I just returned from an amazing trip to Medellin, Colombia where HE showed me what HE has been doing amongst His People there and in the USA. On Thursday, I left with the other M's from the coast to meet up with a volunteer team from Texas and another M couple that live in Medellin. First, let me tell you that Medellin is known as the most beautiful city in all of Colombia and it did not disappoint me! The weather is incredible! If you can imagine springtime all year long, then you have Medellin! It is a beautiful city and what is even better is that the people are just as beautiful! Here is His Story...
We wait in the airport for the group from Texas. I knew very little about this team and this trip but went obediently to serve HIM and translate for this group. There were about 10 of them, 2 couples and the rest came without their spouses. Their focus was to teach mentoring to a local group of pastors, pastor's wives, and lay leaders in the church. We had the privilege of working with this group who have a lot of experience with mentoring but also the gentleman who created the material. It was such a blessing to hear their hearts for mentoring and more importantly for Our Savior. So after we all have our stuff, we get on a bus and head down the mountain to the city of Medellin. We get to our hotel and it is amazing! I mean I had air conditioning and hot water all in the same room! What an amazing Dad I serve!
Friday morning, after a hot shower of course, Nohemi (a girl from Cartagena) arrived at my door and it was nice to reconnect with her. She was also going to help us translate and we have not spent to much time together over the past year...so it was a blessing to listen to her, challenge her, and pry with her. Later, we head out to do some tourism things and see the city. We ride up the mountain on a cable car which allows us to see all over the city. It was a breathtaking view. This city is much more advanced than Cartagena as it has a sky train, a metro bus system, a metro cable car, and now escalators that take the people up the mountain to their houses! That afternoon, we go on top of the other side of Medellin to eat lunch as this mall with breathtaking views! After we eat, we go back to the hotel and R and one of the volunteers head to the athletic complex to exercise. It was incredible as we walked/ran on this state of the art track with the mountains all around us! HE ordained some time where we walked and heard the heart of Ron, the volunteer who wrote the material we were using. It was neat to hear his story and passion for this mentoring idea. That afternoon, we go to the club to meet the local leaders and begin their training. There were about 25 local leaders, which is something new as it is hard for us to get all of our local leadership together for a meeting. It was a true picture of the body of Chrst! Ron leads the introduction to the weekend and we break off into our groups to get to know each other. I was working with Cindy, amazing woman of Dad and 2 local pastor's wives. It was neat to watch HIM connect and unite us as we each shared our stories.
We wait in the airport for the group from Texas. I knew very little about this team and this trip but went obediently to serve HIM and translate for this group. There were about 10 of them, 2 couples and the rest came without their spouses. Their focus was to teach mentoring to a local group of pastors, pastor's wives, and lay leaders in the church. We had the privilege of working with this group who have a lot of experience with mentoring but also the gentleman who created the material. It was such a blessing to hear their hearts for mentoring and more importantly for Our Savior. So after we all have our stuff, we get on a bus and head down the mountain to the city of Medellin. We get to our hotel and it is amazing! I mean I had air conditioning and hot water all in the same room! What an amazing Dad I serve!
Friday morning, after a hot shower of course, Nohemi (a girl from Cartagena) arrived at my door and it was nice to reconnect with her. She was also going to help us translate and we have not spent to much time together over the past year...so it was a blessing to listen to her, challenge her, and pry with her. Later, we head out to do some tourism things and see the city. We ride up the mountain on a cable car which allows us to see all over the city. It was a breathtaking view. This city is much more advanced than Cartagena as it has a sky train, a metro bus system, a metro cable car, and now escalators that take the people up the mountain to their houses! That afternoon, we go on top of the other side of Medellin to eat lunch as this mall with breathtaking views! After we eat, we go back to the hotel and R and one of the volunteers head to the athletic complex to exercise. It was incredible as we walked/ran on this state of the art track with the mountains all around us! HE ordained some time where we walked and heard the heart of Ron, the volunteer who wrote the material we were using. It was neat to hear his story and passion for this mentoring idea. That afternoon, we go to the club to meet the local leaders and begin their training. There were about 25 local leaders, which is something new as it is hard for us to get all of our local leadership together for a meeting. It was a true picture of the body of Chrst! Ron leads the introduction to the weekend and we break off into our groups to get to know each other. I was working with Cindy, amazing woman of Dad and 2 local pastor's wives. It was neat to watch HIM connect and unite us as we each shared our stories.
Saturday morning, we start our sessions at 8:00 and go until 6:00pm that evening. We were in our small group the entire time. I translated as Cindy went through the first book with these ladies step by step. I should have taken a picture of their faces as they hung on her every word with such a hunger in their eyes. It was so beautiful to translate for them as they shared ideas and questions and stories. The principles were the basic foundation of who we are as His Children. I could tell you story after story about what HE did through this intimate time with these ladies. I was honored to be there and serve as the mediator in between Cindy and S and A! That evening, we took them to eat at Crepes and then headed back to the hotel...exhausted!
Sunday morning, Cindy, Sharon, The Germany's, Nohemi, and I head to one of the local clubs so that the volunteers can experience club here and Cindy spoke. All four of them were blown away by the way these people worship, welcome, and give. Mr. Germany said it was an eye-opening experience as each person in the club lined up to give what little they had to Our Dad during the offering. Cindy challenged them to commit to this mentor process as a fulfillment of the Great Commission and they were so excited that the four of them came to their club. That afternoon, we had our last sessions in our small group. It was time for S and A to practice what they had learned and they blew Cindy and I away! I am excited to hear the Dad Stories that result from these two women's practicing this mentoring process with other ladies in their club. We then head back to the large group for our last session with Ron. When he had finished, we had some snacks and allowed the volunteer group to say goodbye to the national leaders. Lots of tears and laughs were shared in between to the two groups as I translated goodbye after goodbye. HE had unified them in such a short period of time and neither group wanted to say goodbye. They committed to pry for one another and the volunteer team told them that they will send two more groups to finish teaching the material this year. The nationals were so excited for more and more tools to reach the lost for His Name!
That evening, we too had a meeting with this group. They all shared their experiences from the trip and thanked us for serving HIM here in Colombia. HE put it in their hearts to bless us with a little gift of thanks which was incredible and then they pryd over us. It was a beautiful time for all of us. As I know I personally needed some other mom's and dad's around me, and this group stepped up to the plate and loved on us only like HE can! We said our goodbyes too that night, as they were all so excited to leave at 4:30AM the next morning!!
Monday morning, The Paul's, Nohemi, and I head out for a day of seeing the city. We had asked several people what we should do and see and when and how to get there. We had asked if everything would be open and were reassured that everything would be open...so we head out on the great adventure! We get to our first part and it is...closed! So we walk to the museum close and it too is...closed! We head to a tourism booth and ask them what is open and what is closed. We are told that everything we had planned to do was closed today for maintenance but there was one thing open that was about a 10 minute walk from where we were. We make sure that they see the small children that are with us and double check to see if it really is only a 10 minute walk, and they reassure us that yes it would take us that long. And hour and 1/2 later, we reach the bottom of the mountain that we must climb to reach this little village. I cannot help but laugh the entire time as we stop to ask for directions every once and awhile and not one person tells us the same thing. Classic Colombia! We eventually get there, exhausted, hungry, and to our surprise the food places are also...closed! There was one little store open and we purchase some drinks/snacks and look around. It was a cute little town replica but nothing that warranted the 2 hour climb/hike that we went on to get there. Ruth reminds me that I wanted to hike and tada...I had the opportunity. We eventually get back on a train that takes us to our hotel. We had planned to go paragliding that afternoon (as we were told it is best to go in the afternoon) and to our surprise...it too is closed! So we order pizza and take naps for awhile.
Nohemi goes to a friend's house and I wake up to watch some classes for seminary and spend some more time with Him. It was a great day of laughing and typical Colombian occurrences. Later that evening, The Paul's and I head out in the truck to just see more of the city. Which quickly turned into more comedy for us, and after a couple of hours we find our way back to the hotel and go to bed.
Tuesday, we eat breakfast and then head out to another park. We have been reassured by people and the internet that this park is indeed open. While we were waiting on the second train, I ask the police officer to make sure we were going in the right direction and he tells me that the cable to get to the park is...closed! Brilliant! But we find out that several other parks are indeed open and we head there. We had a great morning in the Botanical Gardens...Our Dad is so creative as we looked at hundreds of different flowers and butterflies and plants. It was a very peaceful time for all of us. We enjoyed a delicious chicken wrap and kettle chips (yep, haven't had those in forever) and then headed to another park. We went to two other parks before it was time to head back to the hotel so that I could get a taxi and get to the airport to come back to Cartagena.
I had an interesting flight home as I was able to share HIS Truths with a business man who sat beside me. He thought he had everything figured out but as HE revealed Truth after Truth in this man's life and revealed his excuses for the lies that they were...this man's heart became softer. He stopped thinking so much with his intellect and started listening with his heart. He did not make a decision but I gave him some material to read...a copy of the mentor book...and told him if he had any questions, to call me and I would get him hooked up with a friend who could help him answer those questions. I pry for his salvation and that he would be able to be a Light for Him wherever he goes! I came back home and had the opportunity to share some with darlys and her all about her life/week with Brody. We pryd and then I crashed as I was exhausted!
And here I am told, resting in HIM, doing some reports, and updating this site! PRAISE HIM for an amazing week of watching HIM work. Please pry for the local leadership as they begin to use this mentoring material with their congregation. That HE will show them who HE desires for them to mentor. Pry for the volunteer team as they process all that HE did in them and through them during this week. And pry for the M's that they would rest in HIM and recuperate from a week of translating and traveling.
What about you? Are you mentoring anyone now? Are you being mentored? If not, pry about that...ask HIM to reveal someone you can walk alongside in this Chrstn life and someone who can pour into you.
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