Colombia didn’t need me. I needed Colombia. The people here who I thought were nothing like me, I came to find were everything like me. Lonely people that just want love. Each Wednesday night our team and the people of Ciudad Refugio would walk through the streets among the people who are homeless and struggle with severe addictions. This place is what they call the Bronx.
To step into the Bronx is to step into the most hopeless of places. People are without a home, without food, without water. But even more devastating is people are without hope for themselves. They lack faith in themselves that they are worthy of love, worthy of a home. A home that won’t judge them, where they can be themselves, take off their masks and trust the people around them to love them even more when truth is revealed.
It was amongst the broken spirit that I saw the light, God’s compassion moving. It wasn’t a place of despair, it was a place of grace. A place where people are being called to a better life. People were able to receive without expectation of paying back or earning what they had been given. They only had to receive the bread, the agua panela, and receive the directions if they choose. It was a place of trust that God will get them there and trust that we are people of our word and will be waiting to love them the second they walk through the open doors. A place where God was offering a fresh start because he makes us a new creation. A place of healing as prayers are being cast out. The street became a church because the church isn’t the building it’s his people and we got to be his people bringing kingdom where we walked. What is bringing kingdom? Bringing kingdom is bringing Jesus. What is bringing Jesus? It’s bringing love.
Wow, Niece o’ Mine who I love so much! Quite a revelation for you which you have shared with us! Thank you for your work and your heart of compassion! In reading your post, I took these words you wrote to heart: What is bringing kingdom? Bringing kingdom is bringing Jesus. What is bringing Jesus? It’s bringing love. Also, I found this afterward: http://www.steppesoffaith.com/faith/five-simple-ways-bring-kingdom-come
I love you and look very forward to seeing you when that becomes possible!
Question: Have you unplugged from facebook, Izzie? Was just now trying to message you something. Love, Aunt Shari
Hi Liz,
Thank-you for your message of hope & love from the ‘Bronx’ in Columbia. It sounds like an awful but also a rewarding place & people. I’m sure that your team’s efforts pay huge dividends there! I really enjoy your unique way of describing the ministry results. Keep up the great work!
How cool that one of the things it says to bring kingdom is through courageous story telling. Definitely took some courage to post the what is home post.
Occasionally still on fb. Love you
It definitely made me look at hope and compassion in a whole new light. And one of the things i asked God to grow me in the beginning of the race was compassion so definitely and answered prayer. God bless you! What a worthy women of God you.
Thanks Paul.
Our group was the first group to visit the Bronx during the day as well and it was such an experience to see the same people as the night before and let God use us and look them in the eye and say we care about you we came back.
Hey Liz; Wow this is so impressive, a totally different world than we know. Prayers are with you and so proud to know you. Stay strong! Hugs, Marlene