This past weekend several ministries of the Colombian Covenant Church were able to participate in an important event in the city of Medellin. Expo Voluntariado (or the Volunteer Expo) was a place for organizations to connect with potential volunteers as well as other organizations to share ideas and resources. Seven of our associations/foundations that work with community development, entrepreneurship, peace and reconciliation, and education were invited to participate. What an experience for them to interact with other social organizations, getting to know the different variety of services that people are providing, as well as the opportunity to make their ministries known.

In talking with the representatives of “Be Peace, Make Peace,” who were present, they said they handed out over 200 brochures and talked to more than that number of people during the course of the two days. One of the things that was most significant for them was sharing what is going on in the town where they are working with youth. When people would visit the booth they would ask them what they knew about the place. One of the visitors said, before hearing about all the work Be Peace, Make Peace is doing with children and youth, her concept was that it was the “the town of nobody” (el pueblo de nadie). She was greatly surprised to hear about the important work that this group is doing for their community.

Pastor Carmen from Monteria, who coordinates the “Strong and United Hands” Foundation, had empanadas and pasteles de pollo for sampling, which are made by the women heads of households who are learning to make these tasty foods and sell them in their local neighborhoods. People were praising Carmen for how good they tasted.

From Barranquilla, Pastor Jesus and the women from the Artes Colombia organization brought their beautiful artisan work and shared how they are providing employment in a very under resourced area in Soledad.

As people visited the “Community Transformation for Peace” booth, they saw the artistic representations of their community that the teenage girls have done during the course of the past year, as well as heard their stories as they listened to recordings and looked at pictures.

It was quite a weekend and an important opportunity to network and to share what God is doing through these and other ministries.