Travel Tuesday: Colombia Parte Tres

So today is my FINAL installment of my Colombia destination mini-series for Travel Tuesday. Just to give you a little heads up, the next two Tuesdays are going to be a bit different. I'll still be having my link-up going next week, but I do have a little blog series coming up for Christmas, so Christmas Eve there will be no Travel Tuesday. Then, I'm hoping that the final Travel Tuesday of this month will be a LIVE video log of my travels to Colorado! Woo hoo!

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Okay, now that you all are THOROUGHLY confused (haha), let's get to my favorite part of my series of my missions trip to Colombia, THE KIDS! The main purpose of our trip was to minister to the children we came in contact with. We got to see the same ones almost every day we were there, for over a week! It was SO HARD to part with them and say goodbye, but we had so much fun while we were there! They stole my heart completely, and are part of the reason I want to teach in South America some day! So here we go!

Aren't they just the CUTEST!?!

 

Having so much fun!

 

Pamela was SUCH a sweetheart!

 

I think one of the coolest parts of our trip was being able to minister and love on these kiddos daily. Going to the same building, seeing the same children, we were really able to build relationships with them.

Most of the kids who attended this program (it was almost like a daycare) had a rough home life. Some of them were orphans even, or their parents were drug-dealers. So this was their place of refuge. Just a hug and a smile of hope and joy meant so much to them.

 

Some of the kids LITERALLY were attached to us, but they all attached themselves to our hearts.

 

Karen was one I really got to know. She was shy at first, but had a heart of gold. I will always remember that last day we were at the institute with the kids. They all knew it was our last day, and we spent almost an hour in one of the main hallways crying and talking and saying our goodbyes. Then, for one last hurrah, we went into the chapel and the band there started playing praise worship. We turned our mourning into dancing! Karen was one who really was not into it at first, but after a while, I took her hand, stood her up, and we danced around the room together! It is a wonderful memory.

 

The kids loved having their pictures taken with us, and even taking the pictures! And of course, they loved seeing themselves on the tiny screen too! :)

 

 Here I am with some of the older girls. I had so much fun with them, teaching English, playing games, even with the language barrier. Love is an international language!

 

 As you can probably tell, I had a blast with all of the children in Suba, and I still want to go back! We always think we are going on the missions trip for the people we are serving, but really, we get ministered to even more, by them! I love each of those kids, and continue to pray for them. This place was where my heart for missions was birthed, and it has just magnified since then!

If you have never been out of the country, just go once. I know that's what did it for me, and it's what can do it for you!




Have you been to South America before?


Allie Elliott
Follow @allieelliott