Bello is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia and is a suburb of Medellín, the department capital. Bello is part of the Metropolitan Area of Medellín. The city has a population of 359,404 making it the second largest city in the Antioquia Department after Medellín. Bello has a population density of 2496 per km. Bello is also one of several municipalities that make up part of the metropolitan area around Medellín.Meaning "Beautiful" in English, Bello was founded in 1679 and became a city in 1913. The city is also known as the "City of Artists" in Colombia. Its current mayor is Oscar Andres Perez. Bello is located next to Medellín at its northern border in the Valley of Aburra. The climate is warm and is affected by gentle winds throughout the year. We went with One Hope as and "Impact Team". Impact Teams are short-term mission trips for individuals or groups that work alongside the local churches to bring the salvation story to students and youth in the form of the Book of Hope and The GodMan, an animated version of the Book of Hope. These teams hand-deliver God’s Word through presentations that include drama, song, personal life applications and local outreaches. It is such a blessing to participate and focus on children's photography. Our team was a diverse group of experienced and first-time missionaries. Angela was our coordinator along with her assistant Claudia. William was our local contact through CENFOL. Pastor Jym was our team leader and, as always, assisted by Jeanette Perez. Frank, from Book of Hope Alabama, was also on board to help in our ambitious effort. Hector was our translator and spearheaded our efforts into the urban culture of Bello Colombia. Each day we had the privilege of sharing the Book of Hope with children in public and private schools. Our team focused on encouraging personal growth, shared testimonies, performed dramas, and focused on connecting with kids. It was a pleasure and a joy to spend time with these children. Although they may live in what some may consider poverty, they are abundantly joyful, full of energy, always smiling and truly content. Often, I think they minister to us more so than we to them. Day one of our adventure started out around 4:30 in the morning. (Yawn) after a long day of visiting multiple schools the group then went to a hotel located in an extremely underprivileged area. This hotel is primarily occupied by drug dealers, prostitutes, homeless people, and the destitute. However, Hector and his team have spent a great deal of time developing a relationship with these economically challenged individuals. More so, they are passionately focused on connecting with the children in this area. Hector and his team will visit and share chocolate and bread with the kids and tell them the good news about God. Hector took the group to visit this Hotel late at night. Many children came out to meet new friends, eat a little chocolate, and play with these interesting Americans. After a grueling 18 hour day the team finally settled them for the first night of rest. Yes, it was a long day but a very satisfying one. - We hope you find these photos of some use and that they may be a blessing in some small way.
Location: Bello - Medellín, Colombia
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