Holy Ground - Reflections from Jessica's time in Colombia with Christian Aid

In 2013 I visited Colombia, for the first time, with Christian Aid. It was an incredible experience. At the time Colombia were still in a 50 year long civil war and over 4.5 million people had been internally displaced. We met with different community groups who had been displaced and then supported by Christian Aid's partners in Colombia. We heard so many heartbreaking stories, but also stories of hope.

After I returned I wrote this song with a few friends as a reflection of what I had learnt, and also the photos are from our time there. The song is named Holy Ground - Father Alberto's Song.

Father Alberto was a Catholic priest who worked tirelessly for the communities and their rights to live lives of peace on their own land.

One of the reflections he did with us was around Exodus 3:2-14 - Moses and the Burning Bush

2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” 13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”[a] He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” '

Father Alberto spoke about the Holy Ground that we all had to step on. He said 'We cannot have faith and not act when we see injustice.'

So we chose to take off our shoes, and walk humbly with God, on Holy Ground, acting justly and loving mercy as long and as much as we can.

Why not take a look at Christian Aid's Website and the prayers that they have written for all those around the world during this time.