Finding Your Purpose in a Pandemic!

By : Murn J. | Volunteer

I first arrived at Ciudad Refugio in January as a member of a World Race team. We were supposed to spend two months in Colombia followed by two months in Ecuador and then Peru. Ever since I arrived here in Colombia, I have fallen completely in love with this foundation. I felt so at home and saw God working in ways that I had never seen before. As we were approaching our last few weeks here, I was almost praying that something would happen that would allow us to stay here for longer.

About two weeks before the quarantine began, I went paragliding with my team. As I was looking out over the beautiful city of Medellín, I prayed to God that He would give it to me and would one day bring me back here. And God reminded me of Luke 11: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened.”  So, I prayed: “Lord, will you bring me back here some day?”  And for the rest of that 20-minute flight while literally soaring above the city, it became a spiritual journey full of God’s promise. First, He showed me the birds of the sky and reminded me of how He provides for them. And then reminded me of Psalm 23, that He will lead me to green pastures and that He is my home.

The following Sunday my team received the heart-breaking news that we would all be flown home due to the Coronavirus crisis that was rapidly getting worse. The team was given short notice and flights had to be booked that very night. We were, however, given the option to not get on a return flight and to sign a contract that relieved the World Race organization of any responsibility for us. My team had 20 minutes to pray about it and make a decision. Throughout this whole evening, I felt so sure that I was not leaving. That my time as not yet finished in Colombia and that Ciudad Refugio was where I was meant to be.

So I began to ponder: What if I stayed? Even though I had no idea what it would look like, or if the foundation would even let me stay. I opened my bible – purposely not trying to open it on one of those conveniently encouraging chapters – and I was brought straight back to Luke 11. This was all the confirmation I needed.

Although far sooner than I had ever imagined, God was inviting me to stay in Colombia and to trust completely in Him like I never had before.  He promised me that He would provide for me and would lead me to green pastures. So, I told my team that I would not be getting on a flight. I had no idea where I would be living, how I would be serving, how long I would be staying, but I was filled with a complete confidence and a peace that this is where God wants me and that I would be safe.

Three months later, I’m still here! I have said goodbye to all my teammates. I have been welcomed with open arms by the foundation who have allowed me to stay on as a volunteer. God has provided me with a visa and with funds to allow me to stay for a year. I have found family and purpose in the work that I am doing. And I am SO HAPPY! I feel so honored to be here; that in the midst of all this craziness God would call me. I am in awe of how God would give me the desires He placed on my heart and allow me to serve in a place that really needs it. And that He would use my desire to go to South America, my Semesters journey, my love for Ciudad Refugio, to call me to Colombia for such a time as this. Praise God!

Misiones Manantiales

By Juan A. | Christ for the Nations Volunteer

La pasada semana del Domingo 14 al Domingo 21 de Abril, durante las festividades de semana santa, un grupo de alrededor 60 misioneros de Estados Unidos, Brasil, Ecuador, Curaçao, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, entre otros, nos unimos en una misión de esperanza para una comunidad extremadamente vulnerable y de escasos recursos ubicada en el departamento de Antioquia, Colombia. Se trata de la comunidad llamada “Manantiales”, la cual es considerada como el segundo asentamiento más grande del país, la que a su vez sufre una gran problemática social y económica debido a la falta de planificación por ser una invasión de territorio que fue creciendo desmedidamente desde hace algunos años atrás.

El instituto bíblico Cristo para las Naciones, la fundación Ciudad Refugio y el programa Amaneceres unieron fuerzas, pasión y recursos para llevar el mensaje y amor de Cristo Jesús a este sector. Durante toda esa semana se desarrollaron diversas actividades deportivas, recreativas, musicales y espirituales para que cada asistente los cuales principalmente eran niños, tuvieran una experiencia extraordinaria y se llevaran en sus corazones el conocimiento del amor de Dios.

Fue muy hermoso sentir el sincero abrazo de cada niño y sus radiantes sonrisas, ver el brillo esperanzador en sus ojos, y ver además que durante esas jornadas ellos se desconectaban completamente de una realidad muy dura que les ha tocado vivir, para conectarse con la paz, amor y alegría que provienen de Dios. La pregunta frecuente en cada chico era: “¿Cuándo vienen de nuevo?”, la cual quedó grabada en el corazón de cada misionero. Pedimos a Dios que ese anhelo de los niños de Manantiales de tener tiempos diferentes, escuchar cosas diferentes y sentirse amados, se convierta en combustible para cada uno de los voluntarios de dicha misión y abocarse con mayor frecuencia a esta población con tantas carencias.

Gracias al apoyo de algunos patrocinadores y al esfuerzo de todo el equipo, se lograron entregar refrigerios cada día, algunos mercados, ropa, zapatos, entre otros, no solo a los niños sino también a muchas madres residentes del barrio.

Oramos para que Dios mande obreros para su obra y que la semilla que fue sembrada en cada corazón de frutos a su tiempo. Estamos felices de poder decir: ¡Misión cumplida!

“Y es necesario que el evangelio sea predicado antes a todas las naciones”. Marcos 13:10

A Place to Call Home

By Alexis B. | Volunteer  with WCSC Missions
The first time I visited Medellin and Ciudad Refugio was in the summer of 2018. I was warned that Colombia was a dangerous place and that I should be careful. I came with a mindset that I would be treated poorly by the people and was ready to watch my back every where I went.  Honestly, I was prepared for the worst. However, I experienced the opposite when I arrived to Colombia. I was welcomed with open arms and received many warm smiles and greetings from the community. I felt the presence of the Lord and knew it was a place where God was moving. And it was clear to me in the first few minutes here that the people of Medellin have hearts full of faith.
This year, I returned to Medellin to bring chiropractic once again to its people. The trust and respect that my team and I received everyday was overwhelming. Women would hand to us their young babies and trust us to care for them; children came running to us with an interest in what we are doing and always left full of joy.
I am so thankful to the City of Refuge for truly showing me and my team the true nature of the community of Medellin.  In my time here,  I have seen some of  the most beautiful parts of the city as well as some of the most heartbreaking. But regardless of where I’ve been one things has been constant, I have the felt the presence and the power of God.
I am so thankful to be given the opportunity to bring the healing power of chiropractic to the community here. The people of Medellin deserve the best care that they can receive and I fully intend to return to this place that I can now call my second home.

A Grateful Heart

By Jaewon L. | Chiropractic Volunteer
My name is Jaewon Lee and I was blessed to be part of the team from World Care Specific Chiropractic to serve the people of Medellin, Colombia from March 22nd -29th.  My family is originally from South Korea and I am currently living in the United States to study chiropractic medicine.  To be completely truthful, I have not done a lot volunteer work in the last several years because my life has been so busy and full.  I had not taken time to stop and really look around to see how others were living.  And in my heart, I did not really realize how meaningful it was to serve people till I my experience volunteering with the foundation.  My perspective on so much has changed due to my time at Ciudad Refugio.
 Even though my purpose was to serve and help others through offering chiropractic care; I have received more than I gave.  For me every person I encountered, from the patients to the foundation staff have exemplified  love, kindness, gratitude and the true meaning of servant hood. Time and time again I saw this with the people I have helped and talked to this past week.
As I head home from my time serving with Ciudad Refugio I leave with a heart full of gratefulness.  I am grateful that I had a chance to serve and help minister to people with what I can do well.  I am grateful for a chance to have brought joy to so many kids just because they assumed I was a South Korean celebrity.  I am grateful for all the big moments but especially the small moments such as when I was able to hold the hand of a patient who was nervous and they granted me a smile of gratitude.  Most of all, I am grateful to have been given this opportunity to serve with WCSC and Ciudad Refugio. I want to extend a special thanks to everyone at the foundation for their help and kindness.  It truly has impacted my heart and I leave changed and with a new perspective on life and how to serve others.

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.

 

I Checked into the Drug Rehab Program

By Morgan F. |World Race Team Member

I’ll admit I have a huge problem with drugs.

I honestly was blinded of my problem until now. Personally I never had any experience with drugs prior to arriving in Medellín, Colombia.

My sheltered bubble was popped. My eyes were opened and what I saw absolutely broke my heart. I was introduced to the haunting control drugs can hold on someone’s life.

The drugs themselves did not influence me directly. What appalled me most was witnessing the power and damage drugs cause in people’s lives. It’s sickening. It’s disturbing. It’s sad.

The problem is drugs!

Let me tell you about my problem with drugs.

Drugs rip people of their freedom.

Drugs contaminate people’s minds with lies.

Drugs numb people from pain and emotions, even the good ones.

Drugs control a person’s mind, body, and decisions.

Drugs tear apart families.

Drugs ruin dreams.

Let’s start looking at the drugs as the evil and the drug users as people just like you and I; people who are worthy of being loved, people with families, people with stories, people with dreams, people who have made mistakes, and people who need to be forgiven.

The problem is not drug users. Hate the sin not the sinner!

The moment my perspective changed was the moment I entered the women’s drug rehabilitation program. Not because I received healing and freedom from my addiction but because God broke my heart over the effects drug addiction had on His daughters. Living alongside these amazing women gave me so much life and deepened my faith.

The testimonies the women shared were filled with agony, loss, mistakes, shame, and guilt. I would go even as far as to say drugs ruin lives but these women showed me otherwise. Without Jesus that’s where the story might end but because of his power to change hearts and break the chains of addiction, these women were offered a better path for their lives through his steadfast love and grace. These women tell stories about attempting to break their addiction on their own strength but the stories always ended back at drugs. Ciudad Refugio invited these women into the foundation and opened a space asking God to heal the brokenness of addiction by giving them hope in an relentless source, Jesus Christ.

It’s completely evident that God is working through Ciudad Refugio and in the lives of these beautiful women. Despite abandoning their old lifestyles, missing their families and battling lies from the enemy, these ladies show incredible bravery and strength. I am encouraged by the healing God has already done and the faith that these women have in the midst of their trials. I left the program with a better understanding of God’s character and his love for his children. Please pray for the women in the program!

God bless Ciudad Refugio and the work that this ministry is doing for the Kingdom of God!