New Faith Lessons Waiting to Be Discovered in Colombia

I'm very excited to share some special news today with our readers: I will be bringing all of you along with me on my next adventure with Catholic Relief Services in January.

Our destination? Colombia!

Over the past few years, it's been a true joy to have you travel with me on #CRSMedia missions to Rwanda and Tanzania. The purpose of these trips is to share the work that Catholic Relief Services is doing in various countries around the world and to invite you to be a part of this mission. In Colombia, we will witness firsthand what our CRS Rice Bowl contributions can accomplish around the world.

For the next several weeks, I will be preparing for this mission by learning more about Colombia, trying to pick up a bit of Spanish, and educating myself on CRS's work in this part of the world. For those who know me well, you won't be surprised to hear that visiting the coffee-rich region of Nariño, in southwest Colombia is a dream come true!

https://youtu.be/EuMzajDX73M

Approximately 50 million people reside in Colombia. In this part of the world, CRS is involved in many programming areas:

On my past #CRSMedia trips, I've learned that traveling to these places so distant from my own home has taught me incredible faith lessons. I could never have imagined the new perspective I would gain on forgiveness and reconciliation before studying CRS's post-genocide work in Rwanda. In the soybean fields of Tanzania, my eyes and heart were opened in new ways to the dignity of work and the critical importance of empowering people to create sustainable financial models for themselves and their communities. It never fails to surprise me that in going into new realms, we discover some of life's most universal truths. I embark on this adventure confident that the families of Colombia will no doubt have so much to teach me through their stories.

I'm very excited to bring you along on this trip with me. Be sure to watch here on the blog for my Colombia Journal entries and follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to experience the fun. My fellow travelers will be announced soon too so keep an eye out for #CRSMedia in your favorite social media spots to take this mission with us!

Next week, I'll also be announcing a second, very exciting trip that I'll be taking in February, so stay tuned for that announcement coming soon! In the mean time please join me in praying through the intercession of Colombia's patrons Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, St. Louis Bertrand, and St. Peter Claver for the success and safety of our journey.