‘It was pretty scary’: Louisville missionary group safe after Colombia earthquake, working to return home

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A missionary group from Louisville is safe following a powerful earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, Aug. 10, though the team is facing communication difficulties and a disrupted travel plan as it works to return to the United States.

Team relocates, helps with relief efforts

The group is affiliated with the Louisville-based chapter of Youth with a Mission, or YWAM. After the earthquake, the team was forced to leave the building where it had been staying in Pereira due to safety concerns.

Despite the disruption, members of the group have been active in relief efforts. Matt DeYoung, whose son Owen is a member of the team, said the missionaries have been serving meals to rescue groups searching for survivors.

“They saw some buildings collapse. They’ve seen rescue efforts going on. They’ve been out since then making and serving meals to different rescue groups that are out searching for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings, which he said is just kind of unreal,” Matt DeYoung said.

The group is also putting together a children’s ministry program for those displaced by the earthquake.

Airport closure complicates return

Owen DeYoung, who is on his third visit to Colombia, has had limited contact with his family due to spotty signals and communication issues. Matt DeYoung said his son described the experience as life-altering.

“He said it’s basically like, you know, one of these movies that you see where there’s dust in the air and people walking around just kind of in disbelief,” he mentioned.

The team had been scheduled to fly out of Pereira on Sunday, but the airport has been closed following the earthquake. The group plans to travel by bus to Cali and then fly out of Bogota, with the goal of still returning to the United States on Sunday.

Even though the past couple of days have been scary, Matt said he is grateful his son is healthy and that he is taking a leap of faith in his journey to share his beliefs across the world.

“You go out where you’re kind of, you know, put yourself in a position where you get to go see people who maybe don’t have the same upbringing as you, don’t have the same faith as you, and to kind of go and have conversations and see different parts of the world has just been an amazing experience,” he pointed out.