The Value of Life (Leverage Colombia Team)

My heart has literally been breaking over the past couple days. And things have been stirring in my heart that are hard to explain. But this one, I actually got to process a little with my team tonight (Wednesday) during debrief, so I’m gonna take a stab at writing it out in order to share it with you…

I’m not usually the kind of girl to cry. I would say I’m usually not the emotional one either. But the more I draw closer to God, the more my heart breaks for the things that break His. While it doesn’t feel good to have a broken heart, I have to praise God because a broken heart is an answer to prayer and God’s way of getting my attention. You see, three years ago that was exactly my plea to Him.



Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
(Hillsong United – Hosanna)



The first time God answered that plea for Him to break my heart was through the experience on my first mission trip to Haiti in December 2009-January 2010. But this time God is taking me deeper since my trust in Him has grown deeper.

There is much to share about our days here in Colombia, sharing the gospel going door to door. Its been more than words can say but what has been breaking my heart are the real life stories that are being shared when we ask before we leave if we can pray with and for them. It’s story after story of broken marriages, broken homes, sickness in what feels like every family member, unexpected death, the list goes on. Today (Wednesday) was my breaking point though.

After spending 30-40 minutes with this family of six sharing about the Recycle for Life Program and using the Evangecube to share the gospel (and praise Jesus having all six making a profession of faith), my heart just absolutely broke.

The grandmother who was visiting from Spain asked us to pray for everything to come together for her to become guardian of her granddaughter and have her move back with her to Spain. With her 13 year old granddaughter sitting right beside her, she continued to tell more about what was going on. We found out that the 13 year old’s father, the grandmother’s son, had been killed 7 years ago. It was clear that the grandmother still was having a hard time with it as her eyes flooded with tears. The part that got me was the girl being completely unaffected by the reality that she had no father because he was killed. Like it was no big deal.

Back up about an hour to the end of lunchtime, we had just heard that someone had been killed not too far from us and the local believer with us responded by saying, “Bummer…”. I specifically said, “I don’t think that’s the word I would use to describe that.” He proceeded to explain that for Colombians its part of everyday life, its nothing new, definitely not shocking. Colombians are more or less desensitized to a life being taken too soon, or so it seems.

So pair that “bummer” with the lack of emotion felt or seen by this girl with the other stories we’ve heard and your left questioning, “what is the value of a life here in Colombia?” Do they even value life? I mean, of course they do to an extent-clearly this is a generalization! But what if this situation in Colombia, of everything being a mess is exactly why God has chosen to make Himself known in this country,right now!

You wouldn’t believe the number of people making a profession of faith, choosing to put their trust in Jesus and desiring to hear the gospel. Its crazy! This is definitely not happening in the U.S. But what if God has been preparing the Colombians hearts because… What if he has been sending believers to share the gospel here because… What if He is creating unity amongst the churches and body of believers because… What if it’s all BECAUSE God’s heart is breaking into pieces. Breaking, because the people He has created in His own image here, are choosing sin, sin, sin and are being killed left and right. If not 100%, it was pretty close, of the number of people I talked to that had a close family member get killed. What if he is so tired of seeing His children choose death not life for themselves and each other as they choose to murder their neighbor.

Is there a harvest right now in Colombia, specifically, because the value of life has been lost here and something has to change?

- Emily Tuten

Daughters of the King (Women's Colombia Team)

I had no idea that when I came to Barranquilla, Colombia on my first mission trip that I would fall so deeply in love with the people of this country. We have been met with hospitality, kindness, and love at every turn. God has definitely helped me to look beyond the differences and to focus on the similarities. We are all children of God in need of our Lord and Savior. We all need to feel loved, cherished, and treasured . . . to love and be loved. We all need each other to share our joys and sorrows and to live in community with one another. My heart has filled with joy as we have helped to bring a sprinkling of this to Barranquilla. Our team of six women from 12stone have had the blessing of teaching some of the local women to lead small groups in their community. To begin the process of sharing life with one another and to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. We used the Diamond Journey of Faith to teach the women to live life in the order that is glorifying to God: love God, love yourself, love others, love what you do, and love the lost. I pray that they continue to inspire life, share life, and give life as small groups grow throughout the area. I came here with six sisters in Christ from America and am leaving with so many sisters in Christ from Colombia. We are daughters of the King and are precious in His sight. To God be the glory!

- Denise Wegesin

For Such A Time as This (Women's Colombia Team)

Our time is coming to an end here in Barranquilla. It has been a week of incredible ministry and life change. I will go home a diiferent person with a new world view. I will not say that it has been an easy week. There have been many different types of challenges where I have had to remember that my strength comes from Christ. I not only had to remember it, but be willing to believe it, be obedient and perservere. Theee, good news is, with obedience comes blessing. Yesterday as my team was walking the streets of Mesalondia we entered in a home that was basically the size of most of our dens and the only peice of furniture in the room was a bed. The house was full full of people and they were clearly upset. As we began to talk to them we discovered that the person who lived in this "house" was a 20 year named Edwin who, because of living alone and his struggle with depression, had tried to hang himself the night before. He was found before he was able to accomplish his mission and now was on watch by his family and friends. I was blessed to be able to take time to listen to his sister while she cried through the story of what had happened and what she was feeling. As my translator and I talked with her, we called one of the local pastors over to talk with Edwin.

We took the time to share the gospel story with Edwin's sister and three friends. They were very eager and ready to drop thier heads and pray to accpet Christ as their Lord and Savior. Then I was blessed to be able to pray over Edwin. I walked away after that experience blown away with who our God is and how He works. If we had not come to Mesalondia on that day, I do not know that anyone would have been in that barrio at that time not only to minister to this family but for them to have the opportunity to come to know Christ. Obedience in every step. That is what is the key to to the blessings God has for us. I will never forget Edwin and his sister's face. If this trip has taught me anything, it is that I have NO IDEA what God may have planned for me on any given day. I just need to be obedient what He asks me to do.

- Lisa Goodwin

The Unexpected (Leverage Colombia Team)

Her face you would find familiar. Round, tanned by the sun, thick and bushy eyebrows her face finished with dark chocolate eyes. Her small stature yet round dimensions exudes kindness, care and neglect. As we speak through a wrought iron gate, she learns that i'm a foreigner and reluctantly lets us into a small space just passed the front door. I wonder why the hesitation? She kindly pushes tables across the cement floor and hurries about to find flimsy plastic chairs for us to rest. Visibly, we've been blistered by the sun, and beaten up by the humidity. As we further acquaint ourselves with one another I waste little time in getting to the incredible story. I wanted to get to the point where she learns she can have a relationship with Christ right now. So I proceed to explain the story of Christ through a concise visual presentation (E3 cube). She kindly obliged and tenderly listened to us as the gospel discussion unfolds before us. As instructed, this is not a presentation, I would like to ask questions to have a small glimpse into her thoughts. What is sin? Is God a sinner? Why is Jesus special? We asked did she understand the illustration and would she like a relationship with Christ? She seemed to gather her thoughts. She explained that she believed in Jesus Christ and had walked with Him for some time now.

I was encouraged and yet bewildered. Why did she let us go on. Wanting to use our time well, I asked, how could we help her, encourage her, pray for her? As her eyes gradually roamed the floor she begin to explain. She raised her kids in the truth of the gospel but they have unfortunately walked away. She said this greatly saddened her. She asked if we could pray for her kids. I at that moment no longer saw foreign, or Colombian. The poverty stricken area in which her home was placed along with the myriad of details that made her complex situation a reality didn't really matter. At that moment I saw a mother grieving the fact her kids were raised in truth but had departed it. I simply and beautifully saw a mother. Like any phenomenal mother, her concern was not for herself, but for her kids. We laid hands and prayed over her. As I continued praying to the Lord, now aloud, I was amazed once again.

The mother begin interceding for her kids as well. She wanted to participate in her kids return to the Lord. She wanted to participate in the promise that what she has invested as she mothered her kids would not return void. After the prayer concluded, she thanked me. As I began to help her collect the chairs she told me, God commands us to go to different nations to share his good news. She thanked me for what I was doing in her neighborhood. Although she knew the gospel well before I presented it, I believe she wanted to invite me in, and encourage me along. How gracious of her to let me in. How selfless of her to hear me out. I will more then likely not see this woman again this side of Heaven. However, her sweet, self-less actions have been impressed upon my heart.

- Vincent Mack

God’s Timing (Women's Colombia Team)

I asked God to prepare my heart and those I would meet before arriving in Barranquilla. I know without a doubt this was a God appointed time on Tuesday at 11:00am. We were walking in a community sharing the gospel when a local pastor walked up and asked if we would be willing to talk to a woman in the area. When we arrived the pastor asked if she would talk to us. She agreed with hesitancy. As I shared my testimony tears began to fill her beautiful eyes. How amazing…. we both share a similar story. She shared some very private details of her life with embarrassment and regret. She told me how she felt so alone. We talked for a long time and both agreed God set this time for her to hear and accept His message of love, forgiveness and a hope for her future. It was His perfect timing for Jenny. He heard her cries and worked it out for a woman from the U.S to meet with her. This was no accident. My heart breaks for Jenny as I know she wants to change her life. She is not proud of her past or present choices, she questions her role as a mother to her 6 children and does not know what to do. It was also perfect timing the 6 woman from 12Stone would be teaching the Diamond Life Journey in a small group setting at the local church. I invited her to come and begin to learn and connect with other woman how to change her life. She was embraced with our “12Stone love” for woman. I know God has big plans for Jenny. I pray she can feel the depth of God’s love as she thinks about how God orchestrated that day for her. If God sent me to Barranquilla for 1 woman named Jenny – it was so worth it!

- Rita Pantels

What about Ramiro and ... (Women's Colombia Team)

So it hit me the fifth day in Barranquilla. I thought I was going to escape it, but I woke up this morning feeling horrible. Yesterday had been sweltering- hot even by the local's standards. I wasn't sure if the nausea was a result of dehydration or some local fare I ingested. I just knew I was weak, so I crawled back into bed and pulled the covers over my head. The thought of heading back to Mesolandia, one of the poorest barrios in Barranquilla was making it worse. When we were there yesterday we walked around sewage running down the dirt roads and mounds of garbage for about 7 hours. Did I mention it was the hottest day some Colombians were able to remember? It's a long ride to that barrio and I knew once I was there I would be there for the duration. I got up to get my phone to check the time. Maybe I would feel better if I just skipped breakfast and showed up at the bus. After checking the time, I went to put my phone in my purse. Ironically, You Version popped up with the verse of the day. It said, "Stay with God! Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay with God." I knew that was for me, so I downed some electrolites provided by my dear friend Rita and I started getting dressed. Another friend Vickie greeted me with some rolls from breakfast and Gatorade. The entire bus ride I was praying to feel better. We met in the church to pray and then headed out for more evangelism- walking down those same heart-breaking dirt roads.

The Area of Mesalondia where we were served on Wednesday and Thursday.

The second house we visited was approximately 12 feet wide and 24 feet long. We were greeted by a frail looking woman who invited us in. She asked us to come in and then led us to a tiny room in the back of the house where her son, Ramiro, was laying in bed. Another man, we found out was his brother was exercising Ramiro's legs. During our visit with Ramiro he shared that in March he had been shot and was paralyzed. As he began to share his story he wept. He was a fisherman with 3 children and was grieving the loss of his future- the loss of his world he knew. We laid hands on him and prayed for his family, for his peace, for his pain and for his total and immediate healing. We shared the story of salvation with him and he accepted Christ. He said he knew that God had been with him in the hospital and spared his life for a reason. Before we left his brother also accepted Christ.
As I walked away from his house, I was grateful I hadn't quit. I would have missed a God appointment with Ramiro. I would have missed speaking belief into a young lady named Monica. I would have missed praying over Denise who wept bitterly as I hugged her because she was so lonely.

I lay my head on my pillow tonight humbled to be used by God to love the people in Barranquilla. Our hearts are knit in a way that feels so much bigger than a meeting, a day or a mission trip.

I lay my head on my pillow tonight knowing Ramiro's name is written in the lambs book of life and that whether it be on earth or in heaven, one day he WILL be healed.

Written by: Donna Whitten

La Chinita (Women's Colombia Team)

Over the last several days, we have been exposed to some of the kindest and most loving people I've ever met. From the translators to the nationals to the people with whom we are sharing the Gospel, we have encountered such amazing love.

For the past few days we've been sharing the gospel with people in the barrios of Barranquilla. When we started, it was awkward and difficult to do, but over the last couple of days it certainly has gotten easier and more fluent. So many of these people have heard the story of our Savior before, but it was so wrapped up in religion and condemnation that they have given up hope, so we get to share the real truth with them.

One of the sweetest moments I've had was when we were evangelizing in La Chinita. The day was hotter than hot, but God opened up the heaven's, and the rain came down; so a family invited us onto their porch. We had a captive audience! :). We were able to share the Gospel with the family. The whole family accepted Christ, we prayed for them, and we were able to hold an I am Second group with them. When it was time for us to leave, the mother said, "I was in a bad mood when you first came here, but now I am so happy." WOW! That is the power of God!

- Tracy Carrasquillo

The People of Barranquilla... (Women's Colombia Team)

So many new things . . . people, places, food, experiences . . . did I mention people? The people of Barranquilla, Colombia are so gracious, warm, and loving . . . they have made the “gringas” feel completely welcome. They are so very warm and thrilled to see us. From translators to “nationals” (people from the local area that accompany us as do street evangelism) to the people of the area, they are genuinely happy to see us and listen to the gospel. Children in the barrios are absolutely thrilled to see us . . . they provide the best hugs, the sweetest smiles, and are so quick to show their gratitude. This experience has been incredible so far . . .

My heartbeat rests with women’s small groups and yesterday’s was no exception. Lord, I pray that you would take all that we have completed and will complete here in Barranquilla and bless the families that were presented with the gospel and are now spreading the Word.

- Nancy Swindler

It's All About You, Jesus (Women's Colombia Team)

Years ago there was a song I loved to sing. The words were "It's not about me, Jesus, its all about you for your glory and your praise." I understand these words at a deeper level than I ever have before. My dependence on God has increased this week and I know that "nothing" that has happened in the lives of the people here in Barranquilla has been from anything I have done. Colombians are the warmest most endearing people I have ever met. To fall in love with them in so very easy. They are so incredibly "ripe" for the harvest. So different from what we experience on a day to day basis in the states. The last few days we have done door to door evangelism in a few of the barriors that are outside of Barranquilla. I am always amazed at the willingness to allow us into their home and they seem so eager just to sit and talk to us. As of yesterday, our team of 51 had shared the gospel with 1687 Colombians and 1027 have come to know Christ as their Savior!! The joy of the Lord that shines from their face is something you cannot deny. God has clearly been our strength and we are experiencing the harvest of others who have planted and watered the seed of salvation. If there is one thing I have walked away with it is the fact that everytime I talk to someone about the saving grace of Jesus I never know how it will take root in their lives. I may never see the result but someone most likely will.

- Lisa Goodwin

Not on my watch! (Leverage Colombia Team)

On our last day in Ciudadela, we didn't have as much time because of the rain. Scarleth, my translator, and Juan Carlos, a member of the church we were working with, headed out for the hour and half we had left before the "I Am Second" groups at the church started. Juan Carlos took us to a house of a guy he knew growing up. Scarleth got from him, before we even sat down, that he was already a Christian and active with his church. Honestly, I didn't think it was worth our time to sit down and talk, but we went in and sat down anyways.


We told him that we were going to share a tool he could use to continue sharing the Word with people. I started with my testimony and he was very receptive and appreciated me telling my story. I then moved into sharing the story of Christ, using the cube. He was really into the illustration of the story, and it was probably the most interactive time I had with someone thus far. It made me rethink my initial thoughts of being at the house. I felt, as I talked with him more, we were both benefitting from the talk and strengthening our faith. At the end of our talk, I asked him if there was anything we could pray for and he was quick to respond with "his family" (side note: I noticed throughout the week when this question was asked to the Colombians, they were quick to respond with praying for everyone around them and then for themselves they were quite humble). When someone said to pray for their family because they weren't a Christian, we always asked if they lived close so we could go visit them. In this case, he made it seem like they were far away. So we prayed and started our way out of the house. As Scarleth and I were standing on the street talking and Juan Carlos was talking to the guy, a lady walked by. Scarleth told me that the guy said it was his daughter. We both looked at each other and knew we needed to share the story again. She told us she had some time to talk, so we started the story on the streets in front of her dad's house. Her husband called after her and she told us that she'd be right back. Standing in the street waiting, a couple with a small baby passed by and went to the guy's house.


Guess who that was... The other daughter! Talk about divine appointments!!! We were able to go back on the porch , talk, and lead the two sisters and the husband to Christ. As Scarleth was telling them about Yo Soy Seguendo (I Am Second), I couldn't help but think about the first hour we spent talking to the dad and how at first I thought we were spending too much time there. Had we left any earlier, we would not have passed the sisters. God knows when and where he wants us to be, and I realize (yet again) that He is in charge of where my time is best spent. I look forward to more of God's timing.

- Jessica

Connect and Invest (Leverage Colombia Team)

(Pastor Jesus Barrios and Jason) "We are not promoting hit and run missions. We are promoting connect and invest." On Monday our team got to see this philosophy in action. As one of the two 12Stone teams in Colombia this week, we have the opportunity to connect with members of different communities over the course of our time here. For the first portion of the week, our team is spending time with a church in the barrio of Ciudadela, near the city's enormous soccer stadium. The church is called Proclamadores del Reino, or, proclaimers of the kingdom. While here, our goal is to help them live out that name, by presenting the gospel with them to residents and to lead them to Christ. But more specifically, it's to model to the members of this small church how to do this themselves with boldness. Since January, our team has been preparing for this trip. A big part of our preparation has been: how do we make an impact without creating dependency? In other words: how to we promote "connect and invest." It's becoming evident that how we do that, is by coming alongside a church and supporting them in their mission. Much like we might find it difficult to walk up to our neighbors and begin evangelizing to them, many of the members of this church are not as bold as they could be in sharing the gospel with those far from Christ in their community. So on Monday, our team of six 12Stoners each became part of a mini-evangelism team consisting of one of us, one translator, and one or two members of the church from Ciudadela. We then went out separately into the neighborhood and began to share our testimonies and a simple but clear account of the Good News. There are many moving stories that each of us encountered, but a perfect example of "connect and invest" that I witnessed myself was the last house I visited on Monday. Of the mother, father, and two daughters who live there, only the youngest, Vanessa, is a Christian and attends the church. The church worker with us knew about Vanessa's family, and specifically planned for us to visit their house, with the idea that bringing a North American in tow was a good excuse to get invited in! She was right. Both Vanessa and her older sister Betty, who is enduring a troubled pregnancy, were home and very willing to talk to us. As we shared the gospel, and listened to Betty's story, she broke in to tears and prayed to accept Jesus. Betty and Vanessa now have a church that will be connecting and investing in them and their family for the long-term. It's my prayer that they would continue connecting and investing and see their whole household come to saving faith. God is moving in Colombia. With prayer and humility, we are joining Him in that work and helping to establish and strengthen the churches here to continue that work well. -steffan

It's Only The Beginning... (Leverage Colombia Team)

This morning all of E3 was welcomed into local churches around Barranquilla. Before leaving, we met our translator for the day, Grenardo, and a member of the church we would be attending, Juan Carlos. It was a quick bus ride and air conditioned ride to our church, which I was thankful for after yesterday’s bus ride. As we were walking through the streets of this neighborhood, it is hard not to noticed some things. First, the ridiculous humidity! Sweat seems to be a big part of all my outfits now. Second, I noticed this a good bit yesterday on the way to our hotel. there are people...everywhere! Now, I am not saying this as if it is an overpopulated place, but I am referring to the fact that people are outside of their houses socializing with one another. Showing us that there is a strong sense of community amongst the Colombians here. I truly believe this will help with the evangelism process, because the people are out there and are ready to communicate with anyone and everyone! Additionally, the houses are REALLY close, so it supports this idea of community. I also saw a lot of trash on the ground as we walked to the church, so it will be nice to see what our plan is for the Recycle for Life program we will be working with later in the week. As we were approaching the church, I reminded myself that it was our mission (given by Sam, the E3 leader of Colombia) to shake everyone’s hand at the church; however, I was quite surprised when I was embraced with a very big hug from the Pastor at the entrance of the church. Let me give you a visual of this church... Imagine your garage with the door open and a small awning. Squished in this garage and under the awning is a keyboard, drum set, podium, plastic chairs, a couple fans, and no air conditioner. This illustrates Iglesia Cristiana:Proclamadores del Reino, the church we attended. As we were so warmly welcomed into the church, we were quickly given seats and water. The members were already in their time of worship. If you were at the prayer send off, you might remember that I have NO background in the Spanish language (however, I was trying my best to master my small skills at the airport yesterday). It has been quite interesting to be on the opposite side of the table feeling completely lost in what’s going on because of the language barrier; however, the love for Christ has no language. I was completely moved to see how in love these people were with Christ and singing praise to Him. I had no clue what was being said, but I could feel God’s presence. A man sitting next me was weeping, lifting his hands, and singing loudly throughout the worship. I could feel his dedication to Christ. I also observed that between each song it appeared almost every person was in prayer. I should’ve asked someone what was going on. Later between songs in the worship, we were given the opportunity to greet people (this was suppose to be another handshaking opportunity), and we were once again welcomed with loving hugs and handshakes. It’s amazing how without speaking the same language we have a companionship through Christ. Once the worship time was finished for the day, Steffan was welcomed to the front to share his testimony and then Grenaldo provided a sermon for the church. It was nice to take the time to absorb the surroundings, since I wasn’t able to follow along with the message, which was given in Spanish. It reaffirmed the sense of culture that is in Colombia. I saw people coming in and out of houses. People were sitting on their front porches talking to one another, and they weren’t consumed with other things like we tend to be. At the closing of the service, we were able to meet with more of the church members, and we thanked them for allowing us to come into their church for the morning. We got back to the hotel in enough time to rest for a few minutes, and then head to the training meeting. This was a time for Sam to review and train us on what we would be doing throughout the week. We reviewed the EvanageCube that we would use to teach the Gospel when we went out into the communities. The training meeting was followed by the meeting of the Colombians, which included our translators and the people from the church we would be working with. We were all pleasantly surprised to see that we would be working with the church we attended earlier in the day. We had already started making connections with them in the morning, so it made the meet and greet a little bit easier. Some of us started pairing up with a translator, and I must admit I was seeking one person in particular because she spoke pretty fluent English. We were able to talk for a little bit until saying our goodnights. With all that was going on throughout the day, I am ready to review the material and hit the sack, because I know great work is going to happen tomorrow. The team asks that everyone reading this blog post would petition on our behalf that God would provide us with the strength and confidence to share the Gospel with the people of Colombia. We ask that you pray their hearts are opened up to you and that you speak to them through us. Additionally, that all members of the 12Stone team are safe as they go out into the streets of Colombia. -Jessica

All The Feelings (Leverage Colombia Team)

As I sit here continuing to procrastinate on packing (and writing the paper that’s due on Sunday for my doctoral program), I can’t help but take in all the feelings going on in my head. Excited. Nervous. Curious. Thrilled. Anxious. Blessed. Reflective. If you go back just a year ago from this moment, I would have never pictured myself preparing to head out on a mission trip. It’s funny how God can take ahold of your life in such a short amount of time and begin to paint a much different picture. When I decided to go on the trip in late-February I was quite excited, but shortly after meeting with my amazing team I began to question if I was someone who was really qualified to go on this trip. These thoughts remained a silent whisper on my heart, and they were further fueled after hearing a fellow team member’s testimony. His upbringing was strong in faith, and I had to admit that I was a bit embarrassed to follow his story. After wrapping up my own testimony, I confessed to him (and the group) that I was jealous of his testimony. He quickly reassured me not to be ashamed, because it is MY story and it makes me who I am today. This was further confirmed when a friend told me, “It doesn’t matter when and where you start your walk with Christ, but how you finish.” Slowly I became comfortable in knowing that God has a purpose for me now and even on the mission trip. Over the next few months, I spoke to others who had been on mission trips or were preparing for one in the near future, and I found a common theme…no matter where you are in your walk with Christ, we are ALL nervous/anxious/scared/perplexed/apprehensive(you get the picture) that we do not possess all of the knowledge to give justice to who and what He is; however, God would not have placed this calling on our hearts to go if we were not ready to do SOMETHING for Him. With only a day and half before heading out to Colombia I remind myself a few things…He knows what I possess. He knows I am prepared to do His name glory in whatever fashion He deems fit for me. He knows there is someone in Colombia that is waiting to hear MY story. He knows me for me. -Jessica Douglas

A World Beyond Our Backyard (Leverage Colombia Team)

It’s Sunday afternoon on June 10... Four hours until the prayer send off, 6 days until all our financial support must be in, and 13 days until we are in Colombia! I’ve started this “intro” blog a dozen times and at some point I’ll post the “long one” with all my thoughts. But for now I’ll save all that and just tell you how overwhelmed I am at the incredible opportunity God has invited our team to be a part of, to see Him at work in a world beyond our backyard. I’m pretty sure I can say that our team (with the exception of our leader, Steffan, who has been before) has no idea what we are in for when we arrive in Barranquilla, Colombia. I can speak for myself that the first time I heard the heart behind what e3 is doing in Colombia through evangelism, discipleship, and community development, I knew that was something I wanted desperately to be a part of. Not because it’s a new country to add to my list of “Christian Tourism.” Not because its a new experience to add pictures to Facebook. Not because of anything other than knowing I wanted to be exactly where God is at work and where He is moving in such a mighty way. And that is exactly what I’ve heard over and over from each person who has been to Barranquilla with e3. There is so much more to share: about our team that has been meeting over the past several months, about the incredible faith of the Colombian Nationals we’ll be partnering with (based on the stories that have been recounted to us), about the communities of La Chinita and La Luz that we’ll be serving in, about the expectations we have for the trip, about the ways we hope to jump in and be a part of God’s Kingdom work down there... and the list goes on. So again I’ll save some of that for later. For myself and the other team members to share. I’ll wrap it up by begging of you to PRAY. For our leader, Steffan, to lead with wisdom, boldness, compassion, discipline, and conviction. For our team, Jessica, Edbbie, Vincent, Jason, and myself, to serve and evangelize with humility, courage, trust, obedience, and passion. For us to encourage and support the local Colombian believers that we will partner with on projects they have selected to impact their communities. That they will share their love, faith, and passion for Jesus in a way that will be a testimony to their community and to our team. For the nationals we will get to minister to, that they will be curious to hear our story of why we are there and that God will speak through us in a way that each needs to hear. For our God to be glorified, plain and simple. - Emily

On Our Way Home!

Leaving is bittersweet this morning. We all got really close to our translators, so it's so sad to leave. It's amazing how much we can grow to love a place in just seven days. We're just waiting for our flight in the Barranquilla airport right now.

We'll probably be rolling into the church parking lot around 8:30 or 9pm tonight. We could probably talk your ears off with stories from this week, so be prepared. :) We certainly have a lot to talk about. God did just so much more then we ever expected this week.

John 13:1-17

"This week has been nothing less than amazing, and God's involvement has been spectacular to watch. Today my group spent our morning at the church in prayer and worship, thanking and praising God for his movement over the areas of La Chinita and La Luz. I can't even begin to explain the incredible passion and loving hearts of the nationals that were with us. They truly stand as the light in their communities and it was an honor to be a part of their journey of transformation in Barranquilla. There came a point in the morning where both the church members and those from our team took turns telling stories of the extraordinary ways God had worked through and around us during the week. Towards the end, Pastor Alsidez invited Joel to close the time of sharing with his testimony. Joel approached the front of the stage and looked around for a moment before inviting three of the nationals who had been incredible men of God and key assets to us during the week to come and sit on the stage. Gradually they approached and sat down, no one knowing quite what to expect, but I can assure you that we were all surprised with what happened next. Removing his nice, button-down shirt, Joel knelt in front of the three men. He then proceeded to take off their shoes, splash his sleeve with water, and wash the dirt off of their feet. The entire room was silent for quite some time as we all watched what was going on, completely in shock of the situation of divine intent. It wasn't hard to picture Jesus kneeling in front of the disciples and washing their feet, a spiritual bomb (as Josh said) going off in the building and consuming the hearts of everyone in the room. Once Joel had finished and stood back up, Pastor Alsidez approached the mic once again and proclaimed that he had woken up in the middle of the previous night, having seen a vision of that exact scene happening and couldn't help but pour out thanks and gratitude to everyone and their obedience to God's will and their involvement in the community. We then came together in the center of the room with tears forming and hearts bursting with God's love, laying hands and praying for one another while savoring the last moments before we left the church one last time. I can speak for everyone when I say that God has touched something special within each of us and opened our eyes, causing us to leave Colombia very differently than when we arrived. I can't wait to see what God chooses to do with the communities we visited and I pray that I will be reunited with this world once again very soon."

By Kelsey Goodwin

Changing

Changing. That's the one word I would use to describe this week in Colombia. I think the experiences we had this week are changing me and I dare to say are changing everyone that came with me. Often when we hear about missions, we tend to think that as Americans we will go out and bless those in another country by doing things for them that they cannot do for themselves. I tell you my experience was quite the opposite. We are the ones who received the blessing. God really showed up in a big way this week. I saw the Lord's blessing poured out right before my eyes. This community sees Jesus in a way that I have never seen. The simplicity of their lives gives them a connection with God that most in America have never experienced. You see...that is the goal of the enemy...keep us distracted so we cannot focus our attention on the one true God and hear his voice. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.". The part of that verse that grabs me is the last part..."when you pray, I will listen.". The truth of the matter is He will listen and He does hear our prayers. We have to ask and we have to have a relationship with Him. The people of Mesalondia understand this and God connects with people in the simplicity of their lives in this place. How else can you explain tears flowing down my face as prayer filled the room for the two pastors in this community? Those prayers were in a language I cannot understand, but the Spirit of God was present here. He is working...he is changing the hearts of these people and He is changing me.

Yes, but didn’t I tell you to go and make disciples?

Our ASSIGNMENT yesterday was to go over by the school and clean all the rubble up in front of the wall so it could be painted and have a Bible verse placed on it. Our COMMISSION for the day was entirely different (I’ll get to that part in a minute).

We had our ASSIGNMENT, so off we went, with our little band of painters, street cleaners and trash picker uppers, to clean up the area and paint the wall. But what about your COMMISSION? (I’ll get to that). The wall was located at an intersection of several streets in a neighborhood and it was a pretty busy place. The area in front of the wall had the usual types of rubble in it, broken glass, plastic containers, dead grass and lot’s of unmentionable stuff. I didn’t mind cleaning it up, hard work is something I have done all my life. In fact I was thinking that there is a lot of dignity in work and I’m glad my parents taught me how to work.

All the time I’m working on the area at the base of the wall, I kept noticing over to my left that there was a building on the corner where a sizable group of men were hanging out and to make things more interesting they all had motorcycles. It just didn’t look like the kind of place that I needed to go to with my evangacube and talk about Jesus. Give me young kids, teenagers, and certain adults, but not BIG bad motorcycle riding tough guys. So with this thought running through my mind, I continued to work on the wall and every now and then I would look up and gaze over at the corner spot and it now looks like there are even more men than before.

We break for lunch, the area at the wall is almost finished and we all retire to the local church for a much needed break and some food. After lunch the game plan is to go out into the neighborhood and evangelize. As we head back, I’m thinking, “may be they will just not be there when we return‘.

We eat lunch and return to the wall and wouldn’t you just know it they are still there. Rats! Now I have a problem. I obviously know they are there and I’m about to go out and evangelize and I sure don’t want to go over where they are. I sure hope God doesn’t prompt me to go over there. Surly he knows I’m best at speaking with just about anyone except mean, tough looking, motorcycle riding guys. I remember my COMMISSION which is, “Go And Make Disciples.”


We break up into teams and get our area assignments and all the while I’m thinking, surly God would not do this to me, but he does. Sure enough, we (my translator and Colombian national team), are assigned the very corner where the tough guys are.

As it turns out all the men are private taxi drivers. Try and not think about car taxis but motorcycle taxis.

The agreed to hear my testimony and listen to our avangecube presentation. During the time of my presentation I noticed that two of them were actually misty eyed and very attentive. Unbelievably no one came up for a taxi during our time with the drivers and these big burley taxi drivers actually began to look rather friendly. In fact they were very friendly. And all this trumped up felling of fear and rejection was just all in my head. Besides God has already given us the victory

Long story short....9 taxi drivers became my spiritual brothers that day and I learned a great deal about fear and trust in the Lord.

Danielle's Pictures From Today

In the Chaos, You are Sovereign Still

It's hard to explain sometimes how I know that God called me to Colombia. We have thoughts all the time, but how do we really know when it's God speaking and when it's just us? I have searched for a way to explain it and haven't really been able to until this week. I heard the story of a man who said, "When you see the truth, you just know it's the truth." How do you really explain that except to say that you just know...and what am I supposed to do but follow His lead.

Leading up to and during this trip I have prayed that God would show up. I mean really...who am I that He would ask me to go to another continent that is thousands of miles from home to tell people about Him when I have barely done that in my own country? I could never do this on my own. Why would God choose to use such ordinary people to spread His kingdom? I have often asked myself that question over the years. Wouldn't it be easier to use someone famous that people would listen to? The truth is, God uses ordinary people like you and me because that's the only way He will get all the glory. The Holy Spirit shows up in our weakness at just the right time, at just the right place, and with just the right people, to profess He is Lord.

During this week I have witnessed poverty unlike anything I have ever seen. We have poverty in America, but this is on a completely different level...so much that a stream of sewage runs through the middle of the streets because there is no plumbing to take it away. I sat and talked today with a 68 year old woman who was worn and tired with the years of struggle she has had in this life. Her home has no windows, no door, no electricity, no running water, and a dirt floor that has been built up to try to keep the water out during the flood that happens each year. For 33 years she has struggled to survive with her family in the community of Mesolandia, just outside of Barranquilla, Colombia. Those 33 years have aged her to the point where she appears much older than 68. Years of strain have taken its toll on her. Each year during the rainy season, the water breaches the levy and floods the streets and virtually every home in this community. Perils the likes of Katrina happen every single year. This woman's family has to live on the roof during this time. However, due to her health, she cannot get to the roof so she lives for months at a time in waist deep water. In America we can't imagine a life like this...we're blinded by our air conditioning, iPhones, satellite TV, and computers. Of all the people we have talked to this week, this woman will forever be imprinted in my mind. After we shared the gospel, she prayed and professed Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Savior. Her facial expression and words echoed in my mind as she hugged me tight, kissed my cheek, and whispered in a broken voice, "Muchas Gracias Señor".

I prayed for God to show up here in Colombia and He has done so in a big way. I have witnessed more people come to Christ this week than in the other 35 years of my life combined. How is that even possible? Maybe I just haven't been paying attention or maybe we sometimes find our worth in what we have, not who we have in Jesus Christ.

I'm starting to wonder if God breaks us down to show us that we're chasing the wrong things. Sometimes it seems like a never ending cycle. In America we call it the rat race. Why do we do this to ourselves? He was crucified to set me free. Now I live to bring Him praise. I'm humbled that He would ask me to be a small part of His work. The world is a broken place, times are tough, and people are hurting, but Lord, in the chaos you are Sovereign still.

I feel like today was a difficult day for many of our team and so I want to write this to my own team tonight...

Team... This trip, although meant to fun, is meant to change our lives just as much as we are helping change the locals here. We are supposed to be challenged. And because of the nature of our visit, we have an extraordinary new level of complications that we are facing. But, God knows what he is doing, and I promise that each one of us will be placed in a very uncomfortable place on this trip, and more than once. All that we can do to overcome this discomfort is to pray and press on. 

Sports may be a loose link to what we are doing here, but I had a coach tell me once, after I complained about being matched up with the biggest and best players on the team (repeatedly), that "we do not get better by playing with players on your same level or lower. You only get better by getting your butt kicked, because next round if you don't quit, you will hit those players even harder than they hit you... because you know how hard they hit and they anticipate your weakness... and you will win the battle and have risen to their level and surpassed them by doing this." (or something like that) 

What I am saying is, if growth is what we wanted from this trip, we must accept and rise to the challenges that are placed in front of us. God knows if you feel more vulnerable in front of a group of children than in front of peers. So, it is my understanding that He will make sure that you get in front of those children... and by doing so He will make sure that you grow where He deems necessary, whether it be directly related your faith, your walk, your habits, or something that you think is completely unrelated to the church and to the mission that we are trying to accomplish! Think of it like this... theoretically speaking, if your wife ran childcare for a church and you wanted to surprise her one day with volunteering in the childcare, this trip would then provide the perfect training for that by placing you in front of kids and forcing you to get over that discomfort while helping you grow your faith in Him, and getting you past that barrier that you may not have ever jumped over outside of this trip! (Sorry brother if this offends you, I think you can handle it though...)

 So have courage, keep strong, and when I get down remind me that I wrote this!! :) I know that my discomfort is coming and I hope that all of you are there to support me as I get through it! Isaiah 41:10 says "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." For the entirety of this trip I have been leaning on this... I have never shared my testimony with anyone outside of our small numbered group and these locals, and I have never prayed publicly, mainly because I was raised so differently... but it is intimidating to me and when I try my mind goes all blank! I would rather sing karaoke in front of the 11 O'clock service on Sunday than to pray publicly... but as I am having to do it individually I am growing in my Faith and in my walk, and I know that God is doing that to me, putting me in uncomfortable situations to allow me the opportunity to grow. So I will close in saying, good night! I am so tired I am drooling on myself as I sleep in between sentences...  Tomorrow is a new day and I hope and pray that it goes better than today felt like it went!!

Sensory Overload

As I sit here, trying to think of something grossly profound to type, I can't think of anything. My body is exhausted. My senses are at capacity from my experiences in Barranquilla. It's a strange place. Nothing is familiar. The music is foreign. The climate is hot. As I look out the window on the bus rides, my eyes and heart soak up the realities of an oppressed region of an oppressed country. Sewage in the streets. Barefoot children walking in trash heaps. Street dogs that look like skeletons. Wrinkled and broken faces stare at us and scream the story of the difficult life lived in this area. As a sensitive person, I quickly reach the threshold of my capacity. It breaks my heart to see the hopelessness of thousands as we walk through the streets. I have been to Colombia before, and have grown to love the people who live here and the culture that they hold so close to their hearts. Their smiles are genuine and warm. Their greetings are loving and sincere. This all makes it more difficult to catch yet another glimpse of their reality. 

After working alongside the locals in the park this morning, we took the opportunity to go through the neighborhood and share the gospel with families and people in the community. My translator and I sat with a woman and spoke with her for about 20 minutes. Her story was difficult and her situation was desperate. She was hopeless and in the burden of her situation was heavy. She prayed with us to receive Christ. We spent time with her and prayed further for the specifics of her situation. When we left, I got alone and prayed, "God, I often sing and pray for you to break my heart for what breaks yours, but I'm not sure I can handle even an fraction of the burden that you feel for your people." So often I pray with great intentions and a heart/mind that really desires for my prayers to be answered. As sincere as my intentions are, I realize that I cannot handle the burden and weight of hopelessness. I can't take what God takes. My heart cannot handle the burdens that God bares for each of us. I can't take what breaks God's heart. Even catching an inkling of that hurt today reminds me of my need for God. 

While my perception of the situation of the people of Colombia is that they are hopeless, I am constantly encouraged by them. As I hear them pray, and watch them share the gospel with the lost, I am encouraged, and God fills my heart with appreciation.  I am reminded of what I should be thankful for. They are resourceful people who are grateful for community and family. The Christians in this country are thankful for the things that matter. They are thankful for salvation. They are thankful for God's word, the Bible. They are thankful for the Holy Spirit. They are thankful for the strength, peace, joy, and love that is given by the Holy Spirit. They are thankful for the opportunity that they have been given to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with their communities. They are thankful for the opportunity to participate in the great commission. 

On the surface, Barranquilla looks desperate and hopeless. The reality is quite the contrary. There is hope in this area, and it is beginning to spread through the streets of the city and neighborhoods. The Christians in Barranquilla love Jesus, and they love their communities. They are beginning to work together to reach their communities with the good news that God cares for them, He can bare their burdens, and he sent his Son to die for their sins and hopelessness. Without Christ, we are all hopeless. No matter the level of our bank accounts, or the neighborhoods that we live in. No matter what car we drive. No matter what our retirement portfolio looks like. No matter how many comforts we are so very fortunate to steward. Without Christ, we have no hope. 

My prayer for the Barranquillos is that God would release the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who He is to the believers in this area, and that they would know the love of Jesus in an experiential way. That the Holy Spirit would flood the streets and homes of these neighborhoods, just like the water that floods those same streets and homes in the rainy season, and bring healing, hope, and salvation to these precious people. I hope that you will join me in praying for these incredible people.

OMD!! this is this is the Colombian OMG... it stands for Oh My Dio! :) I have to say, to anyone reading this that supported myself or another member, thank you. Today was our first experience REALLY digging in with the locals... I mean this both physically and spiritually! My team, Team La Chinita, transformed a local park and rebuilt it! The hardest part today was cutting the grass with "machete's as sharp as 2x4's" and flat head shovels. But we were working along side 25-30 local community members and church members HELPING them to fix their problems. Our main goal here is to not give them anything that would only fix a problem temporarily, but instead to help them realize that they can make a difference on their own, and can keep doing that, with the power of God and his Son walking and working right beside them. Ths playground/park is in a peculiar spot, right next to a road alot like Ga20 (in Gwinnett) or 278 (in Covington) and had a police department right in the middle of it. We painted as we repaired, we hung lights so that the illegal activity and the promiscuity that was taking place would be more visible, making the park a less attractive place for "unwanted's" and more attractive to the children!!
Speaking of children... As most of the supporters know already, the area that we are working in is full of kids! I found out that the most popular age for having children here is 16... in the USA, although it is becoming more of a regular occuance, 16 y/o mothers are still looked down upon! So that was a major learning moment for me today... which leads us into one of the main ideas that the local churches are trying to instill in people, and that is an idea of self value, and values in general! hopefully our evangelistic outreach will assist them in changing their way of life within the specific community!
As far as I go, my day was tiring, but it was also quite rewarding! After the work part was down, the talk part began.... myself and team member Bon Qui Qui Kelsey and our translators headed over to a family that was sitting on their porch. They had sent one of the younger girls over to tell us they wanted to talk with us. We are finding that many of the locals want to talk to us simply because we are white, and because our eyes are different colors than theirs... but this is our way in the door that! so we spoke with this family for about 30 minutes, finding out that they are a believing family. One of the girls, Estephany (13) told me that she leads a study group for her and her friends every saturday. This blew me away because most 13 yo's dont have the courage or the knowledge to minister to their friends... so I gave her my "evagycube"... I actually helped this girl minister to a younger neighborhood girl a little later in the day! The younger girl said that she believed in God at first, but came back after Estephany had spoken to her and asked me and the translator to pray for/with her because she wanted to be a true believer and Christian, following Jesus and being a child of God. With her, we prayed for 4 or five other children about 10-13 y/o. As I was describing the pictures and asking the little boy in front of me if he understood who Jesus was, and if he wanted to pray to recieve Christ as his Savior, an old man, who had originally been asking for food and money, raised his hand. I hope I paint a really good picture of this old man because in the USA you will never see this. This man had a tumor that covered 4/5's of his stomach, and as a begging tool he showed it to everyone. His right eye was all but gone.. it looked like a grey blue marble sitting way too far back in his head to even be an eye! His hands were crippled and dirt covered him from head to toe.. But he raised his hand, asking to be allowed to pray with us and the children, to be a Christian believer in the Love of Jesus and the salvation that he offers. so I grabbed three translators and together we brought them all "to the good side!"...

walking through the hood.

Capt. Kelsey Bon Qui Qui

local house/business-mechanic

cutting the grass at the park

painting the bench after replacing the bottom four slats

a couple of local kids interested in Americans

the local pastor cooking us lunch

the translator nicknamed Kevin Queen!

 Estephany explaining to the little girl about Christ  (she is right in the middle of the picture on the right side with her hair pulled back)

...We hopped a bus and headed back to the hotel, promising to return to the neighborhood tomorrow, which we will... We will be painting a couple walls that are covered in grafiti and gang affiliated markings, painting bible versus over them to help remind the children of the community about the churches that exist within their neighborhoods. These paintings will be childrens storys from the Bible and I think will list out the values that the community leaders have decided to prioitize. Again, I will add some pictures of the days events, so I hope everyone that is reading this will be able to experience what I am seeing and living right now, through this blog. Adios!!

Today was an awesome day! We started off with a meeting and breakfast where I was put on the spot (quietly at least) and asked to share about myself and my story to the leader and organizer of the trip. I have a feeling I will be getting put on the spot by many people throughout our time here, not that I mind too much on a one to one level... But the reason it was so awesome was because our first adventure of the day was to the "barrios" or neighborhoods that we will be working in. We got to experience first hand what a local church here looks like! I have to say, I was in shock, I didn't expect them to have a microphone or speakers... and that would be my judgmental side coming out. I got to meet the local pastor and I had the pleasure of talking to the congregation about where I came from, as did the rest of the team. This was motivating because it was our first time meeting these people and using a translator to tell our message and how we got to be standing in front of them. Their gratitude and hospitality is amazing, making the work we do here that much more enjoyable! I got the feeling that the people here REALLY get what it means to be Christian. If I am not able to teach them anything while I am here, the trip will not be a failure, because I know that I will learn so much and grow in faith even that much more because I am here!

We also met with and ate dinner with our translators today! I asked mine kind of early on how long he had been a Christian, and he responded saying 2 1/2 years! I said that's great! and then I found out a little later that e wasn't exactly telling the truth... But I have made a personal vow to see that I give Wilfredo Pabon (my translator) every ounce of energy that I can muster, to get him to where he needs to be with God. I know that our mission here is much easier than other places in the world, but I still anticipate some hardships. Luckily for me, I have caring friends that give me gifts!! In my devotional book, I found a bible verse that fits us so well right now! We are all a little nervous about tomorrow, and knocking on doors to talk to people, but Exodus 4:12 says, "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Because of this, I don't have to worry. My team will also be helping clean up a park that is over run with garbage and drug dealers and things that are not safe for children and families. We are going in with the community leaders, but we will still be in somewhat hostile territory just because of who is usually hanging out there... so pray for us people! If your reading this, tomorow will be a trying day and we can't do it alone. But I just realized that it is midnight and we have to be up at 6am so I gots to  go!! but I'll leave you with some pictures of the day... Enjoy!!

Gabby's thoughts on today

haha... we're a little loopy because we're so sleepy, but nonetheless Gabby pulled together to write a little about her day.  We received a lot of training today to get us ready for a full week of ministry.  We head out to the barrios tomorrow morning.

"Today was a very long day and I mean a long day, full of powerpoints and instructions but it's all worth it after I received kisses and hugs from the kids of Lachinita. My feelings, emotions and thoughts fall under my expectations to see how God its working in me and through me little by little. There isn't much I can say for today just that I am happy to be in Barranquilla. :)"- Gabby

Kelsey's First Impressions

"Stepping off the plane in Barranquilla, it isn't hard to recognize that we're no where near home. The humid wind hits your face immediately, sending you back to summer vacation, but it is far from the same. After getting teased by the extremely friendly Colombian airport staff for not knowing Spanish, we headed out to our brightly colored bus to take us to our hotel. Now when I say brightly colored, I don't mean the bus was simply bright green, but completely decorated in a rainbow of trinkets stringing all around the bus. Settling into our seats, we had reached the beginning of our immersion into a new and extraordinary culture. Swerving around crowded streets of buses, taxis, and motorcycles, your eyes can't help but be captured by the array of colored buildings and the chaos inhabiting the streets. There almost seems to be a pulse in the air that carries you through the town and touches an adventurous spirit deep inside of you you may not even knew existed. They are so full of life and thrive off of impulse but have kindness and patience towards us that I am very thankful for. It makes me excited to stay enveloped in a world far from my own and simply be lead by the impulses of God. He has uplifted all of us and I can tell already that this will be an empowering week."

By Kelsey Goodwin

No Really... We're suffering. Don't be jealous.

But really, we just had a delicious dinner in a Restaurant called Crepes and Waffle just down the street from our hotel, and it was SO GOOD. We're all pretty exhausted but happy.

Airport Time!

Good Morning! We woke up early this morning and met in the church parking lot at 6am. We'll get into Colombia after 5pm this evening and we're so excited to be there!