Mosaicolombia Archives - Mosaic Mennonites

by Demarcus Daniels & Turan Rush

Editor’s Note: This reflection has been edited for length and clarity and reprinted with permission from Conference-Related Ministry Midian Leadership Project, Inc. (Charleston, West Virginia).

As part of Mosaic’s Summer Ambassadors initiative, Demarcus Daniels and Turan Rush traveled to Cartagena, Colombia, this summer for leadership equipping and cross-cultural learning. Their experiences offered opportunities to listen, share, receive, and learn from people whose lives and communities are different from their own.

The authors with children they accompanied as part of the Summer Ambassadors retreat in Cartagena.

Demarcus Daniels: Finding New Perspectives

One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for me was seeing young people worship together. They had a deep love for Jesus and were growing together in community.

It gave me a new perspective. No one’s life is perfect, but in the Midian community, have places to worship and many resources available to us. The neighborhood we visited in Cartagena had many fewer resources, but the kids had smiles on their faces. Seeing that was powerful. There’s a lot of life there.

The trip was also a culture shock for me in many ways. I had never been in a situation where people didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand them. That was different! It was fun to experience the culture and see how people live and move through everyday life.

Spending time with leaders in their community was another highlight. Hearing how they work and share the gospel gave me new ideas for ways to reach young people back home. It also gave me new relationships. If I need ideas, encouragement, or motivation, I now know people doing similar work in other countries.

One of the activities we did was to choose an object that represented our leadership style. I chose a pen that clicks to pop out and back in.

What someone writes or shares can affect other people’s lives. But the pen also must know when to click back in. Leadership isn’t always about being the one out front. Sometimes leaders must step back, listen, let someone else lead, and learn new skills.

Turan Rush: Learning to Dwell in Intercultural Community

Joining my friends from Mosaic Mennonite Conference in Cartagena was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in learning what it means to be intercultural.

During our stay, we didn’t simply coexist. We shared ideas, values, and habits. I learned how to build active connections with people from different cultures, and I had the chance to dwell in unity with people from Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.

Our host leader, Javier, showed us around Cartagena, and shared some Afro-Colombian history. One of my favorite experiences was learning about the Palenqueras, women known for their vibrant red dresses and beautiful head wraps. They skillfully balance baskets filled with tropical fruit or homemade sweets to sell in the market.

Javier also taught us about Cartagena’s history as one of the largest ports for the transatlantic slave trade in Latin America. To learn about what Afro-Colombian communities have overcome while continuing to preserve and celebrate their culture was inspiring.

Traveling with my friend Demarcus was also a meaningful part of the experience. His wisdom and ability to uplift those around him were gifts throughout the trip. We studied Luke 24 and the story of the road to Emmaus. I was reminded that Jesus meets us in our sorrow and difficult moments. During our time together, we were reminded to slow down and recognize that God is present along the journey.

The experience was also good for my soul. After taking part in a CCDA cohort in Virginia earlier this summer, I have been practicing purposeful Sabbath. Going into the Colombia trip, I wasn’t sure what my role would be. Usually, I’m one leads or finds a way to serve others.

Yet this time, I was able to be poured into by my friends who were part of the Mosaic Summer Ambassadors. I also had the opportunity to learn from Danilo Sanchez, Mosaic’s Leadership Minister for Intercultural Transformation, and Jennifer Svetlik, Director of Community Engagement.

I learned that there is a difference between being around another person’s culture and purposely entering it—learning from people, sharing life with them and learning how to love them like Jesus would.

Giving myself time to be poured into helps my leadership grow. I need to continue learning and developing so that I can return home and better lead and serve young people in Charleston, West Virginia.

I’m grateful to Mosaic for making this experience possible and to all of Midian’s friends who continue to share this journey with us.

Demarcus Daniels

Demarcus Daniels has served as a Mosaic Summer Ambassador for two years and is a football player at Fairmont State University. He grew up coming to Midian’s Safe Haven and has served in summer youth work programs with Midian.

Turan Rush

Turan De’Angelo Rush is the founding Chief Operations Officer of the Midian Leadership Project. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D in Sports Psychology from Kairos University, where his research focuses on sports and trauma-healing.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To share your thoughts or send a message to the author(s), contact us at communication@mosaicmennonites.org.

by Javier Márquez

From February 6-9, pastors and leaders met in Santa Marta to strengthen relationships, deepen friendships, and continue discerning the Conference’s path in Colombia.

Participants included pastors from Anabaptist Community in Medellin, Shalom Mennonite, leaders from the Wiwa community in the Sierra Nevada, among others, along with Mosaic Conference staff members and spouses. This annual gathering has a clear purpose: to grow in mutual understanding, pray for one another, encourage ministries, and deepen our Mosaic Anabaptist identity in Colombia.

A central focus was studying the Mosaic Conference Priority Guide. Through participatory methods, the group engaged in honest conversation, active listening, and deep biblical reflection.

The Conference’s vision and mission were explored through three key lenses: formational, missional, and intercultural. The discussions moved beyond theory. Participants connected the priorities to real ministry experiences and the concrete challenges of living out the gospel across Colombia’s diverse regions.

One of the most memorable moments was an invitation from Ismael Conchacala to visit his community in the Sierra Nevada. Surrounded by towering mountains and flowering trees in a tropical dry forest ecosystem, the group hiked, listened to Indigenous stories, and entered a traditional home where the community gathers around the fire to make important decisions.

Being welcomed into that sacred space was a gesture of deep trust. There, Conchacala led a biblical reflection on the Good Samaritan, inviting the group to consider the “mosaic” within the church and the world, and the radical call to love those who are different. The mosaic image—diverse pieces forming a greater design—took on renewed meaning in that intercultural setting.

Hospitality enriched the day: Ismael’s family prepared a traditional sancocho stew, shared with laughter, stories, and gratitude.

Another significant moment came during a session led by Carol Ramírez. Leaders shared openly about personal and ministry challenges and prayed for one another. The gathering became a space of mutual care and spiritual strengthening.

The farmhouse where participants stayed, perched on a small hill and cooled by mountain breezes, offered a fitting reminder that growth has seasons. Even in dry ecosystems, God brings fruit in time.

Children experienced their own time of connection. They enjoyed games, drawing, and swimming. Community life extended into recreation, with group games and a lively dance.

Amid conversation and discernment, leaders made a meaningful decision: the ministry formerly known as “Walking with Mosaic” will now be called Mosaic Colombia (Mosaicolombia). The change reflects a clearer identity rooted in Colombia and committed to the path God is shaping there.

The gathering in Santa Marta reaffirmed a shared call to walk together in diversity, deepen Anabaptist identity, and build the mosaic God is forming.

Javier Márquez

Javier Márquez is Associate for Communication and Community Engagement for Colombia. He is an Anabaptist Colombian pacifist and poet. He is based in Bogota, Colombia.

Mosaic values two-way communication and encourages our constituents to respond with feedback, questions, or encouragement. To contact Javier Márquez, please email jmarquez@mosaicmennonites.org.