Today was our final work day at the school...bittersweet. We were able to finish up many of the projects we started and see a tiny glimpse of the work God was doing during our time in Colombia.
We began the morning with our usual Colombian breakfast; made by an elderly Colombian woman and her daughter. The food is great but too much! (We don't want to be rude so we've been sneaking some of our food on to Gordon's plate ;) Then we had group devotions and shared how we've seen God at work and what we want to share when we get back to the states. And finally we hopped on the bus and headed to El Camino (a 40-60 minute bus ride).
At school today we all got busy right away. Tino & Tyler headed off to work on the missionary apartments with our Colombian friend Henry. After three incidents with water in the apartments, Henry nicknamed Tino "hurricane katino" ;) The garden team got down and dirty with the rest of the planting, transplanting, and extra landscaping. And the alarm was working but stopped working, so hopefully that will be finished up by the school staff next week.
During the day Shealyn and Rachel were able to bake corn bread muffins with the kitchen staff at ECA. They were asked to bake and speak English with the kitchen ladies...but most of it consisted of the ladies teaching the girls Spanish :) Despite the language difference, relationships were made and the kitchen staff greatly appreciated the girls' time, as well as the non-stick Teflon muffin pans they left.
We only spent a half day at the school because we were going to go up the mountain with the McCollums and Carrie Bergmann in the afternoon. We said good-bye to Henry and some of the others at ECA around 1:30pm and Henry asked if we would pray for him. He shared with us how much our presence this week meant to him, as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. He was feeling discouraged but God brought us to encourage him and get him laughing (maybe even dancing too ;) What a privilege it was to lay hands on Henry, as a team, and pray for him.
Next we headed up the mountain, where we took a tram up Monserate, which put us at 10,341 feet. A bit hard to breathe up there! And the team went straight up the side of the steep mountain slope. Good thing no one was scared of heights. It stormed before we got there which made it super cloudy, but thankfully it cleared up and we were able to see the broad panorama of Bogota; population 8 million! ! We (everyone on the team, including the McCollums and Carrie) also had fun taking pictures with the cool Colombian hat Tino bought. What a bunch of silly gringos.
Dinner that night was at the top of the World Trade Center (that is the name of one of the buildings in Colombia). We had the privilege of eating dinner at a fancy restaurant that slowly spins, as you eat. But it wasn't so fast that we had fast food ;) And we got to eat with the director of ECA, her husband, mother and father-in-law, as well as with Carrie, Jaime & his wife Yenny and the McCollums. What a special and godly group of people.
This mission team has really worked together as a team to serve the people of Colombia; specifically through El Camino. We are all very unique but God has used each of our gifts and abilities. He has blessed us with laughter, and as we saw and heard today, that impacted others.
It is hard to leave tomorrow but we have done the work God called us to here in Colombia and with open and willing hearts we will be returning to the states to further the work God has called each of us to.
Please pray for each of us as we process this experience and fly back to the states tomorrow. May His kingdom come and His will be done.
Is everyone safe?? I just heard Bogata had an earthquake!!
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