What can protect the children in my homeland from drugs?

Can anything good come out of Cúcuta (Colombia)? It can! Pedro Andrés, 29, grew up in the troubled social district of this city, where drug trafficking, violence, prostitution and street fights flourish. Already as a child he experienced everyday crime. Like the time masked, armed men threatened him and his friends while they were playing baseball and ordered them to run home. As the men began shooting into the air, they ran for their lives.

But the Holy Spirit blows where He wills, and He is present here too. Pedro's parish priest, a courageous and wise man of faith, was his great role model. He launched many successful initiatives.

The drug dealers, who were “losing” many potential customers to him, eventually threatened him so severely that he had to leave the parish—and even the city.
The faith of this God-fearing priest, whom Pedro served as an altar boy and regularly accompanied on visits to the sick and dying, left deep traces on his soul. These experiences, together with the loving care of his parents, protected him and his two siblings from being drawn into the pull of crime themselves. For this, Pedro is deeply grateful to the Lord.

He recognized his vocation early and entered the seminary at the age of 17; on November 26, 2018, he was ordained a priest. His bishop entrusted him with youth ministry and later assigned him to the troubled social district in the center of Cúcuta. That was a challenging time! One day, a young man was murdered right in front of the parish church. But Pedro's faith enabled him to set aside his human fears in order to bring Christ to those in need in this dangerous environment.

He worked with “his” young people with the same joy they shared with him. Pedro wants to finish his studies quickly and continue his work in Cúcuta. The excellent education, as well as sharing in the wealth of experience of seminarians from other countries around the world, is preparing him for this.

We kindly ask you:

Help Pedro with your heartfelt prayer and, if possible, with your generous donation, so that Pedro can soon bring Christ to the young people in his homeland. He is counting on you! Let us allow the Holy Spirit to blow in the troubled districts of our own hearts as well, moving us to respond with devotion to the needs that God places upon our hearts!

We thank you for your solidarity, and we pray for you.