I am excited to share with family and friends that I'll be heading back to Colombia, South America this September. This will be my 2nd time going to serve with a team from our church, Forest Hill, alongside South America Mission and the people they reach in this beautiful country. I have been extremely blessed with these opportunities over the last couple of years to have my eyes and heart opened to the Colombian people and learn about their culture, history and their walk while building lasting relationships with our team members.
I am proud to be a part of F3, which stands for Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. The mission of F3 is to "Plant, Grow and Serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership" (www.f3nation.com). This year, I have the amazing and challenging opportunity to co-lead a team of F3 men from Forest Hill church to Colombia. To say this trip is stretching my comfort zone would be an understatement. F3 is built upon the verse from Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (ESV)." I was pushed (sharpened) in ways I didn't know were needed. It is what I learned on this trip and the experience I gained that has me excited to once again, join our church team of F3 men as we had back.
Our exact schedule is still being planned out but we’ll spend the bulk of our time in La Guajira Desert working with the indigenous Wayuu people. If we've talked before about my previous experience in Colombia, I undoubtedly shared with you how much I've grown to love "The Desert." While the environment can be harsh, met with hot, dry days, the people are what make this place special. We’ve worked with Wayuu church leaders in constructing various buildings to further enhance and grow a pastoral training center that shapes men and women to spread the gospel and develop thriving communities among the Wayuu in northern Colombia. Formally, this training center is called CENFOW, which translated stands for the Center for the Formation of Wayuu Christian Workers.
In addition to construction projects, we've been able to visit Wayuu communities and spend time with leaders to learn about their lives, families and churches. This is where true partnership and relationship building has occurred. This September, we'll have that chance again. While I often think this is an opportunity for me to gain perspective, it is even more about learning from brothers and sisters in another part of our world who also share many of the same experiences, struggles, desires and beliefs. It is their goals and their faith that draw us closer and has me excited to return.
With that, I ask for your prayers and partnership. First and foremost, would you please pray, think about and even check on my wife Masayo and our children Aiyana, Nala and Wayden while I'm in Colombia. Pray for their safety and their time together. Pray for the people of Colombia that their hearts would be open to engaging with our team and working with us while exhibiting patience as we learn from them. Pray for our team as we prepare for this mission trip and also for our time in country. Pray that our hearts are in the right place as we enter in conversation with them.
Furthermore, if you would like to donate toward the $2,000 each us need to raise, that would be greatly appreciated. You can make your tax-deductible donation by clicking on the "Donate" button in the upper left portion of the page.
Thank you for your time to read about our upcoming trip to Colombia, your support of our team and your thoughts and prayers for our family, team and the people of Colombia.
Sincerely,
Will Uter
I am proud to be a part of F3, which stands for Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. The mission of F3 is to "Plant, Grow and Serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership" (www.f3nation.com). This year, I have the amazing and challenging opportunity to co-lead a team of F3 men from Forest Hill church to Colombia. To say this trip is stretching my comfort zone would be an understatement. F3 is built upon the verse from Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (ESV)." I was pushed (sharpened) in ways I didn't know were needed. It is what I learned on this trip and the experience I gained that has me excited to once again, join our church team of F3 men as we had back.
Our exact schedule is still being planned out but we’ll spend the bulk of our time in La Guajira Desert working with the indigenous Wayuu people. If we've talked before about my previous experience in Colombia, I undoubtedly shared with you how much I've grown to love "The Desert." While the environment can be harsh, met with hot, dry days, the people are what make this place special. We’ve worked with Wayuu church leaders in constructing various buildings to further enhance and grow a pastoral training center that shapes men and women to spread the gospel and develop thriving communities among the Wayuu in northern Colombia. Formally, this training center is called CENFOW, which translated stands for the Center for the Formation of Wayuu Christian Workers.
In addition to construction projects, we've been able to visit Wayuu communities and spend time with leaders to learn about their lives, families and churches. This is where true partnership and relationship building has occurred. This September, we'll have that chance again. While I often think this is an opportunity for me to gain perspective, it is even more about learning from brothers and sisters in another part of our world who also share many of the same experiences, struggles, desires and beliefs. It is their goals and their faith that draw us closer and has me excited to return.
With that, I ask for your prayers and partnership. First and foremost, would you please pray, think about and even check on my wife Masayo and our children Aiyana, Nala and Wayden while I'm in Colombia. Pray for their safety and their time together. Pray for the people of Colombia that their hearts would be open to engaging with our team and working with us while exhibiting patience as we learn from them. Pray for our team as we prepare for this mission trip and also for our time in country. Pray that our hearts are in the right place as we enter in conversation with them.
Furthermore, if you would like to donate toward the $2,000 each us need to raise, that would be greatly appreciated. You can make your tax-deductible donation by clicking on the "Donate" button in the upper left portion of the page.
Thank you for your time to read about our upcoming trip to Colombia, your support of our team and your thoughts and prayers for our family, team and the people of Colombia.
Sincerely,
Will Uter