A 27-Year Difference
THE CALL: 2026–2027 | 5 MINUTE READ
ALEX ROMERO, WGM MISSIONARY
If you had asked me when I was younger if I would be witnessing another earthquake and hearing such familiar stories to my very own experience, I might not have believed you. But there I was in the hot and humid air of Colombia looking at the destruction and devastation as if it was just yesterday, not 27 years ago, that my family’s lives were also so altered because of an earthquake.
It was January 25, 1999, when the earthquake hit Armenia and Colombia’s Coffee Region. My brother had been sick for a while before then, having been diagnosed with leukemia. He was in the hospital when it happened, but they had to send him home almost immediately, due to the capacity maxing out with all the earthquake patients. It was only a week later that he passed away. My family was torn and broken.
But God, all-sufficient in compassion and grace, used this extremely dark time to reveal Himself to us, and my entire family came to know Him. If it wasn’t for this, I would likely not have returned as a missionary 27 years later to walk with those who are in the thick of heavy circumstances.
It was August 10, 2026, that the latest earthquake struck Colombia. Though the circumstances are horrible, I have also been deeply encouraged and challenged by the stories I’ve heard as I’ve sat and cried with families who are facing extremely hard times.
One such story parallels my own, or rather my brother’s, from those 27 years ago. A man named Daniel* told me he received the devastating news that he had stomach cancer a week before the earthquake. He was being treated in the hospital when the earthquake hit, and just like my brother, had to be moved because of the influx of patients from the earthquake.
Just when things couldn’t seem to get worse, as Daniel arrived home from the hospital, he learned that his apartment building had to be evacuated due to structural concerns from the disaster. Within a week, he had not only learned of a life-threatening disease in his body, but he also lost his home. The horror of the situation was unimaginable but through it, and because of my own story, I was able to witness to him God’s faithfulness.
God always lays the foundation before us to prepare us for the next step, and His presence is so evident in the people here in Chocó. Chocó has suffered from poverty, corruption, violence, and a lack of opportunities for many years, but I saw such a sense of unity as young and old came together in response to the earthquake. I found it to be truly an example of the younger generation putting others above themselves as they responded to the needs around them.
In 1999, my family needed someone to walk alongside us. Today, I have had the privilege of walking alongside others myself. I do not know how Daniel’s story will unfold, or what the future holds for the many families we met. This I know: the God who met my family in the middle of our tragedy will also meet these families in theirs.
*Name changed for privacy.
ACTION STEP
GO: Like Alex, you could walk alongside people and hear their stories. Bring a group of friends or a small group from church to Colombia to serve with WGM missionaries and be the hands and feet of Jesus to people like Daniel. Visit our short-term team page to learn more!
Meet the Author
Alex serves as a Global Worker in Colombia, focusing on missionary mobilization, leadership development, and equipping the church across Latin America. He is passionate about connecting faith with action through discipleship, strategic partnerships, and humanitarian response, helping communities experience the transforming love of Christ. Alongside his wife, Diana, and their children, Josué and Sofía, he is committed to serving God and advancing His mission.
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