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Introduction

The Republic of Colombia is a republic in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, to the south by Ecuador and Peru, to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the northwest by Panama, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. The area of Colombia is 1,141,748 km² (440,839 square miles). In 2010 the estimated population was 45,393,050. The majority of the population (58%) is Mestizo, or of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry. Approximately 20% of the population is of European ancestry (predominantly Spanish, partly Italian, Portuguese, and German), 14% is of mixed African and European ancestry, 3% is of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry, and 4% is of primarily African ancestry. Indigenous Amerindians comprise only 1% of the population. Official demographic statistics regarding religious affiliation are not collected, but based on various studies, more than 95% of the population adheres to Christianity, with the vast majority (between 81% and 90%) being Roman Catholic.

1955 Article

In 1954 Colombia Mennonite mission work was carried on by two branches of the Mennonite Church, both of them beginning in 1945. The Mennonite Brethren mission occupied a territory in Choco and in Valle on the Pacific coast and had three main stations, La Cumbre in Valle, Istmina and Noanama in Choco. Evangelistic, medical, educational, and linguistic work was done. There were 50 believers and a missionary staff of 16 members in October 1949.

The General Conference Mennonite Church was doing mission work in central Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. Its principal work was located near Cachipay, where they operated a home and school for underprivileged children, a large percentage of whom came from a background of leprosy. Evangelistic work was also done in Cachipay, Anolaima, La Mesa, and La Esperanza. There was an evangelical community of about 150, of whom 81 have been baptized in 1954. There were nine members on the missionary staff. -- Gerald Stucky

The Colombia Mennonite Brethren Mission in South America had its beginning when Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Wirsche, who were sent there by the Board of Foreign Missions, arrived at Palmira, Valle for the study of the Spanish language in April 1945. The mission acquired its first property when the Board purchased an unoccupied, independent mission station at La Cumbre, Valle, in the hills. The chief field of the mission, however, lay in the Choco, which stretches along the Pacific Ocean from the mouth of the San Juan River north to Panama and the Caribbean Sea. The population of the field was variously estimated at several hundred thousand to four hundred fifty thousand.

The main stations in 1954 were at La Cumbre, Valle. and at Istmina and Noanama, Choco. Other places served as preaching centers. Besides being the seat of the first indigenous church, La Cumbre operated an elementary school for nationals as well as a school for missionary children patterned after the American eight grade curriculum. The dispensary service in charge of a nurse was in its beginning stages. Istmina in the Choco harbored the indigenous church group of the Chocoans. A dispensary was conducted by a missionary nurse. Preparation was in progress for a school for nationals. Evangelization at the stations consisted largely in house visitation and preaching in neighboring villages. Noanama was the center for linguistic work among the Indigenous. After the language had been reduced to writing and some translation of Scripture undertaken, evangelization among the Indigenous would be made possible.

The total number of believers on these three fields in 1949 stood at fifty. No ordination had yet taken place, although nationals were being employed as evangelists and teachers. The missionary staff consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Wirsche, Mr. and Mrs. David Wirsche, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Dyck, Lillian Schafer, Annie E. Dyck, Kathryn Lentzner, Mary I. Schroeder, Lydia Golbek, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob A. Loewen, Mr. and Mrs. Harry K. Bartel, and Ruth Loewen. -- A. E. Janzen

Colombia Mennonites in 1986
Source: Mennonite Encyclopedia 5, p. 167

1990 Article

The Republic of Colombia, located on the northwest part of South America, was named after Christopher Columbus. The Spaniards discovered and settled it during the first 50 years of the 16th century. The settlers implanted the Spanish language and the Roman Catholic religion, thus establishing cultural patterns and some of the country's ethnic characteristics.

Colombia had an estimated population of 32 million in 1986. Its inhabitants are the descendants of white Europeans, black Africans, and native Indians. There is a common language, Spanish, spoken in all of the territory. In the small islands of San Andrés and Providencia in the Caribbean, English is also spoken. The relatively few Indigenous groups speak their own dialects. Most of the population lives in urban centers, such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla. Colombians are by nature open, friendly, religious, and resourceful.

Colombia takes pride in cultivating the use of good Spanish. Many poets, essayists, and novelists have made outstanding contributions to literature. Gabriel García Marquez, a novelist, received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1982. The work of contemporary painters, such as Fernando Botero, Alejandro Obregón, Enrique Grau, and others, are universally recognized. Cartagena, the historic city founded in 1535 on the Atlantic coast, has been declared part of the cultural patrimony of the world by the United Nations. Bogotá, the capital (5 million inhabitants in 1986; 7 million in 2005), is the cultural center of Colombia. It has two professional orchestras , several theater groups,and several colleges and universities. There are several large daily papers (most cities have local papers), broadcasting stations, and three television channels. The rate of literacy in the country was 81% in 1986 (92% in 2005).

Colombia is rich in gold, platinum, copper, emeralds (most emeralds on the world market come from this nation), coal, and oil. The main agricultural products are coffee, bananas, and other fruits, flowers, and vegetables. The average yearly income was $1,430 (U.S.) in 1983.

Colombia is a representative democracy. The president is elected by popular vote every four years. He appoints the members of the cabinet, the governors of the different states and territories, and other important functionaries. Members of the two houses of Congress are freely elected by popular vote. A law approved in 1986 authorized the election of municipal mayors by popular vote.

The majority of Colombians have been baptized in the Roman Catholic church at an early age. Marriages and burials are usually performed by this church. However, there is complete freedom to practice any religion that does not endanger Christian morality.

There are no official statistics regarding the Protestant community. The estimates go from 2,500,000 to as few as 250,000. A recent survey conducted by one of the Protestant groups gives 350,000 as a more realistic calculation. This equals 1.16 percent of the total population.

There are four Anabaptist groups working in the country: Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Colombia (an outgrowth of General Conference Mennonite mission work, begun 1945); Asociación de Iglesias de los Hermanos Menonitas (Mennonite Brethren, 1945); Iglesia Colombiana de los Hermanos (an outgrowth of mission work by the Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio, 1973); and Comunidad Cristiana Hermandad de Cristo (Brethren in Christ, 1982). Together these groups had an approximate membership in 1986 of 2,300 in 40 congregations served by 31 pastors. These churches devote themselves to evangelism, education, health, and social services. The Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Colombia, and Asociación de Iglesias de los Hermanos, work together in the social service agency MENCOLDES (Fundación Menonita Colombiana para el Desarrollo, 1977) in cooperation with Mennonite Central Committee and the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA). -- Héctor G. Valencia V.

2015 Low German Mennonite Colonization Efforts

A Low German Mennonite delegation from Chihuahua to the Department of Meta arrived in 2014 to investigate the land after hearing a tip from a Colombian petroleum engineer in Texas about the availability of cheap fertile large land tracts in the llanos of eastern Colombia. Upon investigating the land, the colonization committee sent a positive report back to Mexico. Within a year a group of Mennonites purchased three large haciendas, Liviney, Australia, and La Florida, situated 90 kilometers (about 55.92 mi) outside of the city of Puerto Gaitan. The motive for moving was due in large part to the increased price of land in Chihuahua as well as the scarcity of water.

The group immediately imported 2.5 million dollars’ worth of equipment and machinery from the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico along with all their belongings from Mexico shipping them from Tampico to Cartagena. As of 2021, there were five colonies in the region. Liviney colony had 7,200 hectares, Australia colony had 7,000 hectares and La Florida had 2,000 hectares. The two largest, Liviney and Australia, were already established fincas and the Mennonites did not choose the names. Houses and a school were built, farm equipment bought, and electricity brought in. In 2019, another three new colonies were established called San Jorge, Los Venados and Pajuil. These Low German Mennonites had established three agribusinesses for their colonies: Florida Farming, Agroindustria Llanos la Esperanza S. A. S., and Agrícola Enns del Llano S. A. The groups have been led by Abraham Wiebe Martens and Peter Enns who directed the purchase of the land and the sale of the crops as legal representatives of the colonies.

The fortune of the colonies has gone through a period of famine and feast. Initially, they sowed rice and corn, but they eventually bought soy seeds supplied by agrobusiness La Fazenda. While the colonies have found success with corn, rice, and soy, the first two years were a loss due to the high investment of fertilization and calcification (the soil was low in calcium). The rice crop failed in 2018 due to a plague and a low sale price. Despite these initial setbacks, the subsequent years have shown significant growth in both crops and sales.

While secure, the territory is not without its problems. Much land in Colombia does not have clear legal title due in large part to the displacement caused by the conflict with FARC. Cartels, paramilitaries, and guerrilla groups all share the blame for the estimated six to eight million hectares of land stolen from its rightful owners. Though currently peaceful, Meta is a region of considerable displacement and could be a future problem for the new settlers. -- Samuel Boucher (Sept 2022)

2020 Update

In 2020 the following Anabaptist groups were active in Colombia:

Denomination	Members in 2009	Congregations in 2009	Members in 2020	Congregations in 2020
Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia	1,200	24	1,000	26
Iglesia Hermandad en Cristo	131	5	46	1
Iglesias Hermanos Menonitas de Colombia	1,700	44	2,332	43
Nationwide Fellowship Churches			18	2
Unaffiliated Mennonite Congregations			6	1
Totals	3,031	73	3,402	73

Bibliography

Author(s)	Gerald Stucky
	A.E. Janzen
	Héctor G. Valencia V
	Samuel Boucher
Date Published	January 2023

Barragan, D. Minoría pacifista, menonitas dejan México no sólo por el agua: el Estado los abandonó – Agua.org.mx. Agua.org.mx, 2015. Available at: <https://agua.org.mx/minoria-pacifista-menonitas-dejan-mexico-no-solo-por-el-agua-el-estado-los-abandono/>

Braun, W., 2017. "Colombia fever". [online] Canadian Mennonite. Vol. 21, Issue 16 (23 August 2017). Available at: <https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/%E2%80%98colombia-fever%E2%80%99>

The Brethren Encyclopedia. Philadelphia and Oak Brook, IL: Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc., 1983: 324.

Carlos Rojas, J., La poderosa congregación que ha comprado 16.000 hectáreas en el Meta. El Tiempo, 2018. Available at: <https://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/investigacion/colonia-menonita-compra-extensos-terrenos-en-meta-202530>

Chaparro, L. Menonitas, un éxodo hacia el sur del continente. El Universal, 2016. Available at: <https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/10/24/menonitas-un-exodo-hacia-el-sur-del-continente>

www.nytimes.com. menonitas en mexico sufren. 2015. [broken link]

Gómez Durán, T. and Mayorga, P. El desierto donde se trafica agua. Contralacorrupcion.mx, 2019. Available at: <https://contralacorrupcion.mx/explotadores-agua-mexico/trafico-de-agua-desierto-chihuahua.html>

Handbook of Information, General Conference Mennonite Church (1988): 88, 91.

Juhnke, James C. A People of Mission: A History of General Conference Mennonite Overseas Missions. Newton, KS: Faith and Life, 1979: 147-161.

Kraybill, Paul N., ed. Mennonite World Handbook. Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1978: 211-215.

Mennonite Brethren General Conference Yearbook (1981): 113-114.

Mennonite World Conference. "Global Map:Colombia." Mennonite World Conference. Web. 27 March 2021. https://mwc-cmm.org/global-map.

Mennonite World Conference. "World Directory: Latin America & Caribbean." Web. 20 June 2010. [broken link].

Mennonite World Conference. World Directory = Directorio mundial = Répertoire mondial 2012: Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and Related Churches = Iglesias Menonitas, de los Hermanos en Cristo y afines = Églises Mennonites, Frères en Christ et Apparentées.Kitchener, ON: Mennonite World Conference, 2012: 20.

Planeta Americano, periodico estudiantil del Colegio Americano Menno, Oct 2005, ISSN 1794-7421.

referente.mx. 2015. Explotación menonita de mantos acuíferos y sus consecuencias. [broken link]

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Cite This Article

MLA style

Stucky, Gerald, A.E. Janzen, Héctor G. Valencia V and Samuel Boucher. "Colombia." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2023. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Colombia&oldid=174668.

APA style

Stucky, Gerald, A.E. Janzen, Héctor G. Valencia V and Samuel Boucher. (January 2023). Colombia. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Colombia&oldid=174668.

Colombia

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