The OCGA has worked in Colombia since 1963. Over the years, we have engaged in research, church planting, leadership mentoring, and pastor training. Our team is called SEPAL Colombia, which stands for serving pastors and leaders. Harley Vanegas leads the team.

I had an opportunity to spend a week with Harley and Felipe Brown (team member and former director) in May.  I observed as they did two training events and I had the opportunity to listen to many stories about their work in Colombia.  One story stood out as a true OCGA type of story.  While our teams around the world are all unique and the ministries are highly contextualized, one thing remains constant.  The OCGA is a “Barnabas like” ministry.  We come alongside of leaders to support and encourage them to rise to their full potential.

A few years ago Harley was invited to visit another missionary who was working with remote tribal people.  This missionary had spent close to two decades learning the language and culture of these Colombians and translating the New Testament into their dialect.  He had been preaching and teaching from the gospels but few people had responded to the message of Jesus.  Harley visited the missionary and listened to his story.  Then Harley shared an observation that he has made in Colombia.  Many people respond better to the gospel if they are familiar with the context of the Old Testament.  The stories of Creation, Patriarchs, Exodus, The Law, the Prophets, and the rest of Israels history are important parts of the Gospel story. 

Harley presented the missionary with a chronological approach to teaching the gospel that starts with creation and builds to the coming of Christ.  At first the missionary just turned away and left the room.  There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before the missionary returned with tears in his eyes and said, “I have been waiting to hear this for twenty years, thank you for coming and sharing this with me.”

Harley provided some training and coaching for this missionary who has taken a new approach with the people he has invested his life to get to know, and now they are seeing fruit.  People are understanding the background and reason why Jesus came to save them.  They are responding to the gospel and becoming disciples of Jesus.

Sometimes the impact of our ministry can be measured in significant numbers, other times it is better seen through stories like this one.  Harley had a significant impact in this missionaries life and ministry.  The influence and impact of Harley’s ministry is seen here like ripples across a pond.