YAY — I made it to Colombia! It’s been a full, beautiful, and stretching first week. Our typical weekly rhythm looks like this:

• Tuesday–Saturday: Ministry days

• Sunday: Church and cleaning day

• Monday: Sabbath (rest day)

• Thursday: Adventure day!

Ministry has started off slow but sweet. This week, we spent most of our time in the kitchen prepping food, cutting vegetables and squeezing mayo packets into bags 😝. We’ve had lots of free time in between food prep, which has been nice for naps and getting settled into our new home.

Coming up this week, we’re diving into youth ministry, painting, and cleaning. One of the most beautiful parts so far has been learning how to communicate and work with people who don’t speak English. It’s definitely a challenge, but so rewarding, the people here are truly amazing. 

We’re currently staying at a rehab center for men coming off the streets. It’s been a bit hard since we aren’t allowed to talk to them (for their healing process), but it’s still a powerful place to be. The living space has two floors, each with about 5 rooms and a shared living room/kitchen area. I share a room with two other girls, and we are SO thankful to have our own attached bathroom, such a blessing!

Our community time has been super sweet, we love staying up late hanging out in the living room, watching movies, baking, playing games, or just talking. The rooftop hangout area is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s quickly become a favorite spot.

On the ground floor, there’s a church (which we attend) and a super cute bakery! At night, they open up the space for homeless people to sleep on mats. Even though the setup is open to them, our floors are totally secure, so no worries there.

Adventure Day was a highlight! A group of us went on an 8-mile hike (round trip). It was definitely challenging but 100% worth it! On the way up, a dog started following us and he ended up staying with us the entire hike AND the walk home! We named him Banjo, and we even fed him Fruit loops. We ended the day with pizza and ice cream at the bakery!

Living with 40 people isn’t always easy, but I’m learning to lean into community, embrace the chaos, and trust God with every moment. I’m so thankful for the people here, the opportunities to serve, and the little glimpses of beauty and joy in the everyday. Can’t wait to see what week two brings! Thank you all so much for your prayers and support!