June 2023

We had the joy of hosting LIsa and Jackie from Pennsylvania. Here is what they had to say about their time with our ministry: 

"This past June, My friend Jackie and I had the opportunity to join Jinnela and the Impacting One Life at a Time team in Corozal and Rincon Del Mar. Our time spent with the team was short, only a few days, but the impact was profound. We joined the group in a medical clinic in Rincon del Mar and had the pleasure of playing with the children as we helped them decorate trash can “monsters” that were hungry for trash. We enjoyed a concert for the children in the evening and sang and danced along to the stories told by Jinnela and her team of talented volunteers about keeping the environment clean. We also spent the morning helping clean the beautiful beach of Rincon del Mar and getting to know the community. Our time spent there went by so fast, and yet so many things have stuck with me as I have returned home. Jinnela and her team are so creative, incredibly talented, and welcoming. Our difference in language did not hinder our fun together. We had delicious meals together, impromptu Spanish lessons and English lessons and a sponanteous game of charades. What impressed me most was the passion for the local people of the community to help one another – by this I mean the eagerness of the volunteer team of the local church to serve the community, and the reciprocation of the community to support them as well. One of my favorite things about all of the time spent in Colombia was the beauty of each town, largely the buildings with flower vines cascading from terraces and climbing walls, enveloping everything in their path with beauty. The warmth, welcome, kindness and love of Jinnela and the Impacting One Life at a Time team is the same – pouring out and over the communities and our team and covering us with joy and beauty. Within this team is the presence of God and they do all they can to spread it as the floral vines that cover the walls of houses." --Lisa

"As a fire blazes when you blow on it, I feel my faith fanned into greater flame from the time we spent with Jinnela and the Impacting One Life At a Time Colombia volunteers.  This is the real church-people, loving their neighbors and serving with the gifts God has given them in community.  And there are so many gifts among the young people here-music performance and song writing, medical skills, prayer, writing stories for children, crafts, and organization to pull it all together!  To see how our Colombian brothers and sisters love on each other and their neighboring communities gives me so much hope.  An old view of missions was of outsiders bringing something of value.  This is different.  This was a chance to see how God is working among our Christian brothers and sisters in Colombia and to be deeply encouraged by their faith, love, and hospitality.¨ --Jackie

Both Lisa and Jackie worked with the medical clinic and various kids' activities. We are so grateful for their time and serving their hearts out!