursue knowing. This pure view of God became adulterated with wrong teaching and difficult life experiences, and my desire to simply know him became slowly replaced with a burden of performing, as would a flawless piece of machinery. Yet even in the midst of my misconceptions and worthless striving, God was pursuing me. When I was 16, at a turning point in my life, He met me.

During my senior year of high school, as I neared college application deadlines, God reminded me of that commitment I had made to him a couple years prior: a promise that my life would be His; if He would be willing to lead, then I would follow. The institution, Summit International School of Ministry would not leave my mind for the life of me. I grew up attending the official church of this ministry school, Times Square Church, and I had vowed to myself and everyone I was able to communicate to that I would not be “one of those people who go to Summit.” Yet, I couldn’t deny the unshakeable drawing I had to the place. I applied, only to ease my conscious. I prayed to receive a rejection letter, but to my dismay, I was accepted. Sensing the leading of God, I prepared myself to go, and to let go of my own idea of my future. The summer before that first fall semester, everything I had done to prepare myself financially for Summit fell through my fingers. As August approached, I had no plan for how I would pay my tuition, and I was unable to make more money. As a type of confirmation that this was indeed the leading of God, I incidentally received a donation that covered all of my needs for that upcoming semester. Each semester would prove the same; I would be in need, and in some unbelievable way, I would be provided for.

During my second year, I needed to make a decision as to what my next step after Summit would be. My entire worldview of life had drastically changed through the biblical teaching at Summit; I didn’t think in the same way as I did prior to coming. I cared much less about social stigmas or people’s opinion on my life decisions; I solely wanted to know Jesus. As I began praying about my next step, the idea of taking on an internship became more and more attractive. Reigniting that childhood passion, God had begun putting foreign missions heavily on my heart, and I felt God calling me into missions work. As part of a work-study program, I had spent some time tutoring a handful of foreign students, helping them with the English language. Writing had long been a passion of mine, but it was through this job in which I discovered that teaching English was something I loved doing. My inclination towards missions and my desire to teach English seemed to go hand-in-hand, and I had an idea of the general area of what I was looking to go into post-graduation.

Going home on weekends, I came to realize that if I were to make a decision that wasn’t approved of at home, I would have to suffer great consequences. God began to show me areas that were unhealthy in my household, and he began to heal me through separating his character from some of the wrong things I had been through. I started to sense God’s leading me out of my house, and into something new, but I wasn’t exactly sure into what yet. One thing was evident, that if I wanted to be able to be free to move as I knew God was leading me, I needed to separate from devoting myself towards primarily pleasing the people I cared a lot about (like family), and instead devote myself to pleasing God primarily. Meaning, if God led me to do something that wasn’t approved by my parents, I had to realize that my life was not lived for them, but for Him first.

After class one afternoon, I plopped myself down in the fold-out chair parallel to the office desk of Pastor Ryan Seaborn (a guidance counselor of types at Summit). The weeks prior my mind had been at odds with itself, sensing the call of God yet wrestling with how to reconcile faith with practicality. I explained my frustrations with him, and my aspirations for the future. As I anxiously went through detail by detail, Pastor Ryan nodded and remained almost irritatingly calm. Once I finally stopped to take a breath, Pastor Ryan turned towards his desktop, pulled up a video, and rotated the screen towards me. He then told me that recently an internship opportunity overseas opened up in a church organization called City of Refuge; the internship would be concentrated in the foundation’s school, teaching English as a second language. I sat there dumbfounded, as I couldn’t have described a more perfect position if I had wanted to. Then he pressed play. I fell in love with the ministry’s heart and vision; it was almost exactly what God had been pressing on my own heart for months. I remember immediately holding myself back from attaching myself to the idea of coming to Medellin; it seemed absolutely impossible. Yet, how could I want to be anywhere else?

The next couple weeks, I prayed and thought on Medellin constantly. I felt as though God was calling me into the impossible, to take a step out into the unknown, but I feared. Even after every way God had revealed his unchanging, faithful character to me, after he had proven his presence in my life over and over again, something in me was scared. Another opportunity had become available to me; an internship that would have been much more comfortable, much more doable, and much more financially beneficial. Yet, I felt that in this season of my life God wasn’t calling me to independence, or into a sensical, prosperous progression in life, but rather, into an absolute dependence on him. That is not to say that having money or working in a secular field is disbelief in God, but in that moment I knew that God was calling me out of my comfort. So, I moved forward with taking on the internship.

Things didn’t become very easy following that decision. There was some conflict in my house, and I decided to go to live with my sister. My plans didn’t pan out exactly as I had originally hoped; my arrival in Medellin was a couple months after my initial intention, but through it all, God was in control. I am able to understand more now how perfectly he prepares us and orchestrates the seasons of our lives. He is a good Father, and He knows what He’s doing. It’s easy to serve God when you’re emotionally well and life is smooth; but it is in the strain, and difficulties that we are able to understand him in a deeper, more intimate way. If it weren’t for my wounds, I wouldn’t know personally that my God is a Healer. If it weren’t for my lack, I wouldn’t trust in him as my Provider. God cares for us, and sometimes in his caring for us he allows us to be without some momentary pleasures so that we can gain a more eternal truth.

Every one of my needs have been provided for. Not only financially, but my soul has been cared for. I went through a lot of emotional strain during that year leading up to my coming to Medellin, as God had begun healing and reconciliation in many areas, and it didn’t come without pain. Yet, when I was feeling the sting of loss, when I felt the most unworthy, when I was in the lowest possible state, God continued to meet me. He did not approach me expecting me to be more put together, less of a mess, or more spiritual during my difficulties. He met me, and whispered to me his love; he convicted me, but drew me closer in my repentance; he reopened some wounds that had healed wrongly, and piece by piece he sewed me back together. As he is continuing to do so. I am not here in Medellin because I am some super-Christian extremist who has a natural desire to do good in and of myself. I am here by the grace of God, aware of how absolutely degenerate I am without my Savior. I am trusting him to continuing being in my life who he has been for eternity, and his faithfulness can be the same for you if you decide to trust in it. Depend on him. With money, without money; if you have a family, or if you don’t; no matter what your circumstance is, realize your need for him, and find the most satisfying joy by placing every ounce of hope you can muster into his hands. There is no safer place.

‘I Do’ | The Restoration of Marriage

By John F. | Staff, Recovery & Transition Program Graduate

I met my beautiful wife when I was 18 and she was 16. We met while working at a supermarket, I worked every day of the week and she worked during the weekends. We liked each other and soon began a relationship. We remained a couple for approximately 5-6 years before we got married. We got married through the civil court and not the church because, I did not know anything about Christianity and we were never interested in the Catholic Church.

We had a wonderful family, one beautiful young girl and boy. I was a proud husband and father, I had what every person desired, a family. I would soon miss entering my home and seeing my family in the living room laughing and enjoying each others company. This soon ended when I relapsed. At this moment I was a recovering drug addict, I had stop consuming for a few years already, but the shadow of addiction followed and caught up to me.

Every single day that I worked I wasted it all on drugs. After work, my schedule was simple, go to my dealer, then go to random house and consume till I had nothing left, and finally I would return to my home. I never did drugs at home and always attempted not to enter my home under the influence. The doors to my home were always opened, it was where I would sleep off my drug use and repeat the cycle the following day. This became too much for my wife because, when you are using drugs you forget everything about responsibilities especially in my case the role of a husband and father.

My wife and I came to a mutual agreement that separation and a divorce was needed, because, remaining a family was toxic to everyone. The process of divorcing my wife took a heavy toll on me, even though, by that point I didn’t hold on to any responsibilities. My soon to be ex-wife became a father and mother to our children.

For some a divorce like this can shake someone up to the realities of what they are losing but, this separation nor the loss of my children changed me in any way. Rather, I went deeper into the abyss of my addiction. I began to feel lonely and depressed, I missed entering my home and being in the midst of my family. The only place I now found refuge was in the arms and embrace of drugs. I consumed drugs daily, I essentially lived to do drugs. Let’s put it this way, if I had 50,000 pesos, 40,000 would go towards drugs and 10,000 to food. Completely forgetting that I needed to provide for my children, who never received a penny, clothing, not even a pair of socks during this time. At this point in my life, I had nothing to live for, I was alone, lived on my own, and was isolated from everyone. There were many nights in which I sought to end my life, especially through overdoses. I would start a night doing drugs and continued on nightly binges. I had no way of controlling what was happening to me.

It wasn’t until two years ago that I sought help. After spending a year consuming drugs every day, I ran out of options for help. I sought God for help when I had nothing left. Sadly, this is the conclusion for many, when it should be the first option. It was through a pastor from my mother’s church who connected me to Ciudad Refugio. So, there I was taking the first step at restoration. I got admitted into the men’s rehabilitation program, it consisted of 1 year of restoration, 6 months of transition, and now I have 3 months post transition.

In the midst of being in the program, I began to learn more about God, the love of God, the restorative power of God through prayer and reading the Word. I even learned of the important component that family plays in restoration and being here reminded me of that responsibility I left behind. I now craved to have my family back especially my children, I wanted to be a father once again. It’s interesting, because I was admitted into this rehabilitation program to restore myself and my family, but while in this program, the devil was continually telling me that if I want to see restoration in my family I have to go to them and that I was already “fixed” I no longer needed this program. I thank God for my leaders and counselors because they continually helped me when I was close to giving up.

While in the program, I did not communicate with my ex-wife, it wasn’t until the 6^th month of entering the program that my ex-wife decided to come visit with our children. Even then we didn’t speak to each other. But, she continually came to the church service that were held at the foundation before visitation. After I finished the program, she didn’t want anything to do with me nor with God and stopped coming to church for a few months. In fact, she proved this by being with someone else, what hurt was that it was a mutual friend of ours. This completely broke my heart, I thought I lost it all and once again I wanted to pack my bags and leave everything behind.

I still loved my ex-wife, and wanted to see our family get together, but because of the restorative process in my life, I didn’t dare tell her nor signaled to her what I felt, I did not want to create a fantasy that probably didn’t exist. Despite these news of her being with someone, I sought God to be my refuge and strength. I would continually pray for restoration of my family.

One day during visitation she was friendly towards me something that never happened before and so I asked God for a clear sign from Him in regard to my ex-wife. I simply prayed “God if this is you changing my ex-wife, then before anything could happen between myself and her, Lord I asked that she surrender her life to you, and that she would follow you wholeheartedly without the pressure of anyone”. I made this prayer and within a week I forgot about that prayer.

A few weeks later she started coming to church more regularly, week after week, she was there sitting and paying attention attentively unlike other times where she would easily get bored. She was acting different, she would call me and ask for my advice on random things and problems that she was facing. Something was off, she was coming to me for support, of all people, this was uncommon especially coming from her. I was trying to understand what was happening because a few weeks ago she wanted nothing to do with me. So, one night I asked God is this from you or not, because I knew I liked and loved her, but I wanted to make sure that I was not creating this all in my head. That night I went to sleep and woke up being reminded of the prayer I made and the answer that I was witnessing.

So, within a few days I approached her in front of my leaders and asked her if she wanted to mend our relationship and family. And to my amazement she said YES, and fast forward to today, I am happily married, we got married through the church and I now get to go home to my beautiful wife and children.I was blessed to have restoration in my marriage, my wife is my best friend, someone who I admire for all the moments that she spent raising our children and never giving up on our family.

“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” – Joshua 24.15

The Long Journey Home

By Monica | Ciudad Refugio Program Recipient – Manantiales

We arrived to El Pinar 13 years ago from Yolombó, Colombia – my husband and I and our then four children (we now have five). We didn’t know anything about the community and we were not displaced, we just knew that it was cheap to live here and to be honest we really didn´t have any other option. We found a plot and when my husband began to work we started to build.

The most difficult thing about this community is the drugs and the challenge of trying to raise a family. I live in front of a soccer field where drugs are bought and sold 24 hours a day. It is very difficult to raise children here, especially boys, it is a miracle of God that my son escaped this path. In this community, if you see a child here 9, 10, 11, 12 years on the street, the majority are already working in the drug business.

We learned quickly how to survive here, you have to know how to guard your eyes and your mouth. And never leave your house at night.

When I first arrived in El Pinar with my husband I went to Medellin to visit a friend who was sleeping in a shelter. That shelter was run by Douglas and Marilu Calvano. I started assisting in the church that they had at the time. When my friend left the shelter, I also stopped coming down to Medellin and stopped attending church. That was 14 years ago…

Then, two years ago, my son came home one day and said that there were some Saturday activities for kids and youth being held in the field and could he attend, I said yes. He continued every Saturday and then came a few months later and asked if he could have permission to spend the weekend in Medellin with the foundation that sponsored the Saturday activities. This provoked me as a mother to learn more about the foundation and who was running it. As I was asking my son for more information he mentioned the Pastor, whose name was Douglas, and his wife Marilu who were leading the church and foundation. Instantly I remembered and realized it was the same Pastor Douglas and Marilu that ran the shelter and church where I had been involved years early.

Soon after they offered my son the opportunity to move into the foundation to study and be discipled. I also began to hear about a bible study forming in the community being led by Doña Nena a relative of Pastor Douglas and Marilu who I also knew as she had been a cook at the time that I was involved with the ministry.

Coming back to the foundation for me has been coming back to the Lord. I had allowed my life to take another path, pursuing the things of the world, but after many years the Lord brought me home.

I love Ciudad Refugio and through the church I am now accomplishing my dream of establishing my house over the rock. It has always been my desire to build a strong home for my family. Looking back I can see that God has always been there, has always been waiting for me and that He continued taking care of me and providing for me even when I was far from him.

A Devotional from Pastor Douglas

Prayer and Missions working collaboratively.

In 1727, 24 men and 24 women agreed to spend an hour each day on scheduled prayer, praying in sequence around the clock. Soon others joined the prayer chain. Days passed, then months. Unceasing prayer rose to God for 24 hours a day. It was the prayer meeting that eventually lasted 100 years.

Five years later, in August of 1732, the first two missionaries, Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann were commissioned. By 1734, 22 missionaries perished and two more were imprisoned, but others took their place. By that time William Carey became the “father of modern missions,” and over 300 Moravian missionaries had already gone to the ends of the earth.

The Moravian´s fervor sparked the conversations of John and Charles Wesley and indirectly ignited the great awakening that swept through Europe and America.

The prayer meeting lasted 100 years, but the results will last for eternity.

Luke 18:1,7,8a