Opening Doors in Colombia

February 8, 2012

By Abby Smith

One of my primary goals for this term in Colombia has been to explore possible opportunities for the Church of God to do outreach and ministry to needy families that aren’t necessarily a part of our congregations. For a while I wondered what we were going to do and where, but the Lord has opened two doors for this year, and I am excited to see how he leads.

One neighborhood is located on the far outskirts of Bogotá, and some of the poorest of the poor live there. Most families there have been displaced by violence in other parts of the country. Some do not have running water, and most do not leave the neighborhood very often, in part because they cannot afford the transportation and in part because they are concerned about their homes and few possessions being robbed. The pastor’s wife Liz and I have been visiting a family in that neighborhood for nearly a year, and through our relationship with them, God has opened the door for us to meet other neighbors.

We have attended two baby showers, and we held a Christmas event there for eighty-five kids. We now have plans to begin monthly activities for the women and teen moms of the neighborhood, using people from our church to teach crafts and other skills that could be useful for them to gain an income. As a part of those activities, we will also incorporate a devotional, encouraging them to grow in their spiritual lives and their relationship with the Lord.

Around the same time that this idea developed, a woman from my church named Sandra also began to express a desire to minister to families in her area. Though not as poor as the neighborhood on the outskirts of Bogotá, families in her area still have many material, emotional, and spiritual needs. We have talked and have decided to do the series of activities and teaching with women there every two weeks. I am very pleased that Sandra will be in charge of promoting the events and much of the follow-up.

Both ministries should kick off in February, so please be in prayer that God will lead and use us to
make a lasting impact on the lives of people that he so dearly loves!

Abby Smith is your special assignment missionary serving in Colombia. If you would like to support her ministry financially, you may contribute online by clicking here. Or checks can be mailed to Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, IN 46018-2420. Write Project 42.11450 in the memo line to assign your gift accordingly.