Two Incredible Days Of Ministry

"Recycler" kids

We went to a professional soccer game on Saturday. Those of you that know me (Matt Granger) might think that that would be a highlight of these days. It was a fun game. But the people we met who lead these incredible ministries, and the kids that are served were the most incredible thing that happened these days.

We've been to a daycare in a poor and rough neighborhood where Beth wouldn't let us go up before the director got there to escort us. These kids come here after school for a snack, activities, school help, and just plain love. The kids loved playing soccer in a walled area barely bigger than my deck at home. Others learned a little English with Mr. Potato Head. And some sang songs and praised the Lord with Mary and Jennifer. Gino is the man with his iPhone app that has an animal that speaks what the kids speak into the phone. John and I got to help make the snack for them.

In many neighborhoods in Bogota, people called "Recyclers" build a compound in an open area. They put up corrugated aluminum walls and barbed wire.They build shacks for each family.They go to the garbage dumps along the streets and pull out anything that they can recycle and sell. That is their only means of income. We went and played soccer and took pictures of the kids of these families. Jennifer had a great mini photo printer that we plugged into a power inverter in the van and printed out their pictures. The kids decorated foam frames with foam letters and other shapes, and we taped their pictures in the frames. It was so sad to see the hopelessness in some of their little eyes.

Later we went to a special needs orphanage. After playing Twister, Mr. Potato Head, Bingo, soccer, and some other crazy game John came up with we left. We talked on the way home with Beth and she said that some of these kids' disabilities was only that they had some emotional or social disabilities. They had trouble in school, and their parents gave them up. As a teacher, I started thinking about the kids I've had over the years that would have "qualified" for this "special needs" orphanage. These kids are labeled "special needs" and are not adoptable any more because of it. Some of them have mental or physical disabilities that will keep them there for life.I caught this picture as I was sitting in the van to leave. For me, it told he whole story of hopelessness for some of these kids.

On Sunday morning we went to two church services. In the first, Mary played her flute to the delight of the crowd and to God's glory. It was awesome. The church was meeting in a space that used to be a bar next to their part of the building. They would place their hands on the wall and pray for the influence of the bar to diminish. Now they are in the space!

At the second church Mary played again. Matt Ravenscraft spoke and gave a mini sermon in Spanish. He rocked the house, as far as we know since we don't speak Spanish.Then we helped them with a soccer tournament that they organized. Each team consisted of a few people from the church and a few non-believers that they invited. It was raining, but there was a good crowd for the games. There were a few teams of kids, older girls, and older boys. Matt, Dave, Hailey, Gino, and I played one game. It became USA vs. Colombia. It was a great game. We lost 3-2, which thrilled the crowd. We could have won, but their goalie made some great saves on Matt R. and me to keep them ahead.

Mi amigo, Lucas

Then we went up the mountain to a YWAM (Youth With a Mission) youth house. The director told us the story of how they got started working with street kids 25 years ago. This house is a residential house for kids that have been through three or four other levels of the program. She and her husband believe that having a residential home for a small number is better because they learn to live in a family structure, which will prepare them to have a family someday. The kids there range from toddlers to high school aged kids. It was so hard to leave after plaiyng with a few of the little kids. Though it was easier to leave them because they live in a loving environment preparing them for their future, as opposed to a place like the special needs orphanage where some of them will be for life.

What's great about all of the ministries we go to is that Beth and Rafa have ongoing relationships with them. It's not a one time thing where we come in and do something for them and they never get any kind of support. We aren't the heroes. We are just stepping into ongoing programs that many of the students at ECA (El Camino Academy) are already involved in. In other words, it isn't about us, it's about the work God is already doing here. And He is at work here in Bogota!

We post as often as we can, but we leave early in the morning and don't return until late many times. Stay tuned.

Matt Granger

Sometimes ministry requires one to cut the cheese