Funds Overview

...As for an overview of how Alejandra and I have been using some of the funds that we've received for our ministry here in Colombia, it looks a little like this: One of the main developments is that in moving to Duitama to start a new church, we started renting a building both for Alejandra and I to live in, as well as to meet in as a church. The group has grown fast, and is full of young, new believers that are excited about following and learning from Jesus. 

This building used to be a restaurant, and so we remodeled it a little (turned the kitchen into our bed room and created a smaller kitchen off to the side and installed a shower), and for 2 and a half months we hired a Venezuelan immigrant at a little more than average wage to help us with the construction (we also hired another Venezuelan that helped with the plumbing and another one that designed and made the kitchen). 

Anyway, the fellow's name that helped us with the construction is Tello, and he's a good worker and was very responsible (always showed up 10 minutes early and administered resources well). He lives with his wife and son in a run down room and everything that we had left over from the construction he used to make stuff for his apartment (like a chair and desk)... His son recently graduated from a foundation that he had to go to because he was caught doing drugs, and the day after his graduation was his birthday, and so he joined us for a party where we celebrated him as well as my wife Alejandra and her twin sister who's birthday was the next day.  

Back in December, Alejandra and I hired Tello's wife to make Venezuelan food for a Christmas gathering, and Tello brought about 40 Venezuelans to attend. He and his wife have also been attending our Sunday morning gatherings, and I'm not sure if they are Christians yet, but they're very receptive. 

Every time Tello and I would hit the road to buy construction materials (1 hour drive towards Tunja), we would pick up Venezuelan walkers, and encourage them and give them a bit of money as they continued on their journey. 

At the end of the construction project, I bought Tello a drill and a circular saw to help him keep getting more jobs and create more income (in our own project we would pay a bit of money to borrow another Venezuelan's tools), and he told me he was eternally thankful. I also sponsored him to take a ropes and security course which is part of the standard requirement for receiving construction jobs here in Colombia, and after completing this 2 day course, a couple days later he called me to let me know that he had gotten a stable job.  

There are also 2 other stories that aren't as encouraging. One of a young Venezuelan man who I bought a cart for so that he could sell fruit (he told me that's what he really wanted to do), but he ended up selling it to someone else, and squandering the money. He's been lying to his mother and father in law, and sometimes will take another friend that's a girl and her son with him to beg for money on the street, as it's easier than working, and sometimes pays more.

Another tough story is that Frank was the Venezuelan fellow who Alejandra and I helped along with his wife and kids, and who stayed some time here in Duitama when their 5th child was born... they were set on going back to Venezuela even though I discouraged it, but eventually consented and gave them some money for the transportation and for them to get by and maybe create a job of some kind in Venezuela (I gave them the equivalent of $800 US dollars)... they eventually made it to Venezuela and reconnected with their extended family, but as I suspected, their money ran out, and Frank left his wife and children to come walking back to Colombia and made it here to church in Duitama along with a friend (it took them 10 days walking). I paid for him and his friend to stay in a hotel for a week while I traveled to San José to visit the church that I had started there and share the gospel with an indigenous community, and when I made it back the next Sunday they came to church again, but told me they decided to keep walking to Peru... it just breaks my heart that each day Frank is getting further and further away from his family, even though he stays in touch with them and sends them money. 

As for other more spontaneous help, just about every time Alejandra and I travel back to Bogota or to Tunja we pick up Venezuelan walkers that may have been traveling for weeks by foot, and we pack all their things up on the roof rack of the car and fit as many people as we can inside the vehicle, and in the matter of a few hours manage to take them as far as it would take for them to otherwise walk for a few days. Usually we talk with them about Jesus along the way, and then buy them some food and give them some money to help them going forward.  

When Alejandra and I go back to Cucuta in March, it will be interesting to see how the transition will work between the Venezuelan family that's staying in our apartment and working with the church, but I trust the Lord will have us pick up right where we left off, meeting regularly for Bible studies and the Sunday morning meeting... when the border opens up, throughout the week hopefully we can live on the Venezuelan side, and return to the Colombian side every weekend.  The family that I left in charge for a year now in Cucuta has been doing a wonderful job, and I have continued to pay for the rent of Alejandra's and my apartment for them to stay in, as well as send them another $200 dollars for additional expenses each month. Since this is the last month that they will be staying in our apartment, I sent them $500 just to help out with finding a new place to stay or else head back home to Venezuela. 

Alejandra and I will continue to support the church in Duitama with about $500 dollars each month until the church's income increases and it can pay for its own expenses and we can progressively taper off with the support. Meanwhile, we will be investing more in the church in Cucuta with things such as rent and meals with Venezuelan immigrant friends and things like that.  Finally, at another border city of Colombia with Venezuela (Puerto Carreño) there is a Venezuelan pastor that administers a tuk tuk motorized vehicle that I bought both to create an income for him as well as the 2 Venezuelan drivers that use it. He sends me a percentage of the income for using the vehicle each month, and even though it will take a few years to break even, I feel like it was a good investment to realistically help Venezuelan Christians in need. 

Sincerely, Sam and Alejandra