Deployment Report | Colombia and Panama

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Subject: Deployment Report | Colombia and Panama

October 9, 2023

Last month, the Missions class had the privilege of traveling to Columbia and Panama to work with both women at risk of sex trafficking and migrants. I wanted to give you all an update on how the trip went, and the things we were able to do in both countries.

We flew to Cartagena, Colombia, where our main objective was to help a single mother named Betty*. She is a single, Venezuelan mother with three children currently living in Cartagena. Our contact, Chuck Holton, has been working with Betty for a couple of years, and has helped her get a place to live. With no professional skills and little education, she's relied on her children to sell candies in the streets for enough money to feed them. This has become increasingly difficult for various reasons, mainly due to the dangerous area it can be for children. In addition to trying to provide for her family, Betty has shown a willingness to assist other mothers in similar situations by taking them into her home. There are currently 7 other women and children living with her now.

*name changed for privacy

Our goal was to help Betty become more self-sufficient. We helped her with things like setting up a bank account for her, got her a refrigerator, encouraged her spiritually, and helped her set up a small business in her own neighborhood that doesn’t require her to take her kids downtown at night to sell candy. We also made a connection with a small church across the street from Betty’s apartment, so we know she has a good church congregation nearby. God helped our time in Colombia to be very successful, and we are thankful for all the work He’s doing there.

We then flew to Panama, where we traveled to the Darién Gap. The Darién Gap is a portion of jungle that migrants travel through as they head north to the United States. It was an extremely eye opening experience, and one that we’ll not easily forget. During the entire trip, we were brought face-to-face with the messiness of sin, poverty, brokenness, and hopelessness that is so prevalent in the world today. It was good for us to experience, but it’s also encouraging to know that Jesus Christ is the answer and remedy to all the problems and pain.

Thank you so much for your prayers while we were in Colombia and Panama. If you would like to contribute financially to this trip, or future Missions class trips, you can donate here. Please make sure that you designate your gift to the Missions Department Trip Fund.

Thank you for your support and prayers as we seek to bring Christ to the nations!

2nd Lieutenant Marcus Nafziger | Unit 57

ALERT Missions Instructor

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Subject: Deployment Report | Colombia and Panama