So Much Diversity, So Much Unity

One of the highlights of returning to Cali for a third straight year (and during Easter week) is rekindling relationships with missionaries from all throughout the States, as well as with local translators who work tirelessly alongside us every moment we're away from the hotel.

More on the 34 Americans who are serving in Cali this week later ...

We returned to the hotel tonight and Lisa remarked, "now I know how you can fall in love with these translators. We just left them in the (hotel) lobby a few minutes ago and I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow morning."

It's one thing if you hire a translator to take you on a tour of Rome, it's another if you're sharing the Gospel with a woman who feels so ashamed of her past that's she's weeping uncontrollably and wondering how and why she still matters to God. You're trying to comfort the tears and meet her where she is -- and your translator is equally tied into the moment's emotion with the additional responsibility of listening to us and staying composed enough to switch back and forth into two different languages.

Our picture from today is from our team of 10; 5 Americans and 5 translators, after we completed a full day planting a new church in the barrio of Republica Israel in Cali (Colombia). We arrived at the church at 9:30 AM and when we departed at 5:30 PM, we had presented Pastor Rodrigo and his staff with 101 people in his commuity who we had presented the Gospel and 81 who made a decision to take Jesus into the foxhole of their lives as their Savior and King.

All God. We were just honored to be the messengers.

In the front row of the picture is Bill, who is from South Carolina and is making his 14th trip to Colombia in the past nine years. Bill has been on my team for the past three years and is unquestionably the wisest man I have ever met. Seek wisdom ... seek Bill.

Isidoro is next to Bill in the front and is a local translator from Cali. We worked at his church during our 2010 expedition in Cali. He's 32 years old and works for a gas company in Cali ... but like us is on vacation this week to play the role of servant to churches across the city.

In the back on the right is Esteban, who I met during my first mission trip to Colombia in 2008, in his hometown of Barranquilla. Esteban was a translator on Matt's team during our '10 trek and asked all about Matt today and wondered when he would be back carrying the torch at this blog he created for our trip that year (Matt will return to Barranquilla this fall).

Next is Joel (Nike hat) who is also from South Carolina and participating in his first expediton. Anywhere. He's a financial analyst in the States, heard about our trip coordinators (E3 Partners), flew to Dallas to find out all about them in January and signed up for Cali before he flew back home.

Bleidy is next to Joel and participating in her fourth expedition for E3 Partners in Colombia. She's 20 and studying to be in the healthcare industry. (She's also my translator and still giggled in the afternoon when she kept having to translate me saying to someone "crazy redhead.") I'm the first to say sharing Jesus should be entertaining, and foremost explaining that if He was patient with ME for 30-plus years ...

Vicki from Dallas is next in the back row. Vicki and her husband, Sam, are full-time missionaries for E3 Partners. They devote 100 percent of their careers to E3 Colombia and have managed expeditions and pastor training in the country for 20 years. Amazing heart that Vicki has.

Andrea, or Andy is next to Vicki. I've spoken about her enough on this blog the past two years, but she's 19 and works as a critical care nurse after graduating No. 1 in her class last June. Two of Andy's three key patients at a local hospital are on ventilators, so she came into our expedition on Sunday after working a 24-hour weekend shift rather broken and looking to bring life to others in a whole new way.

Diana is next to Lisa and is one of the most likeable and passionate translators on our expeditions. She works in daycare locally and after working with Lisa today earned enough love from my wife that Lisa told me, "you can switch translators ... but I will divorce you."

What we do every moment in Colombia is not about us, but I love my team.

Can't wait for tomorrow.

Blessings,

Dave