“O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, the work that You did in their days, in the days of old.” (Psalm 44:1.)
“Things we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praises of the Lord, His strength, and the wonderful works He has done […] so that the next generation would know them, the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children, so that they would put their trust in God, not forget the works of God, and keep His commandments.” (Psalm 78:3, 4, 6, 7.)
The Beginnings of the Reform Movement
At the dawn of the 20th century, the brilliant message of the SDA Reform Movement reached Colombia, just as other religious movements outside Catholic orthodoxy were beginning to gain ground. This arrival took place after a long and oppressive period of the Inquisition, which had left its mark on Cartagena de Indias, an echo of which was only just beginning to fade. In 1939, a man named Carlos Kozel arrived in Bogotá, bringing with him the hope of the gospel. For three days, he walked the streets of the capital, seeking souls thirsty for the truth, until he met a kind man who, with a gesture of friendliness, connected him with a Seventh-day Adventist—a postal worker—whose encounter would prove decisive.
This Adventist opened the door to several brethren who, touched by the Reform message, embraced it fervently. With the growing interest, the need for support became clear; thus, from Chile came the missionary José Carmen León, who, along with his family, settled in Colombia. This brave man of prayer soon faced enormous challenges. A Catholic mob, led by a priest, threatened him with death, but, by the grace of God, he found himself preaching before them for three days, which bore fruit by sparking a sincere interest in his message.
However, his mission was not an easy one. José León had to counter the influence of fanatics and false prophets who claimed to have divine revelations. One of his greatest challenges was enduring the dark period known as “La Violencia” [The violence] between 1946 and 1958, a time when the first Adventist chapel was blown up with dynamite, and the brethren suffered humiliation and persecution. Amid these adversities, faith became their refuge, and hope, their banner.
After the Crisis of 1951–52
Following the crisis that hit the Reform Movement in 1951, Colombia did not receive a visit from the original movement again until the early 1970s. With the morning of this new era, two faithful pioneers and pastors, Desiderio Devai and Alfons Balbach, dedicated themselves to sowing the fruitful Reformer message. It was a time when Colombia’s political constitution granted a privileged position to the Catholic Church, yet these unforgettable men worked tirelessly across various strategic locations in the country.
They established themselves in Bogotá, the capital, known as the “Athens of South America,” and in Medellín, the city of eternal spring. Here, by God’s grace and after a series of meetings, twenty souls were brought into the fold. They also visited Barranquilla, the Golden Gate; Cúcuta, the Pearl of the North; Bucaramanga, our beautiful city, where seventeen souls joined the faith; Ibagué, the musical capital of Colombia, where three persons decided to give their lives to the Lord; and Cali, the third largest city in the country, known as the Pearl of the Valley.
Thanks to their fervent prayers and heroic efforts—and after numerous visits during a time when missionary work was arduous, with meetings that extended for hours, days, and nights—they succeeded in awakening approximately seventy believers. This group, composed of members, interested individuals, and a select group of Colombian pioneers, dedicated themselves to continuing to sow the marvelous message. Among them were notable figures such as Margarita Zorrilla and Elicenia Loaiza from Cali; Emiliano Bonilla and Gonzalo Arciniegas from Bucaramanga; Lucrecia Wellman, Adela Ávila, and Isabel Lizcano from Ibagué; Aracelly Macías and Custodia Arenas from Bogotá; and Luis Amador, Manuel Martínez, and Carlos Hamburge from Barranquilla, along with Floriberto Londoño, Esther Yepez, Rosa Emilia Flores, and Judith Muñoz from Medellín, among others.
Later, the country was blessed by the arrival and work of other messengers of the Word of the Lord, such as Pastors Carmelo Palazzolo, Marcelino León, Francisco Devai, João Moreno, José Romero, Herinaldo da Silva Gomes, Alfredo Carlos Sas, Matheus Souza, Duraisamy Sureshkumar, and Homero Paredes. Some of these men are still alive, while others, as self-sacrificing servants of God, now rest in the dust of the earth, awaiting the glorious day of resurrection. “And their works do follow them.” (Revelation 14:13.)
For Several Years
For many years, the work in Colombia relied on a single worker to serve the entire Colombian field: Brother Andrés Alfidio Decena, a Peruvian national. However, by the grace of God, in 1984, the first Colombian was sent to study at the Missionary School in Lima, Peru: Brother José Ángel Usuga Góez. On May 19, 1990, he was ordained as a pastor, becoming the first Colombian pastor. Years later, another young man, Brother Óscar Orlando Rangel Monsalve, was also sent to Peru for theological education.
Registration and Legal Status
On August 13, 1971, the work was registered in the charming city of Medellín, located in the heart of Antioquia, Colombia. During those years, the headquarters offices were established in this city, where they obtained legal recognition. However, in 1987, the offices were moved to Santa Fe de Bogotá, and with the support of a worldwide offering, the headquarters was acquired in the majestic capital of the Republic.
Providence had another chapter reserved in the history of this inspiring work. In 2006, after settling a debt with the General Conference’s colportage department under the leadership of our brethren Ricaurte Fajardo and Nelson Ruiz, the work evolved from an Association to the Colombian Union, composed of three Fields: the Central Field, based in Bogotá; the Southern Field, in Medellín; and the Northern Field, in Bucaramanga. Thus, the headquarters and offices returned to the beautiful city of Medellín, where they found a home until August 2014.
At that time, the headquarters was relocated to the Eben-Ezer Camp, in Barbosa, Santander, where it remains radiating light and transforming lives.
Acquisition of Our Current
Headquarters: Eben-Ezer Camp
In 1999, the executive committee of the Colombian Association, together with the Regional Secretary of the General Conference, acquired a six-hectare property in the Pozo Negro area, in Barbosa, Santander. This purchase was made possible thanks to the assistance and generous contributions of the church in Colombia, with the purpose of holding spiritual events and establishing institutions for the work, as previously, national meetings had been held in rented venues. Thus, the Eben-Ezer Camp of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement was born. In the year 2000, the first national meeting took place, beginning a long list of events that have continued until today, always under God’s blessing.
Little by little, with prayer and fasting, and thanks to the generous offerings of the brethren, this place has been transformed into a welcoming and comfortable space. Today, it has sufficient accommodations for the staff of the Colombian Union, the Hebron Hotel, the Canaan Restaurant, our beautiful temple, the facilities of the Missionary School, the DVIDA Channel, the Colombian Union offices, and spacious green areas.
Institutions: Their Beginnings and Outreach
Bethel Missionary School—In March 1995, the then Colombian Field, aware of the urgent need for trained workers to support the growth of the work, drew inspiration from writings about the schools of the prophets. Thus began the first class of the Bethel Missionary School in a modest chapel in Curalito, Tolima. That memorable first class included five students: Hermenciano Guiza, Edgar Moreno, Luis Alfredo Rubiano, José Manuel Acevedo, and Claudio Tarazona. Since then, Bethel Missionary School has graduated 21 classes, preparing men and women who, in God’s hands, have become qualified leaders, pastors, and preachers within the Reform Movement, not only in Colombia but also in other countries.
To this day, Bethel Missionary School continues to be a training ground for workers prepared by God, thanks to the dedication and effort of capable and consecrated teachers who, years earlier, also received their training at a missionary school.
Open and Distance Missionary School (EMBAD)—This project was developed with the goal of enabling all church members of the Reform Movement to become missionaries and skilled leaders, equipped to work effectively in their local churches and at the national level. This wonderful project began thanks to the initiative and efforts of our brethren Alfredo Rubiano and José Vicente Guiza, who created written modules that were sent to students’ homes. From these efforts emerged the first graduating class of EMBAD in 2006. In 2018, it gained new energy with the support of the Colombian Union committee, under the leadership of Pastor Nasareno Turushina, and through the efforts of Brother Samuel Hurtado Melo, who expanded EMBAD’s reach nationally and internationally by adopting a virtual format using an online platform.
Since then, EMBAD has had twenty cohorts of students, fourteen of which have completed the program and six of which are currently in progress. Over two hundred and thirty brethren have accessed the institution; among them, eighty-five have completed their studies, and seventy-seven are currently enrolled.
Our graduates have become local leaders within their churches and countries, equipped with stronger tools to support the work of God in their fields. By the grace of the Lord, a good number of EMBAD graduates have received the call to work in the Lord’s service as missionaries or have been promoted to pastoral ministry.
Fundación
ODED Educational Foundation—In its virtual format, this program was born from the concern of Sister Olga Lucía Ortiz, who, as a mother and educator, understood the powerful influence schools have in the corruption of children and youth when they stray from God’s precepts. With this purpose in mind, she sought to provide an educational alternative for families wishing to raise their children in the fear of the Lord.
In 2018, she presented the Homeschool Project proposal to the Colombian Union, and the following year, in 2019, with the support of Pastor Nasareno Turushina, Brother Samuel Hurtado and Nancy Valderrama, the project was launched. Since then, various brethren have joined, contributing their professional expertise and strengthening ODED’s educational offerings.
To date, ODED offers preschool, special, secondary, and adult education. There is no denying that the Lord has used this institution as an instrument of blessing for families who desire to educate their children in the fear of God from home. By the power of the Lord, the ODED Educational Foundation has reached more than 200 families, of whom 50% come from other religious denominations.
DVIDA Communications—DVIDA is the official channel in Colombia, recognized by the General Conference, and it has served as a model and inspiration for other unions that have chosen to establish communications departments in their own countries. It was founded on October 16, 2016, by our brethren Eduardo Merlos, William Fuentes, Nasareno Turushina, Ruth Mayorga, Juan David Suárez, Yeison Bogotá, Desiderio Galvis, Edgar Moreno, and other collaborators.
One of its major accomplishments took place during the pandemic when, by God’s grace, DVIDA became a benchmark in the Spanish-speaking church community. Each day, it served the church community with various programming, reaching more than 25 million people. Due to these excellent results, four full-time employees were appointed to manage the Department of Communications.
With God’s blessing and the support of union administration, associations, the General Conference, and donations, DVIDA continuously upgrades its equipment to provide audiovisual content to serve the church in its various departments.
In the past three years under the leadership of its current director, Diego Moreno, God has enabled DVIDA to reach 23 million people. Through its Bible studies, more than 150 persons have decided to be baptized—a testament to the impact this channel has had on many lives.
DVIDA Bible School—On March 18, 2024, the Colombian Union and the director of the Missionary Schools, Pastor Desiderio Galvis, launched the DVIDA Bible School project. This endeavor was supported by the Brothers Samuel Hurtado and Diego Moreno, along with the DVIDA team, who worked diligently to bring this wonderful initiative to life. The primary goal of the school is to offer church members, as well as individuals from other denominations, the opportunity to engage in a deep analysis of each book of the Bible. Currently, the DVIDA Bible School has eight students who, by God’s grace, we are confident will successfully complete the program.
It is important to emphasize that all the institutions mentioned have received essential and unwavering support from the representatives of the General Conference, for which the Colombian Union is eternally grateful.
Growth
Currently, by the grace and mercy of our God, the work in Colombia has 8 ministers, 6 pastors, 5 church elders, 27 missionaries, 1030 church members, and one thousand eight hundred supporters. Furthermore, the work continues to advance and progress thanks to the institutions mentioned, as well as the diligent, tireless, and intelligent efforts of the leaders in the UNICOL council, the three Fields with their respective teams, and each of the churches within these Fields. These churches not only support each project but also continuously contribute ideas for the progress of the work in Colombia.
Conclusion
“There is a work of sacred importance for ministers and people to do. They are to study the history of the cause and people of God. They are not to forget the past dealing of God with His people. They are to revive and recount the truths that have come to seem of little value to those who do not know by personal experience of the power and brightness that accompanied them when they were first seen and understood. In all their original freshness and power, these truths are to be given to the world.” —Manuscript 22, 1890.
All our pioneers have left us a great legacy that we must honor and carry forward with courage and resolve. It is our responsibility to emulate, as much as possible, the spirit of loyalty, self-denial, and sacrifice that they taught us. Moreover, we have the privilege of upholding the banner of truth that they placed in our hands. They were true reformers, often leaving their families and exposing their lives to fulfill their duty.
“To men of principle, faith, and daring, the world is indebted for its great reforms. By such men the work of reform for this time must be carried forward.”—The Great Controversy, p. 460.
“The Lord will have a people as true as steel, and with faith as firm as the granite rock. They are to be His witnesses in the world, His instrumentalities to do a special, a glorious work in the day of His preparation.” —Testimony Treasures, vol. 1, p. 590.
William Forero |
President of the Colombian Union
