Medellín Mission and Discernment Experience | August 9, 2026
By JC Montenegro, PhD, Delegate for Mission Animation
(Medellín, Colombia) – Our fourth day in Medellín invited us to reflect on a friendship that stands at the heart of every Christian vocation: friendship with Jesus. Through the Eucharist, our time with the children, formation, fraternity, and the Salesian Good Night, the young men were encouraged to recognize Christ as the friend who remains close to us in every moment of life.
The day began with Sunday Mass at Ciudad Don Bosco. The Gospel invited us to contemplate Peter stepping out of the boat and walking toward Jesus on the water. When Peter became afraid and began to sink, he cried out, and Jesus immediately reached out his hand. In his homily, Fr. Fabian Cardenas, SDB, invited the volunteers to reflect on finding God not only when life is peaceful, but especially in difficult moments, when fear and uncertainty can make it harder to recognize that Christ is near.
The celebration became even more meaningful because of the participation of the children. Before Mass, the volunteers taught them several songs that were later sung during the liturgy. Seeing the children and volunteers singing together offered a beautiful image of the community that has been growing throughout these days. Different backgrounds and experiences came together in one voice to praise God.
Following Mass, the volunteers spent time with the children through different activities. Some walked with a group of children to visit the garden, using the journey as an opportunity to talk and share experiences with one another. Others played soccer, while another group led arts and crafts. These simple encounters continue to remind us that the Salesian mission is built through presence: walking alongside young people, listening to them, playing with them, and allowing relationships to grow naturally.
During the afternoon formation session, Deacon Khoa Pham, SDB, presented the theme of the day, “Friendship with Jesus.” He reminded the volunteers that friendship with Christ can make a real difference in the way we understand our lives, our relationships, and our vocation. Jesus does not simply invite us to follow him from a distance. He desires a personal friendship with each of us.
Later, the group traveled into Medellín to visit Pueblito Paisa, where the volunteers had an opportunity to experience more of the local culture, enjoy Colombian cuisine, and spend time together as a community. Even these moments of recreation and fraternity are part of the journey, strengthening the relationships that allow us to encounter Christ in one another.
The day concluded with the traditional Salesian Good Night, offered by Fr. John Itzaina, SDB. Returning to the theme of friendship with Jesus, he reminded the young men that this friendship is not reserved for people who have everything figured out. Especially during these years of discernment and growth, Jesus remains close in uncertainty, questions, struggles, and hopes. He is the one who calls us his friends.
As Day 4 came to an end, one invitation remained with us: to trust the hand of Jesus when the waters become difficult and to discover in him the friend who never abandons us. Friendship with Christ does not leave us where we are. It transforms us, strengthens us, and ultimately moves us to become better disciples who are ready to serve others with greater generosity.
As our Medellín Mission and Discernment Experience continues, please keep these young men in your prayers, that each of them may hear more clearly the voice of Jesus calling them into deeper friendship and discover where that friendship is inviting them to serve.
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