The homeless crisis in Colombia is compounded by drug addiction, poverty, and steady flow of migrants.
But a Christian ministry is rescuing many from death, while caring for those still on the streets.
SCRIPT:
MEDELLIN’S CITY OF REFUGE
BCA1371 Brody Carter, CBN News
INTRO:
MORE THAN 100 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE DON’T HAVE A HOME.
IN COLOMBIA, THE CRISIS IS COMPOUNDED BY DRUG ADDICTION, POVERTY, AND A STEADY FLOW OF MIGRANTS.
IN THE CITY OF MEDELLIN, A CHRISTIAN MINISTRY IS PROVIDING SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS, WHILE CARING FOR THOSE STILL ON THE STREETS.
BRODY CARTER TAKES US TO THE CITY OF REFUGE.
SCRIPT:
BRODY CARTER, Medellin, Colombia (STAND-UP)
COLOMBIA REMAINS THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS – FLEEING FROM ECONOMIC COLLAPSE AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY – THOUSANDS ARRIVING HERE… SEEKING FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, AND STABILITY – MANY OF THEM ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND EXPLOITATION.
DOUGLAS CALVANO, Missionary – Ciudad Refugio
“Not only the homeless, but also the migrants – the displaced people…I don’t know if you heard, we have people coming from Catatunbo… into Medellin. Displaced because of the guerillas – it’s becoming a bigger crisis than in the 90’s.”
VO: COLOMBIA IS HOME TO ABOUT THREE MILLION VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS, A NUMBER THAT COULD LIKELY TRIPLE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
DOUGLAS CALVANO
Nothing will happen, they’re in fact protected to do this – sometimes the police come they don’t do anything.. because they don’t have the budget to help them and the government doesn’t have enough money – and sometimes they don’t know how to help them.
VO: ON TOP OF THAT, CLOSE TO SEVEN MILLION COLOMBIANS HAVE NO HOME IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. IT’S A CRISIS CONTINUOUSLY FUELED BY ECONOMIC STRUGGLES AND ONGOING CONFLICT. AND ON THE STREETS, THOSE WORLDS COLLIDE.
DOUGLAS CALVANO
They come here because the drugs are so cheap.. and they end up falling into drugs.. some of them dying of overdose.
VO: FOR MORE THAN 30-YEARS, DOUGLAS CALVANO WITH FUNDACION CIUDAD REFUGIO HAS SERVED MEDELLIN’S HOMELESS. THIS OPEN-AIR DRUG MARKET, A STARK SYMBOL OF THE CRISIS AND THE CHALLENGE FACED BY CALVANO.
CALVANO
“this is where the government is pushing all the homeless…
this is a culture within a culture.”
VO: EACH WEEK, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS DRIVE INTO THE DARKEST CORNERS OF THE CITY, TO SERVE AS A LIGHT FOR THOSE LIVING ON THE STREET.
BRODY CARTER (STANDUP)
This is how it all started for Ciudad Refugio – or the city of refuge. Right now, you’re witnessing an event called Pan y Panella, they’re handing out bread and sugar water – for the prostitutes, drug addicts, and homeless – they’ve got nowhere to go. … we’re in an area called the Bronx, this is also called ‘Hell Street’ – they hold their future in their own hands.. whether they get arrested is still to be seen. Some of them might die tonight.
HARRY DIETRICH, Ciudad Refugio
“If you wind up in the Bronx, it’s because you’re at the end of your rope. You’re at the worst of the worst in your life.
VO: HARRY DIETRICH NEVER IMAGINED LIVING IN COLOMBIA, HELPING LEAD A MINISTRY LIKE THIS. ORIGINALLY FROM NEW JERSEY, HARRY MOVED TO BOGOTÁ WITH HIS FAMILY ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO. THEIR MISSION: FIND WHERE GOD IS WORKING AND JOIN HIM. TODAY, DIETRICH OVERSEES CIUDAD REFUGIO’ OPERATIONS , FROM THE SHELTER TO EVENTS REACHING INTO MEDELLÍN’S MOST DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS.
DOUGLAS CALVANO
Some nothing happens, and some others, they’re touched – some they want to receive Christ – some want to come back with us. you will see some of these people knocking at the door tomorrow morning.
VO: BACK AT THEIR DOWNTOWN HEADQUARTERS, THE WORK CONTINUES. EACH NIGHT, DOZENS LINE UP OUTSIDE, HOPING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO REST. BEFORE ENTERING, THEY MUST PASS SECURITY CHECKS FOR DRUGS AND WEAPONS. THOSE WILLING TO FOLLOW THE RULES ARE GIVEN A MATTRESS TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR.
Harry Dietrich,
“Many of the homeless are just looking for a roof, looking for a bed, looking for a meal. But if they have any type of a heart for the Lord or restoration fully, we’ll take them in and get them going in the program as soon as possible.”
VO: A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO RESTORE THE WHOLE PERSON – PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY. A STOREFRONT BAKERY INTEGRATES THE MINISTRY WITH THE CITY – WHILE ALSO TEACHING JOB SKILLS TO THOSE IN REHAB. THEY ACHIEVE A 65% SUCCESS RATE, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN MOST PROGRAMS.
YEYSON MARIN: Recovered Addict
“When I come here, I was sure I would die. And I was planning maybe 3 or 4 months more alive because I was really, really sick. But… when I come here, everything started to change inside of me.”
VO: AT HIS LOWEST POINT as A FORMER ADDICT AND ACOHOLIC, YEYSON MARIN FOUND TRANSFORMATION HERE SIX YEARS AGO.
HARRY DIETRICH
We have the women’s program as well. And if they’re below school age, many times the child will come into the program with the woman. But then we also do like a vacation Bible school every Saturday. And most of those people are Venezuelan moms with their kids.
CAMILA GOMEZ Recovered Addict
Since I was 14 years old, I went to church.. but I gave myself to things I shouldn’t have. I gave my life to money and alcohol, and I clung to them.
VO: CAMILA GOMEZ, 26, LOST CUSTODY OF HER DAUGHTER, JOCELYN, DUE TO ADDICTION. THROUGH THE MINISTRY, SHE FOUND FOOD, HOUSING, AND WORK. TODAY, SHE’S SOBER AND REUNITED WITH HER DAUGHTER.
(singing Santo! Clama la creacion, Santo!)
VO: IN THE BASEMENT — THEIR CHURCH, KNOWN AS “THE CAVE,” WELCOMES THOSE REJECTED BY SOCIETY.
HERE, EACH STORY IS MARKED BY A MIRACLE, CREATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT AND REBUILD.
CAMILA GOMEZ
“For me, it has been something supernatural. It is very beautiful to see how God is transforming our minds and our hearts every day, first of all. He is touching the deepest part of our hearts. It has been the deepest thing in our hearts, and it makes us understand that the only thing that can save us is Him.”
VO: THE MINISTRY IS GROWING, WITH THE GOAL TO HOUSE MORE MEN, WOMEN, AND MISSIONARIES WHILE TAKING THEIR MODEL TO OTHER CITIES.
DOUGLAS CALVANO,
I think the Church is awakening to the fact that – the Gospel is not just what we preach from the platform. We need to do things for people. People are tired of the right message, the right sermon – they want to see the gospel on the streets, they want to see the church moving where the need is… I would say that is happening in Colombia thank God.
YEYSON MARIN
“The real restoration is not just to stop using drugs — it’s to start to enjoy life, to love people, to be a good example for the people around you, show the gospel, the love Jesus showed you, show the same love to the people..
VO: CIUDAD REFUGIO IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF A LIFE TRANSFORMED BY FAITH — EVEN IN THE DARKEST OF PLACES. AND AS THE NEED GROWS, SO DOES ITS MISSION — POINTING OTHERS TO THE CROSS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVING AS A REFUGE.
REPORTING IN MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA — BRODY CARTER, CBN NEWS.
Story Provided By:
Stephen Little, Senior Producer, CBN News
Producing Organization
CBN News,
Recording Location
Medellin, Colombia
Reporter / Producer
Brody Carter
Organization featured in this Story
Ciudad Refugio
People Interviewed and their Titles
Douglas Calvano, Missionary, Ciudad Refugio
Harry Dietrich, Ciudad Refugio
Yeyson Marin, Recovered Addict
Camila Gomez, Recovered Addict
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