The God Fathers For Colombia.
Never in my wildest dreams would I think for a moment that I would be refered to as a God Father . Certainly not here in Colombia. And when Dalaine ( by both association and also in her own right) was also lumbered with the same title, I thought this may be worth checking up on.
In the last 5 days we have had the privilege of seeing two of our sponsored children through the TEAR Fund/ Compassion programme of world wide individual sponsorship and support of young children in desperate need. I invite you to read the excellent Tear Fund link available on this website.
Despite living ( in a straight line) less than 400 kms away, the two children Saray ( Lipaya Southwest of Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast of Colombia ) and Laura ( Chigoroda Antioquia in the mountainous region near the Panamas border)……both girls are so much different in two very different cultural and environmental circumstances.
The only thing they both have in common is that when it rains it pours and both girls live in houses of brickwalls, mud or concrete floors, no doors or windows , houses that are very vulnerable to flooding .
As I type this in the small hours of the morning I see on CNN that Barranquiila had massive flooding possibily the same spectacular electrical storm that we had on Saturday in Cartagena.Even before that storm Sarays home was wet on the inside. Built on a former floodplain without proper drainage , the rain seeped into the one room where 6 people sleep making the mattress sodden. Little wonder this beautiful softly spoken girl of 10 had a fever . And the sad thing it was something that could be fixed at not a great cost but beyond the means of the family at this time maybe forever.I will never forget watching Dalaine being Piggybacked down the street leading into Sarays home …it was a miracle we made it down. Children and a mother either digging sand or collecting rocks out of a passive stream for building materials to keep leaks out……I am tramatised at the thought of a raging river only feet or maybe inches from their back door at the height of the floods .( or worst)
Laura is only 7…..she started at the project at the age of just 3. Both girls have a mum and Dad although Laura’s dad works on the roads as a labourer 344 kms away in Medellin and may see his family twice a year.Lack of work and the need to survive means the only option is not always the best option.
At Laura’s project we were shown such love, kindness and consideration. We were treated like Royality, we were the first sponsors to have ever made the trip ( mind you it is not the easiest place to get to)….We were hugged, enbraced , photographed. We laughted together, prayed together and through an interuptor learnt a whole lot more about one another.
And that is where ( and when) we were referred to in prayer when God was thanked for bringing the “God Fathers” from a far off land Nueva Zelandia.( New Zealand).
The needs of this peaceful tranquil area of 65,000 inhabitants are huge. It is a massive area covered for the most parts in Banana plantations. They stretch for as far as the eye could see as we flew in at low levels.Health problems are big issues for the children. Our little girl Laura was fighting an infection and gum problems , Malaria,skin diseases, breathing problems and intestinal infections are common.
In this very third world, poor in materialism, but red-hot in caring for others we came away being blessed a thousand times more in the 18 hours we have been able spend over the last two days with this little 7 year old, her family, the mission project and the supporting church.
We have found something we want to do…..and that is somehow to raise USD $5,000 ( NZD $8,000) to finish the building project to complete 2 new classrooms and toilets that will enable ( though Rotation ) up to another 300 children to be provided education, school meals, and to learn about God …the same God that gave us a bigger start in life than these children and community that truly touched our hearts.
Maybe the final word goes to the 8 female teachers who exhuded so much love for the children, for so little financial reward. To us they are the true heroines of this story….and because of the impresssion they left on us has made us determined to find ways of raising the necessary money to finish the building.
It is the title of Being God Fathers For Colombia ( even though it is in name only) that makes me say Thank you God for allowing us to be fathers to not only our natural children but these special children in an area of the world that even Google finds it almost impossible to locate.
I will write again very soon…. Don’t take your blessings for Granted…….Say I love You to someone today!
Lindsay Walker
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