Colombia: Day 4 – March 2019

“Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity^[a] together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” – Isaiah 40:4-5

I was reminded of this verse as we channeled our way up and over the mountains surrounding Medellin today, taking a metro cable car up and over the city.  As we did, we were able to pray for the work among the indigenous down in the valley, that is Medellin, but also among the many villages, along the mountainside, inhabited by indigenous.  It was an incredible site to behold, as we think about the some 3 million people that make up Medellin, and 3,000-4,000 of those being indigenous.

The challenges are great, when you consider reaching the indigenous of the city.  For one, indigenous have left their villages, whether being forced out or by choice seeking employment, education or assistance with healthcare.  Where they have lived, they are in community, where life functions within the group.  Moving into the city has forced them to take on responsibility, ownership, independence.  This carries over even into the life of the church, as the Medellin team are making strides to start a church made up of ex-pats, nationals and indigenous, as well as to strengthen another indigenous church in the city towards greater church health.  In both of these cases, there are many worldview and cultural practices and principles that they must sort through, including getting the indigenous to see their role in taking on leadership to be raised up to lead presently, as well be equipped and sent out to lead churches in their own villages.  Second, it is also noted that the different indigenous groups within the city fall on a spectrum when it comes to understanding Spanish (vs. their heart language), generations of Christians within their group, as well as their transience living in the city.  Pray for wisdom for the team as they work through these challenges in planting and strengthening the church here.

Nevertheless, despite these challenges, it is hugely encouraging to see our partners, the B Family, and their teammates faithfully pouring their lives out and training up these individuals and established churches to understand what is the church and her mission.  We know that whether on the mountain top or in the valley, the glory of the Lord will appear, the gospel will be heard, and Christ’s church will prevail.  We were reminded again today (through our storying session in a sick home for indigenous), that Jesus’ final words are lasting words, and they are the commission for us in Fayetteville, as well as in Medellin – “go and make disciples among all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”.  The mouth of the Lord has spoken, and we must march onward.  As we do we strive side by side to make much of Him, until He returns, by faithfully sowing seeds of the gospel, discipling believers, and gathering those believers into churches, who are those cities on a hill.

Written by Ryan Martin

 

Colombia: Day 3 – March 2019

We started out our third day in Medellin by piling into a couple of taxis and heading downtown to visit a few indigenous families. We first visited a small apartment building where many of the Catíos live and were able to visit with several families there, including one that the B family had previously lost contact with but who have now returned to the city to get medical treatment for their baby boy. From there we walked to visit a few more families who are living in an area referred to by the B family as “crack alley”. It is the regular hangout of many homeless drug addicts, so we started out by passing out bread and drinks to those who were out in the streets. We were then invited in to speak with several Catío women living in one of the apartments and were able to share several Bible stories with them. From there we went to another apartment around the corner and spent quite a bit of time visiting with the Catio families there, sharing Bible stories, helping them with English homework, and getting to know previously unknown members of the family. It was a rainy morning, which ended up being a blessing because several of the women who normally are out selling their handmade jewelry in the streets stayed home because of the weather, giving the B family the opportunity to get to know them and start to form more of a relationship with them. It was encouraging to see how God is opening doors and building trust between the B family and the people they are trying to reach with the Gospel.

Written by Ellen Burns

 

Colombia: Day 2 – March 2019

Hola UBC family!

First of all, it’s been such an encouraging and humbling journey getting to Colombia. I am so grateful for everyone who has prayed and helped our team go! Thanks for partnering with us in the Gospel.

It’s our second full day in Medellin! We started the morning off visiting Cristo para las Naciones, a discipleship and biblical training center for young adults. Some of the students attended the B family’s house church yesterday–it was great to see them again! While we were there, we joined them for their daily worship service and sang in English and Spanish. Worshipping with brothers and sisters from another culture in a different language was so much fun!

Afterward, we drove up the mountain (literally straight up at times) to visit an indigenous family the B family has been ministering to. The family is made up of all women, including a mid-twenties woman named Rosalina. Rosalina is disabled and gravely ill, but refuses to go to the hospital for treatment. Instead, she and her family want to go to the witch-doctors again to get help. The B family shared the Gospel with Rosalina and shared the Creation to Jesus stories with Rosalina’s family. The B-family discouraged the family to go to the witch doctors and told them that they believed Jesus could heal Rosalina. When we asked Rosalina if she believed Jesus could heal her, she replied, “Poquito”–which means, “a little bit”. Faith as small as a mustard seed is all it takes. Please join us in praying for Rosalina and her family. The B-family thinks the only way this family is going to turn to Christ is if they see the miraculous healing of the Father. We believe He can heal her and we are begging Him to.

We then drove down the mountain and headed to the market to eat lunch. The market was huge and full of fragrant fruits and vegetables, knock-off shirts and shoes, and goats. We ate lunch and walked around while the B family shared stories about their life in Medellin.

That evening, we joined the B family for dinner at their home. We then loaded up the car and met up with the B family’s team partner, to attend an indigenous Bible study. Mr. A*  is one of the teachers for this indigenous church. They’ve been going through marks of a healthy church, as outlined by the IMB.  Tonight’s mark was “giving”. He taught from 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 9. It was very evident that the team leader has a gift for teaching, and his message was really encouraging. The church members asked good questions about giving and being active members of the body.

Overall, we got to see and participate in a typical day for the B and M families serving the indigenous. Since arriving to Medellin, I have learned so much about what it’s like to be a missionary to the indigenous here. I have seen the Holy Spirit drawing people to Himself–from sharing the name of Jesus with people for the first time to equipping believers in the local church. It’s been such a privilege to be a part of what God’s doing in Medellin. I’m excited to keep learning from the B family and support their work in Colombia as fellow members of UBC!

Continue praying for the B and M families–that they would continue being faithful in sharing the Gospel and serving the indigenous groups here, despite the many obstacles they face. Pray that Satan would have no power among the indigenous, and that the power of Christ would be a shining light in the darkness. Pray for existing believers, that they would mature as faithful brothers and sisters, holding fast to the Word.

In Christ,

Joy Hawkins

 

Colombia: Day 1 – March 2019

On March 17, 2019, the UBC mission team went out to Colombia in hopes to love and share the gospel with the locals and indigenous of Medellin. To begin the day, we had an orientation with ‘the B Family’ the missionaries in Medellin (also members of UBC). We got to meet the family of six, and we got to talk about how to approach the people of Colombia.

We had a church service at an apartment of the team leader of the Medellin team, and there were local and indigenous that attended the service. At the start of the service, we sang “This is the Day” and “God is so Good” in English, Spanish, and the indigenous Catio language. We then shared the story of  the Golden calf from Exodus 32.

We had to share the story of the Golden Calf multiple times, because some of the indigenous that attended the service spoke poor Spanish. We then had fun and reenacted the story to help give a visual representation of the story. After the service, we broke bread in the form of hot dogs which were pretty delicious. We had an opportunity to have more personal conversations with the locals about our relationships with Christ. It was a encouraging time to see people of three different languages glorifying God. At the end of the day, we ate dinner with the missionaries, and it was great time of fellowship.

Written by Kent Felty

 

Colombia – March 2017

UBC Family,

Words cannot express how grateful I am for your support over the last month. Our trip to Leticia, Colombia was impactful in various ways. On our trip we stayed in a small Peruvian village on the amazon river for three days, led a spiritual retreat for local missionaries, and we served the host mission family however we could.

The trip to the Amazon taught me many invaluable things, but what stuck with me the most was the intentionality. Intentionality is universal; the barriers of language did not hinder us from expressing love. For example, our team leader Michael, didn’t speak a lick of English, but shared love through quality time spent and physical touch (hugs, fist bumps, high-fives). His actions confirmed the verse John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Moving forward, I believe God is calling me to go overseas permanently. I loved every second of my time in Colombia; yes, I even miss those nasty mosquitoes. I yearn to be back this very moment, but over the last few weeks, I was reminded to be content in this current season of life. Thank you for your help in making this trip a reality.

The Peruvian Village

During our stay in Peru we assisted the B family with discipleship training. Mr. B, the lead missionary, led a discipleship conference in the isolated village we visited. The village of about 50 people is a Christian village on the Amazon River. There, our goal is to raise up disciples to share the grace of Christ to other villages in the surrounding region. During the conference Mr. B explicitly shared stories from the Bible; stories like the cross, creation, Cain and Abel, and the flood are used to elaborately explain the gospel. The Peruvian villagers are mostly illiterate, so they memorized these stories to share their faith with others and to store up God’s word in their own hearts. We also took part in sharing our personal testimonies. These testimonies of God’s work in our lives not only brought us closer to the villagers, but also painted a clear picture of the gospel, and showed that testimonies could be used to proclaim God’s handiwork to others.

Spiritual Retreat & Families

During our last full day in Colombia we led a spiritual retreat for the B family and other missionary families in the surrounding area. We worshipped in English (a rarity for them), shared tear jerking praises, prayer needs, stories, encouraged one another, spent time in prayer, and studied Ephesians 1:15-23. We discussed that amidst all things our hope is derived from Christ, that we were once alienated with no hope, but God, being rich in mercy, brought us near. We discussed that God has dominion over all things: “every name that is named” (sign of dominion); therefore, we love because he first loved us; perfect love casts out fear.

Prayer

Continuous prayer (1 Thess. 5:17) is still needed for Colombia, the Village, and the families in the area. Pray for the missionaries in the area: for their gaze to be fixed on his kingdom, for them to be steadfast in their walk, for their health, and for their impact on the unbelieving natives. Also, pray that God will raise up a number of indigenous disciples who are willing to reach the indigenous tribes in the Amazon jungle.

Love,

Morgan Montgomery

 

Colombia – March 2017

If I am being honest with you, I never foresaw myself going to South America.  Traveling south wasn’t on my bucket list or any sort of list for that matter.  When I learned about this opportunity, I had to use Google to even make sure where Colombia was located within South America.  Although I had no significant heart or desire for South America or Colombia, I knew that God did.  

Mark Twain has a famous quote that states, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…” which is quite true. What is more, it expands my heart and love of the world to get a little more like God’s.  “For God so loved the world,” and now, I love the world a little more like He does.

When I learned about this opportunity to join the B-Family for a short visit, I knew that God would expand my heart for a place and a people that I had never thought much about before. And sure enough, I now know the sights and sounds and smells of a place I had never before paid much mind to.  I have friends in Colombia, and my heart feels a little bit more like God’s heart. We spent a lot of time with the B family, with their friends, Mr. L and his son, and with other missionaries in their area, I care about them deeply.

If you’ve ever been on a trip with UBC, you understand what I’m talking about, how our hearts grow.  If you’ve ever considered joining a mission trip opportunity with UBC, I highly recommend talking to Ryan Martin or someone else that can get you connected and plugged in.  Let your heart grow as you serve the Lord and the church and experience more of the world.

Written by Michael Gaddy

 

Colombia: Days 4 & 5 – March 2017

On Monday morning, I went with Ms. B to take her younger kids to school. They go to a private school started by missionaries in Tabatinga, Brazil and they are learning Spanish and Portuguese. I’m still just learning to tell the difference between the two! We went over to the airport and walked around where the Brazilian military goes on their runs in the morning. We talked about the churches and the common beliefs in the area. We also got to start planning the retreat that we’ll have on Thursday with all the local missionaries when the team gets back from the river. We went around and invited some of the local couples, and found out about a girl who had been attending the English school that these missionaries ran, but she had recently stopped attending it so she could go to the Mormon church in town. (We are now praying that she will return to what she had been learning through the missionaries for the past couple of years and that God would reveal his truth to her!)

Later that afternoon, the oldest girl and I went out for a canoe ride on Los Lagos (a lake that is connected to the Amazon.) We swam in the lake and looked at all the trees and the beautiful scenery in it! We got to watch the sun start setting while we were on the Amazon river and it was so beautiful! That evening Ms. B and her girls and I just hung out, baked cookies, and talked about girly things while Isaac and Joy fell asleep on the couch watching Ghostbusters. Afterwards, the girls I had a sleepover in the girls’ room and talked all about life.

This morning (Tuesday), the oldest girl and I woke up after the little ones had gone to school and Ms. B was getting ready to go to breakfast to celebrate another missionary’s birthday, so I took her out to breakfast. Then we went to explore the town a little bit more and buy LOTS of coffee to bring home! We have been having a great time to get to know each other here, and just have fellowship with other believers. I wish I had more to talk about with the work the guys are doing in the village, but I’m sure when they get back tomorrow, they will have tons of awesome stories about the work God got to do through them! Thank you for your prayers and support of the six of us as well as the ‘B family’.

Written by Brena Lackey

 

Colombia: Day 3 – March 2017

The next morning (Sunday), we went to breakfast as a team one last time and Ms. B took the guys to the port. (Please continue praying for their safety and effectiveness while they are gone until Wednesday evening.) The ‘B family (wife, kids and a neighborhood friend) and I went to church when Ms. B got back from the port. It was Mariana’s first time to join the girls for church and they were so excited to have her there! Beth introduced me to the people there as “Brenda” because it was a more well-known name to them than Brena, so my Spanish name is Brenda. The service was in Spanish, but it was still cool to meet some of the fellow believers in Leticia and worship the Lord with them. They talked about the passage that instructs us to build your house on the rock from Haggai 1:9-11. This meant so much more to them here than it does to most Americans, because they watch homes often be destroyed by the flooding of the river. In fact, people in Peru have been losing their lives due to flooding during this rainy season. It also reminded us that we should be more focused on the house of God than our earthy houses.

We then went to lunch together and Ms. B and I were able to start getting to know each other while the kids walked over to the park. We spent the afternoon getting to know one another while resting. The girls asked if we could all go get ice cream that afternoon. Just then, I realized I didn’t know where my passport was, and since I had left the hotel to come stay at the ‘B family’ house, everything was in a different place. I thought it had fallen out of my backpack when I had gotten my pen out of it to journal the night before, so one of the girls went back to the hotel with me to find it (she has been an amazing translator!).  We sat for about 30 minutes only to find that it wasn’t there. I was praying that it was just in a different pocket in my bag and it hadn’t been stolen or lost someplace else! We got back and I searched every pocket of my bag, and it was in the only pocket I hadn’t searched yet. Praise the Lord!

The girls and I finally went to get ice cream, and the girls’ friend tried to learn some English while I tried to learn some Spanish. We wandered around the town and they told me all about their life here, the places they had lived, and places they liked to go. Then they asked if they could dye my hair with tissue paper! So now I have red tips from the dye used to make tissue paper. (Don’t worry, mom, it’s not permanent.). I cooked with Ms. B, and we got to use the new pressure cooker that UBC sent the ‘B Family’.  The food turned out delicious! We made chicken curry and rice and watched a movie together. I got to play video games with the ‘B family’s’ boy too, which he loves. We ended the night by watching a movie together, and by the end of the night, we were all exhausted and slept so well!

Written by Brena Lackey

 

 

Colombia: Days 1 & 2 – March 2018

Well we’ve been here been here for a few days now, and it’s been absolutely amazing! We departed Friday night at 6 pm and got to Leticia around 1:30 the next day. Travels were miraculously smooth with only a couple of minor bumps in the road, and we handled it as a unified team, which was a huge answer to prayer. After getting lost in the airport in Bogota at 5 a,m. in the morning and navigating our way to our gate with a very little knowledge of the language, I’d say we were very bonded as a team! Many of us were unable to sleep on the flights, but we were carried through and so excited to finally be in Leticia when we landed.

We were greeted by the ‘B Family’ and it was great to finally be here.  We went to their house, and got to meet all their kids and spend  time getting to know them and hearing about their life and work in Leticia and the surrounding villages. We spent some time hearing of the work in the lives’ of those they are reaching, as well as praying over their family, and worshiping together. Mr. T prepped Jake, Michael, Chaz, Morgan and Korey for the work they were going to be doing when they left for the river on Sunday around 10. After orientation, we took a tour of the town and went over to a neighborhood close to the port that overlooked the Amazon river. The sun was setting behind it and it was absolutely one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. We walked down a boardwalk in the neighborhood and were able to see life happening in Leticia. Little kids would come right up to us and hug us, and the older ones were playing soccer or volleyball in the mud, with joy on their faces the whole time. It was a much more relaxed lifestyle than we were accustomed to. People here are more concerned with getting their daily needs taken care of, rather than planning for the future. Later in the evening, we went to get groceries for the guys to take on the river with them and went to dinner with the ‘B Family’. We also were with another family who currently live in Florida, but are looking to come to be missionaries in Leticia as well. After dinner (and being awake for over 48 hours) we went back to the hotel for a time of prayer as a team before the guys were set to leave in the morning. We all slept so well after the exciting and exhausting couple of days we had had.

Written by Brena Lackey

 

 

Colombia – June 2016

Thank you so much for your financial support and prayers during my trip. I will say it was a really good trip and one of the coolest experiances I’ve ever had. As it was my first time leaving the country (and riding on a plane) I encountered many new things during the trip. We got to go up the Amazon river to the villages where we were able to share stories and interact with the people. Although I couldn’t speak the language, we were able to communicate via our missionary partner. We also got the oppurtunity to host two “meetings” where the villagers gathered and had the gospel shared with them. One of the things God taught me on the trip was how He is faithful. These people live way off the beaten road and yet God has still made His presence known. Hearing the testomonies of some of the villagers was really encouraging and exciting and I realized that a) God can use any situation to make Himself known and b) God is faithful to anyone and everyone who follows Him. The trip was really cool and showed me a lot of things. I will never forget going caiman (alligator)co hunting at 3 in the morning down a swamp. Again thanks to everyone who gave financially and prayed for the trip! It was really cool and God is doing a good work in the Amazon.

Written by Joel Burgess