Last Monday, I took part in my first march. Between 10am and about 3 pm millions of Colombians took to the streets marching south right past our office towards the capitol to protest against the leftist guerrilla group the FARC. Colombia has been suffering under decades of armed conflict that have left it with the second highest population of internally displaced people in the world (Sudan is #1) and the sad distinction of having more land mines buried around the countryside than any other country in the world. Monday's march was a demonstration by Colombians that they are tired of the violence, tired of the kidnapping and tired of the FARC destroying their country.
In the days leading up to the march I stenciled about 30 shirts for CDA employees with the words, "No Mas!" (No More!) and on Monday I joined almost all the CDA employees from our main office in praying in a large circle next to the office for about half an hour before we also joined in the swelling throngs of people heading south.
Though I wasn't the only gringo in the crowd (I saw three international journalists and two German woman carrying a big sign) I sure felt like it. I hope and pray that somehow all those millions of people marching for peace will make a difference. If nothing else, it might help prove to the world the Hugo Chavez is wrong and that Colombians are not FARC supporters as he has claimed.
Please pray for Colombia, pray for peace and for freedom from the bonds of violence and suffering and spiritual darkness that have gripped this beautiful country for so long. Pray for President Uribe, for the armed forces, for the judicial system and for the church. Pray that the church can unite, and become a strong voice of hope and change.
For more details, check out this CNN story . I also posted some pictures taken by CDA's media department during the march.
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