With CDA in Colombia- By John Vangameren
I recently travelled to Colombia with Bernie Pennings to visit our project partner CDA and attend their 15th anniversary fundraising dinner. This was not only my first trip to Colombia but also my first trip to a developing country. Filled with excitement and a dread of the unknown, I faithfully went forward. This world seemed as foreign to me as a rainforest to a penguin.
My first impressions of Bogotá were that it was no different than driving through Hamilton. The people were friendly, and like any metropolis, things were happening. The only difference I noted was the heavy military presence.
We arrived at the CDA office in Bogotá just in time for opening devotions. Energy filled the office as plans for CDA’s 15th anniversary were finalized. A fundraising dinner would launch a new national child sponsorship program, designed to give Colombians the opportunity to support their people. (This program is similar to our child sponsorship program.)
We received the week’s itinerary at the office, and it looked like an extremely busy one. We would visit CDA’s three schools, Santa Fé School in the city of Bogotá, El Pozon School in the city of Cartagena, and John Calvin School in Baranquilla (both Santa Fé School and El Pozon School are jointly funded with Woord en Daad in The Netherlands). We would tour the Santa Lucia Health Clinic; visit the Micro-Credit program, the Center of Practical Ministries (CPR), and the Children’s Home in Tenjo.
Before visiting the schools, we joined CDA counsellors on numerous home visits to the families of the school children. The idea is to keep in touch with the family, assess the home life of the student, address possible family needs and encourage the family as they face life’s challenges. Visits like this may also address deeper family problems, like physical or sexual abuse, requiring further action.
Our first home visit was to a single mother with three children. One of the children was a student at the Santa Fé School. The home consisted of a ten foot square room where the mother slept with her three children on one bed. Attached to this room was a small primitive kitchen with a sink and a few pots and pans. Food was scarce, but CDA provided when necessary. She tearfully expressed her thankfulness to God for all His provisions. Her home was clean. She stated, “Being poor does not mean being dirty!” This woman currently works at CDA repairing uniforms. When this contract runs out, she will return to her construction job.
Unfortunately, it is very common to see single mothers raising three or more children. Often these children are left unattended as their mother works. CDA provides nursery school services for these situations.
Just when I thought I had visited the worst of family living, we made home visits in Cerro de la Popa. This is an area where many of the children from El Pozon School live.
Homes are made of whatever scraps of wood, metal and plastic the people can find. The houses are small with dirt floors and contain the bare necessities of survival. There is no running water and the septic system is the local canal. The pedestrian bridges I had to cross in order to get the homes were over the sewage canals. You can imagine my panic! I made it across without incident and silently praised the Lord for His guidance.
At all the home visits we heard expressions of thankfulness to God and CDA for giving hope both physically and spiritually to those who would otherwise be left hopeless.
At Santa Fé School all the school children greeted us warmly with big smiles, waves and “Hola!” Laughter and happiness filled the air from room to room.
With all their hardships, these children were happy and content. It was somewhat hard to believe that these children lived in the homes that we had just visited.
After flying from Bogotá to Cartagena, we traveled to El Pozon School and again encountered big smiles, “Hola”, and enough energy to light the world on fire. Before visiting the classrooms, we toured the vocational training center (VTC) at the school. The VTC is available to adults who wish to learn new skills or refine old ones, enabling them to enter the work force or start their own business. Skills training includes arts & crafts, sewing, baking, and computers. CDA also runs a mobile VTC clinic. These VTC’s move from location to location based on the assessed needs of an area.
Afterwards, we toured the new high school. The addition, which is nearing completion, will increase enrollment from 700 to 1,200 students. 
Our child sponsorship program supports all students. For $35/month, you can sponsor a child, providing them with food, health care, Christian education and a hope for the future. With this new addition, El Pozon School will need 500 new child sponsors in the very near future.
After a 90 minute drive to Barranquilla, we arrived at John Calvin School. This time, an excited and motivated staff greeted us. I met the infamous CDA architect, Gabriel, who discussed proposed expansion plans for the school. Phase One would build a new wing on new property that has recently been purchased beside the school (cost approx. $250,000 US). Phase Two would tear down the existing tired building and rebuild to match the building in Phase One (cost approx. $250,000 US). The school would be able to function during the entire construction process. The capacity would be increased from 170 to 390 students. When this project is completed, sponsors will also be needed for new students.
The highlight of this trip was meeting my sponsor child, Fabian David. Although language was a barrier, through interpretation and body language, the excitement of the moment was quite evident. After exchanging a few words I presented him with a Toronto Maple Leaf’s t-shirt and some school supplies. Truly a moment to remember!
After a brain-rattling drive on a very bumpy road, we arrived at the Santa Lucia Health Clinic. The Health Clinic provides medical exams, dentistry, medications, and eye exams to the people living in the squatter neighbourhoods. The squatters have been forced from their rural homes by ongoing threats and violence from guerrilla forces, organized gangs, and drug lords.
The Santa Lucia Clinic is a travelling health clinic. Often, a church building or a person’s home is used as a temporary clinic. The clinic is currently working with a local pastor and church in the area to provide God’s Word with medical services.
We visited the Micro-Credit program in Cartagena. This program allows those who have gone through the vocational training program to apply for a micro-credit loan to purchase the equipment needed to start their business. We visited three businesses that benefited from this program. At one, a hair salon, a woman currently employed three people and seemed to be doing quite well. I was impressed to see her business vision and mission posted on the wall along with two Bible texts. This is a clear example of Word and deed working hand-in-hand. Overall, it was encouraging to see how the various programs at CDA not only educated and nurtured the children, but also provided means for parents to start providing for their families.
We visited the Center of Practical Ministries in Bogotá (CPR – a good acronym for Spiritual revival). The CPR is taught by CDA’s own chaplain and is used to train CDA staff how to use the Word of God practically, applying Christian principles in their daily work.
This trip has been a wonderful learning experience. Although it was an exhausting week, I now have a better understanding of the projects we are involved in and can better relate to the culture we are dealing with. I have learned the following:
1. Although it seems like we were only addressing the tip of the iceberg, we must keep in mind this is not our work, but God’s work. Word & Deed is honored and privileged to be a part of this work as tools in the Lord’s hand to fulfill His will.
2. Working with Christian indigenous partners such as CDA is a must. They understand the culture, language, history as well as the challenges of navigating the barriers often erected by petty bureaucrats. They are passionate about reaching out to the needy living around them. Last but not least, they are able to work for a fraction of what it would cost to send a team of people there from North America for an extended period of time to run the projects.
3. “Teaching them to fish” is also a must. The joy and thankfulness we saw on the faces of those who operate their own businesses was a pleasure to experience. The people are learning dignity, responsibility and realize it is the Lord blessing their labors, not man.
4. Seeing pictures and attending presentations is only part of the experience. Being there, hearing the sounds, smelling the surroundings, touching people and watching their expressions of joy and sorrow, makes it reality. Every Word & Deed supporter must experience this at least once! I encourage you to join one of our work teams when you have a chance.
5. CDA is truly an organization that treasures keeping the Word and Deed balanced in all aspects of their work. This is a godly organization that the Lord is using to fulfill His plan.
I am thankful for the opportunity to visit Colombia and our project partner CDA. May the Lord
continue to bless our partnership as we work together to improve the lives of needy people in the developing world, both materially and spiritually, in obedience to Christ’s command to love our neighbor as ourself.
John Vangameren is currently Chairman of Word & Deed Canada. John and his wife, Jacquelyn, reside in the Niagara area and attend the Vineland Free Reformed Church.
Homes are made of whatever scraps of wood, metal and plastic the people can find. The houses are small with dirt floors and contain the bare necessities of survival. There is no running water and the septic system is the local canal. The pedestrian bridges I had to cross in order to get the homes were over the sewage canals. You can imagine my panic! I made it across without incident and silently praised the Lord for His guidance.
With all their hardships, these children were happy and content. It was somewhat hard to believe that these children lived in the homes that we had just visited.
Our child sponsorship program supports all students. For $35/month, you can sponsor a child, providing them with food, health care, Christian education and a hope for the future. With this new addition, El Pozon School will need 500 new child sponsors in the very near future.
