Outreach in Colombia

The work in Colombia is multiplying.

God continues to provide us with opportunities to impact the world, one person at a time. Among the recent activities at Fundación Las Delicias, three outreach efforts have been especially exciting for us.

In connection with the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Calarcá, Fundación Las Delicias has united forces to reach souls behind bars. The Peñas Blancas, or White Rocks, is a joint penitentiary and prison located in the city of Calarcá. The prison has only two psychologists to provide emotional support and counseling for 916 inmates, and their team cannot cope with the volume of demand. A door opened for us to participate in helpful programs for the benefit of the inmates, and 23 volunteers from our ministry and the local church are engaging in the beautiful work of service. We feel that God in His infinite mercy opened this door in a place of great need.

Among the organized activities planned are programs on various topics including education, employment, family relationships and spiritual guidance. As we establish a stronger relationship with the staff at the prison, we hope to suggest further programs to help in the restoration process, encouraging inmates to accept Jesus as their personal Savior.

The work will not be limited to individuals deprived of their liberty, but to the prison staff as well. Several of the prison directors have visited us at Fundación Las Delicias and familiarized themselves with our ministry. We thank God for providing avenues to share His love.

Our second outreach mission has been to the impoverished population in the cities. The Urban Help Project first began in the winter of 2005 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It started with four young people, four sandwiches and a bag of clothes. The effort inspired others to take up the work as well. Seeking to benefit the homeless, medically needy, poor and displaced population, groups began to form in almost all provinces of Argentina and in several Latin American countries.

For the last month, we have been involved in the Urban Help Project. Every Friday now, rain or shine, our young people leave at 7pm to minister in the heart of the city of Armenia. They provide food, clothing, shoes, and shelter to the needy, forming bonds of friendship as a testament to God’s love. Each night, we feed around 120 people who come from all walks of life. Feeding the underprivileged is an effort supported completely by donations. About $30 weekly covers our costs in transportation and food purchases. We are excited to join the mission and be the hands of Jesus to feed the needy.

A third outreach opportunity came in the form of an invitation to participate in a missionary impact organized by AMOR, the Association of Organized Ministries of Redemption. The acronym spells “love” in Spanish. AMOR seeks to focus evangelism efforts in areas with little or no Adventist presence in the conferences of Colombia.

The municipality of Ginebra, Valle del Cauca has a population of about 22,000. There are only 15 Seventh-day Adventists among that number. AMOR recognized this place as a spiritually needy area, and a missionary impact was scheduled for a week in May.

Two of our youth represented our ministry there: Jhony Chamochumby, a third-year student in our Bible instructor program, and Noelia Rodríguez, a nutritionist. Between the two, they conducted 80 surveys and made 18 visits to various places such as the hospital, police station, nursing home, park, school and prison. For six interested people, they conducted a cooking class. Each evening, an evangelistic meeting was led by Pastor Oscar Becerra where locals were invited to learn more about the Bible. By the end of the campaign, four people made a public decision for Christ in baptism.

Jhony and Noelia felt that they gained a rich experience in soul-winning during the effort. They returned more committed than ever and were encouraged to continue serving God.

We are excited to see God working in the hearts of many and blessing the efforts of our young people as they serve Him. “The harvest truly is great. Eternity alone will reveal the results of well-directed efforts put forth now. Providence is going before us, and Infinite Power is working with human effort.” Gospel Workers, 27, 28. 

Location: Colombia

Author: Daniel Miranda and his wife Kelly are volunteers at Fundación Las Delicias, a self-supporting ministry equipping youth for ministry in Bible work, health, and agriculture.

How You Can Help

Pray for all who are ministered to by the workers from Fundación Las Delicias. Pray that the prisoners may find Jesus behind bars. Pray also that those impacted through the Urban Help Project and AMOR will find Jesus.

Donate. If you have a desire in your heart to help Bible Workers reach more people in Colombia with our message of love, donate online or mark your check “Colombia Workers,” and send it to:

Mission Projects International
PO Box 151
Inchelium, WA 99138