WEDNESDAY - February 21 - La Vega & The Bartels

 Our day began with waiting for the bus at 6 am - which arrived closer to 7 am.  We enjoyed a lovely bus ride out of the city and through some beautiful country to a small town called La Vega.  Getting out of the city brought the temperature up from 22 degrees to a hot and humid 30 degrees.  We spent the morning at a Christian elementary school, rotating through the classes.  

We cooled off at a wonderful spot called Macondo that had fabulous food and a great swimming pool to cool off in.  We were joined by long time friends of the Colombia teams of the past, Steve and Evie Bartel, who invited us up to their home for supper and stories of faith and God's guidance throughout their many years with YWAM.  

It was a really really good day...

The day that we went to La Vega started off a little rough for me. We all woke up at about 5:00 in the morning, hopped on the bus at 6/7ish, and drove towards what seemed like the middle of the jungle, not knowing what to expect. We had already done a day of teaching, but I still didn't feel nearly confident enough that I would be able to connect with the kids. When we got there, however, the kids warmed up to us very fast and my anxiety was lifted pretty quickly. At lunch I played "keep away" with the grade fours with a ball that was a mix between a soccer ball and a frisbee. It felt so cool to be able to randomly go up to people and start connecting with them through playing games, even if there was a significant language barrier. The teaching went pretty smooth, as Ezra and Hope (in my group) are good at engaging younger kids.

Afterwards, we went to a Seniors home to sing songs and greet the people there. Again, I didn't know what to expect, and was a little nervous. When we started singing, though, I felt more at peace. It also helped that the other people singing covered up for my voice cracks. Connecting with the seniors was great as well, and there was one lady in particular who wanted me to sit with her for the entire time we were there, which made me feel happy and guilty at the same time. I didn't do anything to get this lady's respect at all, yet she bonded with me and made me feel special. Even though it was hard, it was good to be able to connect with the people there.

From there, we went to the Bartel's place in the middle of the jungle for supper. Ezra, Eric, Jonah and I all ran up a small mountain where we saw an amazing view and an amazing amount of anthills. Being up there on the mountain helped to refresh me and to remind me how powerful and creative God is. After we stumbled back down to their house, we ate an incredible meal of fruit salad that was a crazy mix of around ten different fruits. It was also good to hear Steve and Evie Bartel's story of how they received God's calling and how they got to where they are today. It was humbling to hear about the experiences that they had gone through involving gangs and guerrillas, especially when I had just been worrying about teaching kids English just a few hours before.

Overall, it was a really good day that helped remind me that God is in control, and that He is trustworthy, even when you don't feel confident. 

-Ian

Visiting with the Bartel's has been a highlight of the trip for me. I felt super inspired by their words of wisdom, especially when the conversation switched to discussing God's plan for our lives. They discussed how their lives turned out completely different than how they had planned, and they don't regret it whatsoever. This was an excellent reminder for me with graduation coming up soon in the next few months. It's so easy to fixate on "my plans", rather than spending time in prayer, and being willing to listen to what God has planned instead. Their faith in Jesus and praise for Him inspired me greatly, and I hope to one day worship as they do. I have been in awe of all the leaders we have met in Colombia. Hearing their

challenges reminds me of how privileged of a life I live. Over the last week I've concluded that my "first world problems" can afford to occupy less space in my mind, and it's time to fill it with more scripture and praise. The day we spent in La Vega was fun, I felt like the team got a lot closer, and the scenery was stunning. God has created such a beautiful world full of beautiful people and I wish I didn't take it for granted as often as I do. 

- Claire