‘Conferencia de parejas’ in Cartagena, Colombia

Conferencia de parejas (Couple’s conference) was a 3-day conference hosted by our ministry partner, Calvary Chapel Cartagena, on October 14th-16th this year in Cartagena, Colombia. Pastor Craig Caster, Pastor Miguel Rivera and Pastor Juan Carlos Martinez were speakers at this event which was attended by over 60 couples. The participants were mostly pastors and their wives from surrounding churches, married ministry leaders, couples from the church and even some couples who were seekers and not yet believers.

By God’s grace, the event was a great success. On the first day, the speakers addressed church leaders specifically, encouraging them to capture a vision for discipleship and discipling married couples. On the second day, the message was for couples in general and the third was an exhortation to the church. Participants were blessed by the teaching – couples were personally confronted to surrender their lives and families to Christ and to live out their marriages according to the Bible. They were excited to receive the workbooks and other tools for family discipleship and one pastor and his wife even signed up on FDM Institute with Pastor Juan Carlos to continue this discipleship training. Outside of the teaching sessions, there was much opportunity for amazing conversations and counselling sessions. The pastor of the church, Pastor Santiago Amin was personally encouraged, both as a minister and as a husband, on the importance of discipleship and keeping the focus on God’s word. 

During this trip Pastor Craig and the team had the opportunity to visit Tierra Bomba, an island off Cartagena. There is much prostitution and trafficking of young women in this area – the need for God is so great. The team was blessed to meet a Pastor there who runs a church and a Christian school. The church and school, aptly named the Refuge, is indeed a refuge in the midst of so much evil. This pastor was interested in starting FDMI discipleship studies in Feb 2023 and we pray that God gives him all strength, courage and wisdom in his ministry and discipleship efforts.

We praise God for a fruitful conference and a blessed trip to Colombia. Please keep Calvary Chapel Cartagena and its pastor, Pastor Santiago Amin in your prayers and they seek to be faithful disciples of Christ, submitting their lives and marriages to the Lord.