My first morning of the trip began just as I had hoped: with the whole team gathered around one long table in the hotel cafe enjoying made-to-order omelets of a peculiarly dark shade of yellow-orange and eggy pancakes that, this time around, came with the accompaniment of good ol' American syrup --proof they're getting to know us northerners at La Quinta Porra.
After filling up with food and prayer, half of us were off to a K-12 school to promote the upcoming festival. Upon arriving we were informed that we would only have about 5 minutes in each classroom as classes were still being held at the moment. In order to cover as much ground as we could, we split up into teams of 2 to 3 and dispersed to various parts of the campus. Michael and Antonio, however, were asked to speak in front of a group of kids the administration had deemed "most troubled." They were given an entire hour of class time to speak.
My buddy for the morning was a plucky girl from Evoke named Stephanie. As often the case in my experience of Evokers, we complimented each other swimmingly. Where I'm introverted and stand offish, she's warm and inviting. Where the only dancing I do is figuratively --around any invitation to do so physically-- she is a breakdancer, essentially the pinnacle form of kinesthetic awareness. Where my brain seizes up any time I attempt to talk in either Spanish or Child, her's is fluent in both.
Given this dynamic, when it was my turn to speak to a class, Stephanie would take my rigid, cumbersome description of the festival that I essentially hurled at the kids like a sack of old cantaloupes, and transform it into something much more palatable and enticing.
Overall, the kids seemed really receptive to the invitation. The biggest response always came when Stephanie would mention that there would be breakdance crews performing at the festival, and the students would almost loose their minds when she mentioned that she was part of one of the groups. Immediately they would clamor for a demonstration but Stephanie had neither the proper attire nor space, so she compromised by teaching willing volunteers how to do a "freeze." Attempts by the volunteers weren't lacking enthusiasm, but came up short in execution.
After we had visited all the classrooms we could, the group reunited in the foyer of the front building. As we gathered, the class bell happened to ring. Floods of students of varying ages filled the hallways and we immediately became the topic of every passing conversation as well as the recipients of noticeable giggles and stares.
The younger ones had no qualms about approaching members of the group. Soon I had a posse of 6th grade boys bombarding me with questions. Our conversation consisted mostly of battling for common-ground between my attempted Spanish and their English peppered with helpful interjections of charades. When I saw an opening to could pull Stephanie from her own gaggle of children in order to translate, I found out they were interested in two main things: One, if I had children of my own, which turned to if I had a wife, which turned to if I had a girlfriend, which turned to what I perceived as a subtle sense of pity. And two, how to find me on Facebook. I felt like a relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins as about half a dozen anxious hands scrambled for pen and paper as I agreed to relay my contact info.
Soon after, my celebrity continued as I was hailed by Stephanie who was knee deep in teenage girls. "They want you to speak English!" She said with a smile. Pretty accessible entertainment business in Colombia, I guess.
"Hey… I'm speaking English…" I said with a shrug. My audience erupted with giggles and buried faces. Nailed it.
Antonio drew a crowd with his choice of headdress.
Nakeisha's hair was a big hit as well.
Once all the hubbub finally settled and kids found their classrooms, we headed for the taxis. As we gathering outside, Michael and Antonio were able to share about their experience speaking to the "troubled" group at the first school. The most striking story coming from the experience came when they asked the students if they needed prayer for healing or freedom from anything. One brave young girl burst into tears, admitting that she had been sexually abused growing up and that she need freedom from her past. I am baffled by the courage of this young woman and I know God is doing a good work to free her from the shaming chains that have shackled her since childhood.
Soon we were off to another school to do the same. Again it was the same progression of door to door, except this school had way cooler topography. I mean, check out the volleyball/soccer/basketball court:
After the schools, our afternoon was mostly spent back at the hotel. There I got to know one of our translators that was new to the group. His name is David and I am super impressed with this kid. He's only 14 years old and his English is impeccable. And by impeccable I mean he can speak in a British accent on cue. Though we only spoke briefly, I could tell his mind works very similar to mine. Perceptive, analytical yet open minded, he was a kid after my own heart.
Soon, dinner was waiting at the food court in the mall. And as we embarked, David and I were approached by a young man holding a collection can. He explained that his name was Johnny and that he was collecting money for a program that helped rehabilitate young men who have problems with addiction. Though I couldn't figure out if he was in the program or just helping out, it was apparent that he himself had fallen on hard times as well. There was something about his eyes that I've noticed in many of the people we run into on the street. There was a distance to them, like some kind of void existed between his true self and the person that stood before us. We talked with him a bit and managed to give him a small donation as well as pray over him and the program. We also handed him a flier for the festival, telling him we'd love to see him there.
Once at the food court, the same one we had visited last year, I immediately remembered three things: 1.) Asian stir-fry has achieved international transcendence in the food court world. 2.) This particular food court has the best view of any mall food court I've been to. 3.) Plating goes way beyond food court level.
After tapping out about half way through my smorgasbord of denseness, David came over to join our table. We picked our conversation right back up, as we talked a little bit about where we came from and what our future aspirations looked like at the moment. His revolved around the medical field, and to that I say more power to him.
Then David said something that I've heard few times now on these trips, something that is really affirming to the work being done in and through our group. He said, "You know, I took this job thinking it would be just that. I thought I would be translating for some North Americans for a couple days and that would be it. But I find myself just wanting to be around you guys. Like, I don't want to leave. It stinks that I only have one day left with you guys!" I found myself saddened by the same thing. I really wanted him to spend more time with us as well.
After dinner we were off to an evening church service where Scott was asked to share a message of empowerment to the congregation. The message Scott gave centered around the local church taking responsibility for the change they wish to see in their city; that they are to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the city of Armenia; that the festival we are hosting is just the beginning. Yes, we expect to see God move in a big way during the festival and we expect to see may hearts and lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit, but after the festival is over we will be flying back to the U.S. It is the local church that is tasked with the work of disciplining those that responded to the call heard at the festival. And it is the local church that is tasked with continuing the work of reaching out to those in need and those still in darkness.
As the message was wrapping up, Scott asked all of those willing to say, "Yes," to such a calling to line up in the front of the room. There the Evoke team set out to pray for empowerment over each and every one of them.
With the shimmering of Alexsa's flute peacefully swelling the hearts within every chest about the room, the dull roar of feverish supplication saturated the entire space to the point where the walls seemed to give way to the sound --allowing such a sweet and candid harmony to spill out onto the streets.
And at some point amongst the song and sermon, the surrender and the call, Nakeisha came across David. He had tears in his eyes and was exclaiming, "I know Him! I know Him! I felt Him!"
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