This past week one of the highlighted countries in my world geography class was Colombia. Here are some astonishing facts I learned about Colombia:
Colombia is in South America and is bordered by Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador.
The official language of Colombia is Spanish.
Colombia is the world’s #1 exporter of cocaine.
Colombia has an extremely unstable government.
I paid special attention during our talk about Colombia because a tiny corner of my heart was being awakened.
Two years ago: Summer 2003
I received a student publication called Link International from Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry to the persecuted church of the world. This particular issue was highlighting Colombia. It took me two weeks to finally stop looking at it.
Guerrillas control much of Columbia and are funded mainly by the drug trade. Guerrillas are not the official army, but carry out acts of war. Many belong to the FARC which in English translates to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.
The Guerillas force children to go to their training camps. They consider these children their “allowance”. If a family does not willing surrender their children, they will kidnap them. Many children who have either escaped or been rescued by the Colombian army must live miles from their home and families in “safe houses”.
The most riveting picture in the article (which I don’t think I should post b/c it’s copyrighted) is of a 15 year old girl guerilla soldier being rescued by the Colombian Army. She is being helped into a helicopter by three soldiers and her face is tight and guarded. She is wearing camouflage pants which are in stark contrast to her white teletubby t-shirt.
The violence in Colombia has led to much poverty. Some children are orphaned, and some are just sent out by their parents to make money on the streets. Not all the children who live with their families can afford to go to school (which is almost free).
*All information taken from Link International Summer 2003.
I don’t know if God will ever send me to a place like Colombia. I don’t know if I could even handle the war and trauma and death that surround those children’s lives. The question I keep coming back to is “Can I leave them there?”
Maybe I’m just crazy. Can you picture pipsqueak me rescuing children from Guerillas?! I make my mother nervous when I talk about things like this. :)
I am willing to go if He chooses to send me.
*Please visit Voice of the Martyrs and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for the faith around the world.
7 comments:
Heart wrenching. That's what it is. How can we turn our face away from them?! Wherever God sends you, know that I will be praying for you and supporting you. You have a heart for reaching the world. I'm mighty glad to be able to say that I know you. May the Lord our God Bless you today beyond your expectations!
Steph, it doesn't matter if you are a pipsqueak or not (I don't think you are!)- what matters is GOD. If you're called to help these kids, GOD's with you and I don't know of anyone who can stand against Him. "If God is for us who can be against us?"
Thanks girls! I hope that if I'm ever martyred one day you'll both come to my funeral. Or at least my memorial. :)
Steph, if God chooses to send you to one of these places then it's good to know that you are willing to serve Him. I can't even begin to imagine what many of these people are suffering as they seek to serve God & others, and give up their own lives. I've only read of a few cases at the site Voices of the Martyrs, and they do indeed need a lot of prayer. Thanks for sharing!
You shall live and not die. I don't believe that God has called you to be a martyr.(if he did, I know you would without hesitation)I believe that God has called you to live in His presence and lead many who were captive to freedom. I believe that God has put you here for such a time as this, for His purpose and plan. You will go forth and be victorious.
Hear hear!:)
Post a Comment