Colombia
Compassion started working in Colombia in 1974. Today, there are over 82,000 children registered in our programs through 250 church partners.
Where We Work
Snapshot of Colombia
64
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
19%
lack access to improved sanitation
16
children under the age of five die per 1000 births
For over five decades, Colombia was wracked by a civil war fought on multiple fronts between government forces, rebel paramilitary groups and drug-trafficking cartels. The vicious, ongoing fighting left millions of people killed, injured, disappeared or displaced—many of them children.
While a shaky peace has held over the past two years, Colombia is grappling with the fallout of decades of violence and is in great need of prayer.
The Colombian government estimates that 3.6 million people have been displaced since 2000; 75 per cent are women and children, many of whom now live in shanty towns around major cities and have little access to medical care, education, safe water and basic health services.
Trafficking cartels and gangs still control large swaths of the nation, although FARC (the most powerful insurgent group) has largely demobilised and others have been weakened. Colombia remains one of the world’s top cocaine producers—and Australia is a significant export market.
One-third of all Colombian children are anaemic, and approximately 13 per cent of children under five years old suffer growth stunting caused by chronic malnutrition. Almost one in 10 children between the ages of five and 14 are involved in child labour, which can interfere with their ability to attend school and expose them to dangerous situations.
The country has recently been through Congressional elections, and the presidential election will take place on 27 May 2018. President Juan Manuel Santos can’t be re-elected, having served two consecutive terms. Instead, conservative Ivan Duque of the Democratic Center party will face off against Gustavo Petro of the Colombia Humana party.
Letter from Compassion Colombia Director Jose Carrasco
Greetings in Jesus’ name! My name is Jose Carrasco. I am the South America Area Director and I’ve been privileged to serve as the Interim Country Director of Colombia since 2014. I was born in Peru. I am married to Laura and we have two wonderful children, Jose Alonso and Natalia. I am proud to inform you that Compassion has been serving Colombia for 43 years.
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Letter from Compassion Colombia Director Jose Carrasco
Greetings in Jesus’ name!
My name is Jose Carrasco. I am the South America Area Director and I’ve been privileged to serve as the Interim Country Director of Colombia since 2014. I was born in Peru. I am married to Laura and we have two wonderful children, Jose Alonso and Natalia. I am proud to inform you that Compassion has been serving Colombia for 43 years.
We currently have 249 program centres in Colombia and are serving more than 81,000 children and youth. The impact of Compassion’s holistic program in the life of a child is huge! They feel loved, cared for, nurtured and supported in more ways than one. At the program centre, children have the opportunity to identify their strengths, develop their gifts and talents and overcome difficulties. They are taught, among other things, that they are special because they are children of God.
You have made this possible through your sponsorship and your prayers. We would not be able to reach all those wonderful children without your generous and selfless giving. Unlike a child who is not in a program, a sponsored child has a safe place to go each day and learn about the love of Jesus. You truly are making the difference in these children. Thank you so much for your support!
Allow me to share just some of the struggles we face on a daily basis. Compassion serves the poorest children in Colombia and their families. The children are at high risk of sickness and even death in their early years. They are surrounded by violence on a daily basis and the absence of one of the parents. We are also facing an economic crisis, where unemployment and cost of living are extremely high, making life increasingly difficult for those who live in poverty. Lack of water and access to medical attention is a daily struggle. Their hospitals lack the medicine and equipment needed to serve their communities. The families cannot turn to governmental education or its agencies as these do not offer the help they require.
2017 has arrived, bringing with it many challenges, but by God’s grace we will continue to go forward and face any struggle that presents itself. Compassion Colombia has improved its program and materials to better empower the Church to fulfil its mission. We are encouraged by the willingness of the Church to work hard and diligently through trainings, facilitation visits, materials and local mobilisation to better serve the children. Compassion Colombia has excellent plans in place to develop Child Protection Networks, Early Childhood and Youth Development Strategies to be prepared to help more beneficiaries. It is possible to change the lives of more children and help them to become responsible and fulfilled adults. We have seen it so many times! It happens when the Church of Christ gets mobilised in prayer and action to intervene in the lives of children.
Nourishing the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored child is of utmost importance. I’d like to encourage you to write letters. When a child receives a letter, to him/her it’s like receiving a gift. It means more to a child than you will ever know. Your words really encourage, nurture and affect him/her positively. Knowing someone who lives so far away is praying and thinking about them makes them feel loved and appreciated.
There are no words to express the gratitude that my heart feels for your sponsorship. Your giving has changed the destiny of a child and that is priceless! My heart fills with joy as I express my appreciation and recognise your generous giving. May the Lord bless you and your family. We ask for your prayers, and promise to also pray on your behalf.
Sincerely in Christ,
Jose Carrasco
Interim Country Director Compassion Colombia
Mateo’s Transformation
When he was just 14, Mateo Lopera Agudelo began using drugs. “Every day, I advised my children about the danger of drugs. I could not understand why my son made the decision to use drugs. What did I do wrong?” asks his mother, Gladys. In the community of Currulao, Colombia where Mateo lives, drug use is a big issue.
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When he was just 14, Mateo Lopera Agudelo began using drugs.
“Every day, I advised my children about the danger of drugs. I could not understand why my son made the decision to use drugs. What did I do wrong?” asks his mother, Gladys.
In the community of Currulao, Colombia where Mateo lives, drug use is a big issue.
“When many of my friends started to use drugs, it was in style and I thought I should be [using drugs] because I could be more powerful in some way,” says Mateo.
Drugs changed Mateo from being a kind boy, to someone who was aggressive and violent. His academic performance began to slip and he was expelled after using drugs at school. Redemption came through the Compassion program at his local church which Mateo has attended since he was five years old.
With a passion for music, Mateo knew he needed to continue attending the program in order to be allowed to play drums at events. The Compassion staff knew of his drug use, but chose not to directly speak about it, instead showing a kindness to Mateo, which God used to save him from a problem that was destroying his life.
“When I arrived at the project, I never felt rejected by the people there,” says Mateo. “They would say ‘Mateo, you have come!’ full of happiness.”
Through a spiritual retreat organised by the centre when he was 16 years old, Mateo accepted Jesus as his Saviour and stopped using drugs. People around Mateo could hardly believe his transformation. He began attending school again with good grades and hopes to study mechanics so he can have his own repair shop. Mateo preaches of God’s goodness and looks for opportunities to share his testimony so others will be aware of the dangers of drug use.
“The project was that door that remained open for Mateo when others got closed. Project staff helped Mateo and showed him God’s love. God touched Mateo’s life though the project,” says his father, Eduardo.
“I used to think I could do things alone, but now I know that for all things I have strength, in Christ’s strengthening me,” says Mateo. “There is nothing better than giving our lives to God. I will live to serve God.”
Prayer requests for Colombia
- Please pray for the upcoming presidential election. The peace agreement (between the government and the FARC guerrilla-group-turned-political-party) could be affected by the change of president. May God give the people wisdom in this important decision. Pray for a peaceful, free and fair election process.
- Please pray for the family of William Acosta, a Compassion assisted boy who recently passed away. Please pray for strength and peace for his family and friends in their grief; pray that God will comfort them and that their local church will surround them with support.
- Pray for Pastor Juan Rivera’s son, who is four years old and has been suffering seizures. Doctors recently discovered a cyst in his brain and have begun treatment; please pray for the boy and his family, for healing and strength.
- Please pray for several registered children and their caregivers who have been ill for a long time and were recently diagnosed to be HIV-positive. Pray that they will receive the medication and support they need for their physical health, and that they will find the friendship and love they need to be spiritually and emotionally healthy, too.
- Please pray for communities and churches who have been affected by violence and gang activity. Pray especially for safety and protection for the children; pray that God will empower His people to bring peace and hope to their neighbours and nation.
Stories from Compassion in Colombia
How One Teenager Quit Drugs and Dedicated His Life to God
As a 14 year old in small-town Colombia, Mateo fell into the trap of trying drugs with his friends and spiralled into addiction. But God had a plan to restore and redeem him through the love of his local church family.
Why Doesn't Compassion Work in Conflict Zones?
Nearly one in every nine children live in a conflict zone. So why does Compassion only choose to work in stable communities?
Nick Vujicic: Hugs Without Limbs in Colombia
Nick Vujicic and José are young men with lives seemingly worlds apart. Yet both have had to overcome huge challenges: Nick was born without limbs, and José was born into extreme poverty. Watch what happens when the two meet.