“Thank you so much. Thank you for such a good day, and a super special day for our children.”
Those were the parting words Marta Velasco left with us as we settled into our seats on the bus, for our ride home. You could hear the significance in her voice, almost as loudly as we had seen her heart and spirit love the many children of Hogar de Paz these last few days. It was a very sweet and very humbling moment that wasn’t lost on any of us.
One of the great blessings of missions trips is that they challenge and grow us by introducing new perspectives, grounding us in new experiences, and gifting us numerous opportunities to see our own and other’s view, knowledge, and understanding of God expand in so many beautiful, necessary, and kingdom pleasing ways. And these trips also offer the opportunity to meet and connect with special people like Marta and Joanna whose kingdom work at Hogar de Paz inspires and is amplified by their love for God, and their love for all of God’s children in neighborhoods all over Bogota.
Today (Thursday), we packed up ourselves, boarded our van, and made the trek to Parque Pointe Sopó (a beautifully green public park), where we met up with the staff and children from Hogar de Paz. At the park, we played in sandboxes and volleyball courts; we ran around on the lush grass and got chased by children (and animals too, but mostly children J); we chose to get wet on the water slide, or were chosen by the children – who freely would dowse us with water. We enjoyed a wonderful cookout, and even more so a walk around the absolutely breathtaking park (with flowers, and mountains surrounding, and a host of diverse birds).
At Parque Pointe Sopó, we have a great day serving, loving, and being loved on by the children and staff at Hogar de Paz. That what was for us a good day – serving, playing, and eating – was something super special for these precious little ones is incredibly humbling. Marta stressed to us that a day like today wouldn’t be possible without our resources (to provide a bus for travel for their Hogar de Paz crew), and more importantly, without our set of 18 eyes, hands, heart, and feet to be there with them. To us this was a good day; to our kin from Hogar de Paz who may never have gotten a chance to come for a “vacation day” at Parque Pointe Sopó, this was a super special day. Hearing this, processing and dialoging about this, and now understanding this has been both incredibly humbling, and amazingly life giving for us.
Tomorrow we will be serving at Nuevo Nacimiento, a kingdom focused ministry to teen mothers, in the morning. Then in the afternoon, we will be serving at Hogar San Rafael Retirement Center. I am excited for how God continues to move in us and through us. I am so very much looking forward to seeing how God will surprise, encourage, use, and help us. Please pray for us, to love as the father loved, to walk as Jesus our Christ walked, and to touch like the Holy Spirit touches us.
Thank you all again for your love, prayers, and support. We continue to see much fruit in our work here, and I’m very excited that we’ve already been able to see fruit in the lives of many in our group. One team member reminded us to not just make this a mountaintop experience – that our growth here should lead to our lives bearing much fruit day in and day out. So please continue to pray for us. Pray that we may be so filled with God’s love, that it overflows on to all we serve; please pray that we continue to shine our lights for God’s glory.
We remain so very grateful to God for each of you, for your love, prayers, and support. We serve together, and we are all doing this kingdom work together. Thanks to you all again.
God bless and take care. Dios te Bendiga (God bless you)!
In Christ,
Youth Missions Team
