This week's question

There’s been another local murder: a girl who refused to hand over her motorbike. Our barrio is jittery, some local women are frightened to leave home alone even in daytime. A Colombian colleague prays that the Lord would make Olwen invisible when she goes out.

In an attitude I find difficult to emulate, she refuses to be intimidated and was off at night-time into a dodgy part of the city meeting some Ecuadorians. They’re a group of Quechua speaking Christians who’re starting to get involved in the sewing project.

I keep my head down by concentrating on classes. Not that that’s completely peaceful. This week we had a re-enactment of the Sanhedrin at Jesus’ time, complete with Pharisees and Sadducees denouncing each other. As women couldn’t be part of the Sanhedrin, the female students were the accused. The charge: calling a wee boy an angel, it could be a capital offence, depending on your theology of angels.

It’s a risky life whether in Medellín or ancient Israel or anywhere else, until we’re in heaven. Last week I asked, “Why not come and visit us?”, this week it’s “Why not come and join us?”. Plenty of scope, plenty of needs and it’s always sunny.

Photo: Luis Fernando has just finished a project on Christ's sufferings and Colombia

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