Pray for Colombia on Sunday April 15, 2012

Pray for Colombia on Sunday April 15, 2012

Prayers for Colombia: John 20:19-31

Loving God, we know all too well the fear the disciples felt after Jesus had been crucified. Today we pray for our sisters and brothers in Colombia, some of whom live in constant fear due to the forty-year-old armed conflict. Too many of our brothers and sisters in Colombia have been beaten, tortured, forced to flee from their homes, as they’ve taken up their crosses and followed you. When Christ returned to meet with the disciples as told in John 20, he said “Peace be with you” three times. We pray for peace in Colombia, for peace in the United States, for peace in all places torn apart by violence and we pray that you’ll give us the courage to go out into the world and proclaim your peace. We pray in particular for the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia and all those building peace in Colombia, in the United States and around the world.

Mission Stewardship Moment from Colombia:

Pastor Salvador Alcántara has ministered to the rural community of El Garzal for over a decade. For most of this time he has been the most vocal and most visible leader in the community’s struggle to keep their land from a violent paramilitary drug-dealer who also wants the land. Because of this, Pastor Salvador has received multiple death threats from the paramilitary over the past several years. The most recent threat came in December of last year, shortly after Pastor Salvador and his community received a visit from members of the Global Ministries board where the community spoke publically about their plight.

After being threatened Pastor Salvador reached out to the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia for support. Thanks to the emergency funds Global Ministries was able to provide the Peace Commission, they were able to secure safe-refuge for Pastor Salvador and his family for several weeks in another part of Colombia.

With the immediate threat having passed, Pastor Salvador is back with his church and community, and the Peace Commission continues to monitor his safety, ready to step in and support him again if needed. Pastor Salvador recently said, “I’ve been able to minister here for this long only through God’s mercy; that’s the only way I can explain how I’m still alive.”

Thanks in part to the financial support given through Global Ministries, the Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia is able to support dozens of pastors and church leaders living in life-threatening situations all across Colombia.  

(Prayer & Mission Moment by Michael Joseph)

Multimedia Resources for Colombia:

·         Video interview of Michael Joseph: http://globalministries.org/resources/multimedia-resources/videos/video-mission-moments/colombia-joseph.html

Global Ministries International Partner in Colombia:

  • CEDECOL – The Evangelical Council of Colombia. Global Ministries partners closely with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission and the Christian Women’s Network for Life and Peace.

More info on Colombia: http://globalministries.org/lac/countries/colombia/

Global Ministries Missionary in Colombia:

Michael Joseph serves in Colombia with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission of the Evangelical Council of Colombia (CEDECOL), including the Christian Women’s Network for Life and Peace. He is providing a pastoral critical presence to church and lay leaders who are living in life-threatening situations.