FIRST HAND MISSION
Colombia
Vol. XV
No. 11
December 2003
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Delighting In Difference
by Fr Gordon Paul Rees MCCJ
A recently-ordained Comboni Missionary from South Africa reports on what arriving in his new mission has meant to him.
When you mention Colombia, the image it usually conjures up in the mind is of drug dealing (cocaine in particular), decades of guerrilla warfare and continuous abductions or kidnappings. Watching local television only serves to affirm this stereotype - corruption, abductions, paramilitary and government troops, attacks, car bombs, violent crimes, arrests of drug dealers, displaced people, extreme poverty, rising unemployment…
One cannot hide or ignore the reality of this country’s many problems. And yet Colombia is much more than all the negative things that plague it.
Colombia has a population of over 40 million. It has amazing potential for tourism – wonderful landscapes; a rich variety of fauna and flora; soaring mountains (three mountain ranges of the Andes pass through and divide the country); so many strong flowing rivers; plenty of lakes, waterfalls and a long coastline; a large variety of fruits, usually with the possibility of more than one crop per year, in some places up to three; many beautiful flower species, with over 400 different types of orchids.
Most parts of the country are blessed with plenty of water, and consequently the country side is generally in beautiful variations of greens. Colombia is blessed with many natural resources, among them: emeralds (number one producer in the world), petroleum, natural gas, gold, silver and uranium. Coffee is the most important crop, Colombia being the second largest supplier in the world.
Some things in the Colombian culture that have caught my attention, only because they are different to what I am used to in my homeland of South Africa: Colombians do not seem to be too concerned about the weather forecast, in fact it doesn’t feature on television or radio. Maybe it is because in some places you can have all four seasons in one day - and in other places it's basically the same all year round.
Again, very few people here will ever say “thank you!” (¡gracias!), instead they will say “May God reward you!” (¡Que Dios le pague!). I must say it took a bit of getting used to, but I think its a nice idea.
At 6:00 am and 6:00 pm the radio stations play the national anthem. The national flag is prominently displayed all over the cities. The people have a strong sense of loyalty to their country. The use of the national colors, yellow, blue and red is very common.
It is quite common, when a family invites you to a meal, that you find yourself seated at table with only the invited guests, with the host serving you. The family will either have eaten before or will eat at a different table or even in a different room.
In Bogota I have seen a interesting habit: on public transport people will not sit down immediately on a seat that becomes vacant; they will stand next to the seat for a while so that it can air and then only will they sit down!
The inner person
What do the people eat? The first course is always soup even in the most unbearable heat, many enjoying eating bananas with there soup. The Colombians love rice, and a meal is just not complete without it. People eat a lot of potatoes, cheese, and maize (corn on the cob), meat (chicken, pork, beef) and fish, and most enjoy there food fried.
People drink a lot of coffee, fruit juices and herbal teas, too. Generally they like very sweet pastries, desserts and cakes. On special occasions one begins the meal with fruit salad or fruit, from one of the very many varieties here in Colombia.
Metro culture
Medellin is the only city in Colombia with a Metro (subway/underground): the history of its construction is long, and was filled with many difficulties and obstacles. It has been in operation since 1995.
What was a real eye-opener to me was to experience the so-called “Metro Culture” that exists in this city. There is no graffiti – not on or in the trains, neither in or outside the stations. In fact, all the infrastructure of the Metro system is clean, tidy, organized; people do not smoke, eat or drink in the stations or on the trains.
During the journey the operator will thank the people for their cooperation and remind them that they need to continue to do their share so that the “Metro will continue to be the pride of the city” – it certainly seems to be working. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that a good number of the train operators are women.
Most people don’t own a car and so there is great demand for public transport. In Medellin alone, there are over 50,000 yellow taxis and thousands of buses (20 - 40 seaters), running different routes and, though the local authorities are trying to organize and control the public transport system, it is still generally chaotic with buses and taxis stopping where and when they like.
Crowds at prayer
The religious life of the people is still strongly influenced by Spanish colonization. There are plenty of beautiful churches and shrines. Crucifixes, religious statues and images are found all over the place, and there are many processions and parades as well as many devotions.
I attended an all-day celebration for Pentecost in a stadium in Medellin. It was a marvelous experience; the stadium was packed to capacity with over 50,000 people. They participated with enthusiasm and remained throughout the day, in the scorching sun, the rain that came in the afternoon, and into the cool of the night, when the celebration ended with the Eucharist, presided over by the Archbishop of Medellin. <WM
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