On Friday, the team loaded up the bus for a trip to Hispania, a small village about 3 hours south of Medellin. The trip was a beautiful, but nauseating mountain drive through an almost alien landscape. We stopped for breakfast along the way at a rustic road-side restaurant and arrived in Hispania at about 10:00 am. We met Pastor Jairo who has worked as the only evangelical pastor in this farming town for 30 years. Our first stop was at the public school where Jairo’s wife was on the staff. We did our presentations before the assembled children and staff as well as before two armed national police officers (dressed in the typical fatigues). As the presentations progressed, the two officers walked over to Kevin to speak with him. This made us nervous since we didn’t know what to expect. This area had been right in the middle of the three-way war between the Narco-terrorists, the right-wing para-military, and the government forces for nearly 20 years since the mid-eighties.

But to our relief and surprise, the officers told Kevin that this kind of presentation was EXACTLY what this area needed and that they wished that we could speak “the message” (one officer’s words) to the neighborhoods that they have worked in Medellin. We got their names with the hope that they could arrange for us to do just that.

We believe that these opportunities are going to be used by God as he continues to transform this once drug- and violence-ravaged country into the sweet, peaceful and friendly place that we saw in Hispania.

We left the school and had lunch near the town center. After lunch we set up face painting and balloons and drew hundreds of people to the park. The teams did the drama presentations and Amanda delivered a clear and powerful gospel message that was translated by Ana Lucia. We had to rush away afterwards because we had another engagement with a church back in Medellin at 7:30 but the team was mobbed like rock stars. Even Pachito, our bus drive was signing autographs!

On the way back, we saw a mountain that was in the shape of a perfect pyramid. Sergio said it was called “Pharaoh” because it looked like a pyramid.

Once back in Medellin, we had the privilege to present our dramas and lessons to a youth group that was meeting in a local church. We also led them in five Spanish-language worship songs. This group of students seemed to be very engaged in the ministries of the church and we arranged to team up with them next year in a joint missions effort.

Back in the hotel, we ordered in a VERY late dinner and celebrated Taylor’s 19th birthday with a chocolate cake that was baked by a nearby Christian-owned bakery. Everyone then staggered to bed for a much-needed rest before our final full day of ministry.