We have been looking forward to this week all year! We hosted our first AIM team. They came from Mount Hope Church in Grand Blanc, physician Michigan, Mount Hope Church in Lansing, Michigan and New Life Fellowship in Moline, Illinois. They came to do an evangelism outreach by using a basketball camp to reach the youth of Tocancipá. On Monday we went to our two main target high schools and did school assemblies. The camp itself lasted three days with a morning session and afternoon session. The kids learned drills and technique, but every camp was laced with dramas, testimonies and Godly principles. Friday night we held a concert. Jerome and Trini-D came from Michigan to perform. They’re rappers. It was so cool to see the reaction to them at the concert because even though the lyrics were in English, they had poured so much love into the community throughout the week that everyone went crazy for them! We also had the group Identidad, a local Colombian group. Jerome gave his testimony and Identidad gave a message and invited them to accept Christ. It was a very cool night!
Saturday was the final rally, championship games and all the prize giveaways. Pastor Aldo, the local pastor, spoke on turning your life to Christ. This is a community with a lot of barriers and he spoke strongly on overcoming them.
Sunday concluded their trip with service in the morning where Jerome performed again and Pastor Joe preached. The church prayed for the team and gave each one a gift. After a week of long days and hard work, it was time for their fun day! We went to the leather district for some shopping, up to Monserrate and finally to Crepes and Waffles for their final dinner and dessert!
This was an amazing team. We can say we love them best because it was our first official team, but they were so incredible, each one with amazing personalities and such passion to serve in any way necessary. We had a ton of help from the Master’s Commission here in Bogota and when I asked them what they thought of the team they said, “We have never seen a team so intense in prayer, so passionate and so accessible by everyone.” They left a mark on everyone here that they came in contact with.
As an added bonus, William was able to come spend Friday and Saturday with us, and even compete in the 3-on-3 tournament, making it to the semi-finals. It was an incredible blessing for Josi to have true quality time to get to know him.
If they happen to read this we just want to send a million thank yous to each and every one of you who came and poured your heart and soul into Tocancipa. It was an honor to work with you.
~Tona