Aisha's Journey

Truthfully, this reflection should’ve been written a while ago. Yes, maybe it’s a combination of procrastination and trying to get used to this new reality of living under quarantine. But as I sit in front of my laptop and try to find the words to describe EFO, I realize that beyond it being a training event, EFO was a time of testing, polishing, resting, and finding comfort of living in the tension.  As many of you know, for the month of February I was in Colombia for a month long training called EFO. Every 3 years, IFES gathers new staff from all over Latin America for an intensive training equipped with 1 week of missions locally. To learn a little more click here to read my previous posts about EFO. Although coming from Miami means I have friends that come from all over Latin America and the world, there is something entirely new in being immersed in a foreign country. To be honest my first thought about Colombia was coffee, music, and warmth. And although I wasn’t e...

The month of February I was in Colombia for a month of training along with staff from all over Latin America. It was a time full of joys, difficulties, and learning. The first 2 weeks were training and full of plenaries and biblical readings. The 3rd week was missions and we were divided into groups that would go to different cities within Colombia with the local movement, UCU, Unidad Cristiana Universitaria. I was assigned Bogotá with team members and was mostly in the Universidad Nacional. One of the activities that we had was "Desahógate", where we invited students to share things that worried them in a sticky note or to talk to one of our team who would be blindfolded. This was an activity UCU had done several times before, but for me it was the first time. The idea was that sometimes it is easier to be vulnerable with strangers than with those around us. Since our eyes can sometimes judge others, being blindfolded aimed at creating safe spaces for dialogue. It ...

El mes de febrero me tocó ir a Colombia para un mes de entrenamiento junto con obreros de todo Latinoamérica. Fue un tiempo lleno de alegrías, dificultades, y aprendizajes. Las primeras 2 semanas fueron de entrenamiento y llenos de plenarias y lecturas bíblicas. La 3ra semana fue de misiones y fuimos divididos en grupos que irían a diferentes ciudades dentro de Colombia con el movimiento local, UCU, Unidad Cristiana Universitaria. A mí me tocó quedarme en Bogotá y trabajar más del tiempo dentro de la Nacho, o Universidad Nacional. Una de las actividades que nos tocó ayudar fue “Desahógate” donde invitábamos a estudiantes a compartir cosas que les preocupaban por escrito o hablando con uno de nosotros de los que estábamos vendados. Esta era una actividad que se había hecho varias veces anteriormente, pero para mí fue la primera vez. A veces es más fácil ser vulnerable con extraños que con quienes nos rodean. Dado que nuestros ojos a veces pueden juzgar a otros, tener los ojos vend...

As I’ve mentioned to a few of you in person, the month of February I will be out in Colombia for a staff conference for staff from all over Latin America. This conference happens every 3 years with the aim of training staff with tools for starting groups on campus, pastoral care, and many other things. Interestingly enough, my mom went to a similar event many moons ago! Here’s a little interview I had to ask her about her experience. Although some things have changed, I am honored to have been invited to participate and learn in an event that has been important for me and my family. Mom: 1. You went to an EFO a few years ago, what year was it and why were you invited?  It was February 1994. Initially, it was only for Central America, but they made 2 exceptions, with me from Chile and Fanny from Argentina. They wanted to prepare me as a staff for the national office in Santiago and to be the administrator at the national level. 2. What are some similarities and difference...