After a few weeks in the Caribbean it was time to return to the mainland of South America. Columbia stretches in diversity from high Andes mountain ranges, to coffee farms to tropical beaches.
Our time in Columbia was equally diverse as it started with the much anticipated parent visit in Bogota and Cartagena, moving into a backpacker challenge from Cartagena to Santa Marta, ministry in the hot, tropical coastal town of Santa Marta and finishing off in the much cooler Fusagasuga mountain town.
The parents visit was a time of exploring, relaxing, story telling and being showered with love, affirmation and encouragement.
In the evenings we had talk shows hosted by Annami where we could share our experiences up to that point.
During the day we got to know our team members in their family environment, while visiting palmy beaches, fortresses, old Spanish towns, cobble stone villages, tasting weird fruits, lots and lots of coffee, coconut ice cream and feasting on our South African delicacies from home.
We plunged into the backpacker challenge where you had 7 days to get to the next ministry point and use this time out of team life for reflecting and spending quality time with God. It was while camping in Minca, on the brink of the Sierra Nevada that God spoke to me through avos.
On a hike one day I saw the most beautiful avos behind a fence and desired to pick them for my lunch on crackers aka "living off the land."
As it was on private property, I prayed to God for other, more accessible avos later on the hike. As I was walking, numerous other fruit trees came up: raspberries, guavas, naartjies.
I realized that sometimes we are so blinded by the things we desire that we miss all the other blessings God has in store for us.
I was happy and satisfied by this revelation, but as the hike drew to a close, I saw 3 perfectly healthy avos lying next to the road...no avo tree in sight!
God provided for my desires anyway. O how He loves us and just wants the best for His children!
In Santa Marta I was greatly impacted by our host Jon and his openness, honesty, down to earth sense of humour and total dependence on God for His will to happen daily.
Our ministry there consisted of sharing testimonies at the university, having a play day for disabled kids at the church, cleaning the house of a paraplegic man, kids ministry in the disadvantaged community, performing Bible plays with Maria and the high school kids and spending time with the radical, joyful youth group, Impacto.
In this time God reminded me to not live in the past or the future, but in the present and casting all my burdens on Him. I immediately felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders as I threw hands full of sand into the ocean as a prophetic enactment of this.
Santa Marta will also be remembered for it's delicious empanadas, arepas, fresh fruit smoothies, mochillas and early morning ocean swims.
At Fusagasuga we lived on the slant of a hill on the peaceful campgrounds of New Tribe Ministries. Our days mostly consisted of building renovations with the Dutchman, Harry e.g. painting, carrying rocks and welding in the workshop.
The evenings were filled with movies and teachings on tribal missions, concerts and praise and worship around the campfire and hanging with the Bible school students.
What made this one of my favourite ministry points was how we got a fresh outlook on God's grace and love for us. (1 John 4) It seems like we can never be reminded of this truth often enough.
Hiking to the window tree, my fractured pinky finger (lessons learned about dependance as a result of this) and my best birthday celebration ever contributed to an unforgettable time in Fusa.
Columbia...I would return any day!