Courage In Colombia
A New Beginning for persecuted Christians in Colombia
Leidy was 19 years old and teaching children at a small school in the local evangelical church when they were terrorized and attacked by radicals from the surrounding community. Her and the children were sent outside as they began to destroy the building. Leidy was devastated to realize that some of the people causing the destruction were family members. Uncles and cousins who mocked their Christian beliefs. Leidy survived but not without physical and emotional trauma. She is thankful to God because she knows it could have been so much worse.
Many Christians in Colombia are taking great risks to share the Gospel with those living in some of the most dangerous places for followers of Christ to evangelize. Taking the Gospel to these hostile areas often results in persecution from armed guerrillas and paramilitary forces. After voters rejected a peace agreement with rebels affiliated with the Marxist Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia in 2016, the government approved an agreement with the insurgents without public approval in 2017. Because of the agreement, various paramilitary groups within rural areas in the north and west have grown more active and violent, making worship, evangelism and travel dangerous. Christians are targeted because their obedience to God’s Word will not allow them to join the violent factions in their areas.
So, life for Christians in Colombia is not easy, families are forced to flee their homes leaving everything behind in fear of their lives.
We have an opportunity to make a difference. Crossroads Cares in partnership with Voice of the Martyrs Canada is going to help re-establish the first 30+ families who need a place to live. El Tablón is a mountainous plateau, and the hopeful future safe community for the displaced families seeking refuge. Members of the community are currently living in tents. They are sleeping on plastic, with minimal blankets and no sanitary conditions. Parasites, respiratory diseases and malnutrition is evident according to Dr. Fernando Torres who visited the villagers.
Our goal is to build homes for the families, provide them with agricultural tools so they can begin to farm the 80 acres of available land to rent and help with providing clean water through Portable Water Treatment Plants.
Together, we are providing hope in the face of adversity. WE ARE HELPING THE MOST VULNERABLE RE-BUILD THEIR LIVES.