Cartagena, Colombia Festival — February 23 & 24, 2018
The CITY
Cartagena is a city steeped in rich culture and history. It is located in the northern part of the country along the Caribbean Sea and is tropical in climate. Cartagena is Colombia’s fifth largest urban area with a population of almost 1.1 million people.
The city was founded in 1533. Due to its importance as a trading post, it was historically victim to both invaders and pirates. Spain fortified the colonial city during the 17th and 18th centuries by building a wall around what is now “old town Cartagena” also nicknamed “La Ciudad Amurallada” (The Walled City).
Present day Cartagena is a popular tourist destination, however, walking throughout the city the great disparity within the city’s economic classes can be clearly observed. Upwards of 65% of the population lives under the poverty line and
25% in extreme poverty.
The NEED
BRINGING A FESTIVAL OF HOPE AND LIFE
In a place of many physical needs, there is an even greater need – a spiritual one. 70.9% of the 1.092 million people in Cartagena identify as Catholic. The Protestant (primarily Evangelical) population is estimated at 16.7%, while the remainder claims non-religious, Atheist, or other. This means over 906,000 are living without hope and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. For the evangelist, this means cast those nets…the fishing will be good!
THE MISSION
To practice and proclaim the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in the world’s most spiritually receptive places
This opportunity in Cartagena is tremendous. The Festival will bring a week’s worth of evangelistic activities including community service, evangelism, compassion aid projects, pastor training, and a massive two-night festival that will include some of the hottest present-day Latin music artists in the world and a powerful Gospel message with a call for salvation. The heart of Mike Silva International is to reach as many people for Christ as possible, demonstrate His love to those in need through significant physical acts of compassion, and to train and equip the local Church in order to leave a longer-lasting impact. The following is how we do this….
“BUT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” —ACTS 2:21
The DETAILS
BEING THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS
Counselor Training and Follow-up:
In the months leading up to the Festival, MSI staff and partners are training thousands of counselors throughout the city to assist decision-makers who respond in a commitment to Christ at the Festival. We will also be making contact with hundreds of churches to provide training and follow-up tools that will prepare them to receive new believers and disciple them in their new-found faith.
Compassion Aid:
We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and demonstrate His love for people by meeting very real and significant physical needs. Our Serve Team will spend the week reaching out to local schools, orphanages, prisons, rescue missions, deaf communities, etc., sharing the love of Christ in a variety of ways in both word and deed. We’ll also be providing much-needed medical, dental, and vision services through our partnership with Bridges of Hope International. There is a great need in a number of the smaller villages for clean, safe water so our goal is to sponsor two water well projects. Projected cost for this is $30,000.
Two-Night Festival:
At the core of our outreach is the evangelistic festival on Friday and Saturday nights (February 23 & 24). The Festival is completely sponsored by generous MSI donors in order to make this a free event for the city. Big name and widely popular music artists draw the crowds in excitement for a free concert by their favorite music groups. Mike Silva is then given the platform to proclaim the Gospel message in a clear, compelling and culturally relevant way. As people respond to the invitation, our trained counselors help us collect names and addresses of decision-makers that will be passed along to local churches for effective follow-up and discipleship. Saturday night kicks off with our family festival called FestiKids. Families enjoy face painting, games, large inflatables, music performances, and much more. And the Gospel is once more presented and an invitation given to receive Christ.
Legacy:
One of our great passions is investing into other pastors, evangelists and Next Generation leaders who will then all go out and each reach even more people for Christ. Talk about a high return on our investment! Our outreach in Cartagena will include a special Pastors and Leaders Conference which will focus on evangelism, leadership, and discipleship training. Because access to training is either unavailable or not affordable, MSI provides this ministry at no cost to attendees.
The OPPORTUNITY
CAN GOD USE YOU? ABSOLUTELY!
Your investment will pay eternal dividends in thousands of changed lives.
PRAY:
Your commitment to pray with and for us is essential. If you haven’t done so already, sign up to receive our monthly e-prayer updates and for Dialed-In (our quarterly prayer calls) by going to our website at
www.mikesilva.org/email-updates. We will keep you up to date on all the important details regarding the festival and you can follow our stories and photos via the blog.
GIVE:
Your financial gift towards advancing the Gospel in Colombia really does make a difference. 100% of this outreach and all its components are completely dependent on the generosity of churches and individuals. Should you be in any position to give toward this incredible opportunity in Cartagena, your tax-deductible gift can be made quickly via our website
www.mikesilva.org or mailed to Mike Silva International, PO Box 8808, Portland, OR 97207.
GO:
You can be a part of our Serve Team and travel with us to Cartagena, Colombia to share the love of Jesus. If you simply have a heart to be used by the Lord and you have the willingness to go, we can use you. No special requirements are necessary. You don’t even need to know the language. We have translators who will go everywhere you go. Come and see for yourself what we do and the magnitude in which God works when we share Christ to spiritually receptive people.
THANK YOU
FOR PARTNERING WITH US IN THIS SPIRITUALLY
FRUITFUL OPPORTUNITY! WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
CONTACT
For more information on partnering with MSI, please contact us at:
Mike Silva International
1500 NW 167th Pl.
Beaverton, OR 97006