Our first stop this morning was to the inner city of Bogota, Colombia. We held an event in a church with a powerful name, “Breaking Chains.” The pastor is a former drug dealer and addict. He now has a heart to reach the families and children whose parents are involved in the same addictions. I was told before entering the church that the majority of the children we would be spending time with are from homes where drug addiction and prostitution are the norm. With each child that I encountered, the thought consumed my mind, ‘I wonder what this child has seen.’ Asking that sort of question brings with it a quite helpless feeling, knowing I have no control over the home they come from, or the life they will return to after our brief together is over. But what I could control was those precious few moments together.

For the first time in my life, I regret not paying attention in Spanish class!!! I would like to issue this formal apology to my high school Spanish 101 teacher for all of the morning siestas I took during her teaching. It sure would have come in handy today. The children had many questions for me, and unfortunately none of them asked, “donde esta el bano?” That’s about the only question I could answer! “Where is the Bathroom?”

But the kids got a kick out of attempts to speak their language, and we had great fun. The kids were not told they would be receiving gifts today, so they were thrilled when we started handing out the shoe boxes. It was incredible to see their faces light up. They introduced me, and I stood up and sang for the kids. During the first song about 5 little boys started crowding around my guitar and attempting to play it for me.

We are back on the road to another area. I can tell already that God is in this, “breaking chains” in the lives of these children, and breaking chains in my own heart.

-mw