Barranquilla, a fascinating city in Northern Colombia, is the nation’s major transportation for products coming and going by sea. Its chief advantage is its position at the mouth of the Magdalena River.  An ancient indigenous trading site was located near steep embankments. Spanish traders first settled as early as 1630. The settlement grew from humble beginnings and large land grants. During the chaotic decades of the nineteenth Century, Barranquilla was constantly involved with various political factions, providing for intense emotions and differing loyalties.

Immigrants began to pour into the port city. Barranquilla gained the nickname “Colombia’s Golden City” after World War I when European immigrants fled the ravages of destruction, looking for a better future. After World II, the river of immigrants became a flood, bringing people from every country in Europe and from across the Middle East. Consequently, this large urban area is one of the most cosmopolitan regions in Colombia.

Barranquilla is noted as a city of ‘firsts:’ Colombia’s first major port, the first city with phones, the first city with an airport, boasting the nation’s first public companies, the first city with running water to all its homes, and the first commercial radio station. 

On the other hand, the city of two million is known for chaotic urban planning and corruption at various government levels. 

How to pray for Barranquilla – Remember six LAM Missionaries.

1. Pray for Hernan and Rosa Bravo: They have dedicated their lives to proclaiming the Word of God in Colombia’s northern communities. Under their influence, many churches have been formed, and new Christians have become active disciples. Their lives proclaim the truth; many couples witness the love of Christ in their home and seek to emulate the same kind of caring support for their own children, much as Hernan and Rosa raised their own family.


2. Pray for Daniel and Helen Bravo: Their passion is to see local churches committed to their calling and mission to follow Jesus, serving where the need is greatest. They believe that if churches receive the necessary training and mentoring and are helped to establish partnerships for sustainability in their missional efforts, they will be healthy, growing churches. They will proclaim, witness, and live the gospel in a way that brings integral transformation to the communities they serve. 


3. Pray for Judah and Jessie Rath: The newest team members in Barranquilla are Judah and Jessie. They have a passion for reaching and teaching younger people. Jessie teaches in a local school, sharing her love and faith in many ways. Judah and Jessie are active with young men and women; some are teenagers. Reaching out through camping brought them into touch with many as-yet unreached Colombian families.