How long it will last could depend on what the youth of the city do with their relationship with God!    (Medellin is a city, which is notorious for its violence, in Colombia, South America)

In the wake of the break-up of the Medellin drug cartel in the mid-90s, the guerrilla and the paramilitary army groups brought their war into the city.  Many young men, under pressure from either of these groups to fight … or die, joined either the guerrillas or the paramilitary army, depending on the neighbourhood in which they lived.  This is what happened to ‘Jaime V’, a young man who had been a part of our OMS soccer program in Medellin.  Jaime later felt compelled to join the paramilitary army.
Jaime was a regular member of the ‘paramilitary army’, who were well armed with automatic weapons, and would kill anybody in their way with no hesitation.  Their special enemies, however, were the members of the guerrilla army, young men, commandeered or recruited to join in the fight to overthrow the paramilitary army and gain power to rule the city.  Once, in a shootout in a city neighbourhood, Jaime was separated from his fellow paramilitary army members, and soon found himself surrounded by enemy guerrilla army members.  It was an impossible situation… he had no chance of surviving… believing that he was going to die in the next instant he threw himself on his knees and prayed to God for his life.  This was something that he had learned from the leaders of the OMS soccer program team during the Bible study times while he was a member of the soccer club.
Amazingly, for some miraculous reason, his enemies, those well armed guerrilla army members, with their weapons at the ready, walked right past him while he was kneeling there.  He was waiting to die… but they totally ignored him and walked right past him.  It was as if they didn't even see him!  It was a miracle of God who blinded their eyes.

Later Jaime and the members of the paramilitary army were successful in defeating the guerrilla army and driving them out of the city.  They then accepted an amnesty agreement with the city government and surrendered their weapons.  More than 30 people had been killed every day in Medellin for years.  It had the reputation for having the most murders of any city in the world.  At last after 20 years of war after thousands of men, women and children, had lost their lives through ruthless murders and killings, at last Medellin is now a city of peace.  The paramilitary army had to lay down all their guns and submit themselves to a process of re-entry back into society.
However this is a very fragile peace and could change again to war at any time.  Jaime V. has now decided to follow Christ and continues to meet with his team coach Alex Saldarriaga, but there are many other former army members of the paramilitary who could, at any moment, change their minds, take up their guns again, and resume the fighting that has devastated this city for so long.
True, lasting peace will only happen in Medellin when the young men and women turn to Christ, the Prince of peace.

Meet Hannah Patrino, and Jaime Castrillon, although they are unrelated and live in different neighbourhoods of Medellin, they have some important things in common.  First, both of their fathers were killed during the violence and bloodshed in Medellin some years ago.  Second, despite growing up in very poor and difficult circumstances, both of them have incredible potential for helping to make a positive difference for their country.  Jaime is a wiry muscled, 19-year-old, an excellent soccer player and has been baptised in one of the OMS-related churches.  He has been a member of our soccer training program for the last five years.  Hannah is a vivacious 15 year old who also loves to play soccer, loves the Lord Jesus, is an excellent student at school and has been a participant in our sports programme for the last three years.
Through the work of The Christian Union Sports Club, they both became Christians and have developed as leaders.  Now, we're planning and praying that we can help them go much further in their lives and their future careers.  We would like to help Hannah be a part of a high school exchange program in the Unites States and for Jamie to get a sports soccer scholarship in a US university.  Pray for these outstanding young people for God's special blessing on their lives and their potential to have an incredible influence for good among the young people in Medellin and throughout Colombia.  Pray also for the sports ministry and for its leaders as they work in sometimes very dangerous situations yet give themselves freely and gladly to the Lord's service in reaching the young people in Colombia for Christ.
  — written from material in The Christian Union Sports Club newsletter from Medellin, Colombia  Denis Shuker