Latin American Trip Part II - Colombia

[image: vamoscolombiatour]

After leaving Managua with a change of planes in Panama City, Panama Leila, Bethany and I arrived in Barranquilla, Colombia with Maria Arroyo, area coordinator for South America and the Caribbean. Barranquilla is the fourth largest city in Colombia with a metro population close to 2 million people and is an industrial city on the Caribbean coast. As soon as we cleared customs and security, the four of us had the pleasure of being welcomed by a delegation led by the Presbytery of the North Coast with PCUSA Mission Workers Mamie Broadhurst and Richard Williams. We took a nice bus ride to the Hotel Majestic, a beautiful classic looking hotel in the downtown area. There we met up with two of our other group members, Charlie Summers, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA and one of his elders, Drake Watson. 

Our Colombian welcome party (left to right) : Jackelin, Mamie Broadhurst, Diego Higuita, Gloria Ulloa, Gina, and German Zarate. Picture taken by Richard Williams.

That same night the city was alive with pre-Carnaval activites. Barranquilla is known for its large and popular Carnaval and they will tell you it is second only to the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We were taken to a neighborhood street party where they were practicing Cumbia dancing (see the picture at the beginning of this post). We had a great time!

The next day we walked to the Universidad Reformada, a Presbyterian College and Seminary where the offices of the Presbytery of the North Coast is located. We toured the offices and met with representatives from the Synod of the IPC (Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia) which has three Presbyteries - North Coast, Uraba, and Central. We heard about the mission and ministries of all three presbyteries as well as the political and social history of Colombia. We also met Alice Winters, one of our Mission Workers who has taught at the Universidad for many years.  I have to say that almost everyone had strong opinions and beliefs about U.S. involvement with Colombia and it was a real eye-opener. Later on that day we traveled to the city of Galapa to meet with representatives of a displaced community to hear their stories and concerns. That was heart-wrenching to hear how their land was taken away without many ways of recourse. But they do have hope that God is on their side and I keep them in my thoughts and prayers. We ended that day back in Barranquilla with dinner at El Merendero restaurant and a debriefing period.

On Sunday our group was split up into three smaller groups to attend various churches. Bethany and I went to the Soledad community where I preached at the Ciudadela Metropolitana new church development. This was a congregation that worshiped in the house of the sister of the Moderator of the IPC and the service was on her front porch. Since my Spanish was not the greatest I had German Zarate translate for me. Bethany and  I were well received and after service we had a round-table discussion Q & A with the members. The congregation is an offshoot of the Ninth Presbyterian Church and they were very proud to have a Presbyterian presence in the neighborhood. Afterward went to lunch with the pastor, Apollinar Escobar, his family and others. Apollinar is a student at the seminary and is from the Presbytery of Uraba. He is doing a great job as pastor of this growing and enthusiastic congregation! 

 

 

Preaching at the Soledad new church development.

(Photo taken by Richard Williams)

 

I have much more to report about Colombia so look for the 2nd part soon!

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Shannan Vance-Ocampo]

Byron,
Many of us are so glad that you have visited Colombia in your role as Vice-Moderator. You note in your first entry that everyone there has "strong opinions" about U.S. involvement in Colombia. I really do hope that you will write about it in Part II, and share with all of those in the PC(USA) reading your blog what the Colombians do say. It is important that we hear their voices, and I very much hope you will use your blog to tell us what our sisters and brothers in Christ have to say to us! Thank you so much for visiting my family's beloved Colombia (home of my husband), and for visiting our sister church there too along with our Accompaniment Ministry.

Paz,
Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo
Pastor, Watchung Ave. Presbyterian Church (Elizabeth Presbytery)

[Byron Wade]

Hi Shannon,

Hope you are well and thanks for the note. Actually, my second part will tell of the rest of my time in Barranquilla and Bogota. However I will do a post on "Top 10 things in learned about the church in Latin America" and a lot of that will talk about the discussions we had with the Colombian people as well as the Venezuelans. Be on the lookout for it!

[Shannan Vance-Ocampo]

Byron,
Thanks for keeping up with the info stream about Colombia, so glad you got to see the American School in Bogota, alma mater of my husband!!!

I'll be interested to see your Top 10 list and what insights you will share that you heard on your trip from the people you visited with, and thanks for posting the link to the PPF Accompaniment Page, we link to lots of great info and the reports of those from the US who have served.

Take care (and your son's little foray onto FB was very funny the other day!)

Shannan