2025 Mission Trip to Colombia - Part 1

My mission trip to Colombia all began earlier this year when my friend Lorna, who was sitting across the room from me, said, “Hey Glenni, are you going on the Mission Trip to Colombia?” I know I had received an email or two about it, but to be honest, I hadn’t really paid attention, and this was the first time that it really registered with me. So I went home and did my research. This was to be a women’s mission trip to celebrate 100 years of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church's ministry in Colombia. A big part of the trip would include a retreat with women from all the Colombian presbyteries.

I love Colombia, but I hate being away from my husband. Nevertheless, the more we talked and prayed about it, the more convinced Keith and I became that I should go. So the next time I saw Lorna, I told her I was definitely going, and we decided to be roommates on the trip – a wonderful, fun decision!

During the months leading up to the retreat, the 12 of us from the United States began to get to know each other through Zoom calls. We made plans and got increasingly excited. We also had 4 ladies from Mexico, 4 from Guatemala, and 4 from Brazil who were attending. I decided it was time to start learning Portuguese so I could communicate with our Brazilian friends.

And We're Off

Early on August 12, Keith took me and my bags to the airport to catch my 7:30 flight. We had been told we could have one checked bag, one carry-on, and a personal item. I planned, packed, and repacked, trying to keep it all manageable. I felt like I did a pretty good job! After checking in at the Delta desk, I headed to the cafeteria near the gate for a quick breakfast. Soon after, I met up with my travel buddy, Lorna, and we boarded our first of four flights. We found more of our group in Atlanta, then flew together to Orlando. From Orlando, we went to Bogota, then Pereira, Colombia, arriving around 9:30 that night.

Pastor Carlos met us at the airport, loaded our luggage on the bus, and took us to the hotel. Lorna and I shared our room with our new friend Hedemarrie, a lovely Colombian native who has spent the last 40 years in the US. Exhausted from a full day of travel, we fell asleep quickly!

Churches, Gardens, and Monuments

Early Wednesday morning, we went downstairs for breakfast, where we began to get acquainted with the ladies who were joining us from Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil. By about 8:15, we were on our way to visit our first church, Dosquebradas, 3 miles north of Pereira. The pastor welcomed us warmly and invited each of us to share something about ourselves. For the 24 of us, it was a great opportunity to learn more about each other. After a refrigerio (snack) of empanadas and coffee (or hot chocolate for the non-coffee lovers among us), we took a tour of the church. They have a vibrant children’s ministry, as well as an unusual ministry where they sell used clothing, shoes, and accessories at bargain prices to raise money for missions and community needs.

All too soon, it was time to board the bus and head north towards Manizales. The hour-and-a-half drive took us through gorgeous mountainous terrain as we climbed higher. We stopped at the Recinto de Pensamiento, the lovely home of the Colombian Coffee Growers’ Committee. Complete with a hotel, a chapel, a restaurant, and gorgeous nature trails, the Recinto was a wonderful place to explore. The signature round bamboo house created by noted Colombian architect Simón Vélez is an iconic venue for weddings and meetings.

We followed our tour guide into the cloud forest, where we saw a spectacular variety of plants, a trickling stream, incredible mountain views, and even a butterfly house. Our guide warned us to step carefully as we made our way around the path since many butterflies would alight before fluttering away.

As we were heading back towards our bus, I discovered that two of my new Guatemalan friends, Maki and Esperanza, were well acquainted with my friends from 45 years ago at John Brown University, Hugo and Rhoda Morales. I knew they had married, and Hugo had taken her back to his native Guatemala City, but I was thrilled to learn that they were still following the Lord and making a real difference in their church and community.

Our next stop was the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Manizales. Our hosts escorted us to the fellowship hall, where the ladies had a full meal prepared for us. During lunch, the high school students from the Colegio Americano attached to the church entertained us, performing a variety of lively typical Colombian dances. After lunch, we went up to the sanctuary where we enjoyed a time of prayer and worship together. The kindness of our Colombian sisters in Christ made us feel incredibly welcome.

Following our time at the church, we hopped on one of the popular local modes of transportation from one side of the city to the other, the periferico or cable car. Looking down at various parts of the city gave us a terrific bird’s-eye view of Manizales. Then we completed our tour with a visit to the Monument to the Colonizers in Chipre. This magnificent set of bronze monuments, created by master artist Luis Guillermo Vallejo Vargas, consists of two parts. The Agony, which is positioned coming up the side of the mountain, represents the tremendous difficulties the Arrieros (Colombian cowboys) faced in traveling over the central mountain range to colonize this area. The Ecstasy, located at the summit of the mountain, depicts a family of colonizers celebrating their triumph in having arrived.

As the sun set, we looked out over the valley below at the twinkling lights. Along a walkway in Chipre, we found a variety of food stands where we all enjoyed traditional meals before heading back to Pereira for the night. My beef brisket and French fries reminded me a little bit of Peruvian anticuchos, but the meat wasn’t quite as tender. Everyone agreed that our first full day had been absolutely amazing!