Adventist Church Mobilizes Relief and Rescue Efforts After Severe Flooding in Colombia

Church-led response brings urgent aid and rescue to flood-ravaged communities.

February 19, 2026 | Medellín, Colombia | Cristín Serrano and Inter-American Division News Staff

The Seventh-day Adventist Church and its humanitarian agencies in Colombia, including the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Colombia and the Adventist GARSA rescue team, have been assisting hundreds of families affected by severe flooding that struck the departments of Córdoba and Urabá in early February.

Days of intense rainfall caused rivers to overflow, cut off communication in several communities, and forced families from their homes. At least 10 Adventist churches in rural areas of Urabá and Córdoba were affected, with many members and residents displaced.

Church administrators, youth groups, and members quickly mobilized to collect food, clothing, hygiene kits, mattresses, and other essential supplies. In Córdoba, the Caribbean Colombian Conference began distributing aid from the first day of the emergency, assisting approximately 400 families, church leaders reported.

“In the midst of fear and uncertainty, what we witnessed became a symbol of hope,” said Pastor Roberto Leal, district pastor in western Montería.

He recounted how volunteers evacuated a 90-year-old woman from her flooded home in the El Dorado neighborhood of Montería using an inflatable mattress. “When the water covered her house, volunteers risked their lives to bring her to safety,” Leal said.

In Carmen de Bolívar, in Bolivar, church members organized a public collection drive in the town’s central plaza, gathering food, diapers, water, and other donations from the wider community. In Urabá, leaders and members from the West Central Conference distributed food baskets, while volunteers from the San Juan de Urabá district used motorboats to reach isolated communities. Throughout the crisis, churches also served as shelters for dozens of displaced families.

Eleven days after the flooding began, assistance continues.

As the emergency unfolded, ADRA Colombia deployed assessment teams to identify priority needs and coordinate relief efforts with local authorities. According to Jair Flórez Guzmán, ADRA Colombia director, emergency cash vouchers were distributed to help families purchase urgent necessities.

Alongside humanitarian relief, the GARSA Adventist rescue team from Medellín joined operations on the ground. Initially deployed to distribute aid and assess conditions in the Algodón Abajo community, the team quickly shifted priorities after learning that a mother and her two children, including a baby with possible pneumonia, were trapped by rising waters.

“It was a very delicate situation,” said Johan Esteban Castañeda, GARSA operations and training coordinator. “When we understood the risk, we knew the rescue had to become the priority.”

The team traveled as far as possible by vehicle before continuing on foot for nearly two hours in darkness, crossing swollen riverbanks with only lanterns to guide them.

“There was fear, exhaustion, and pressure,” said Kevin Bedoya, psychologist and GARSA team member. “But we knew we could not leave them behind.”

The mother and her children were safely evacuated, along with other families in the area.

In addition, a group of district pastors traveled by motorboats and trucks to rescue 97 young people who had been stranded for three days during a spiritual retreat in Puerto Escondido, Córdoba. While awaiting evacuation, the group assisted residents, helped safeguard belongings, and prayed with affected families before being safely evacuated from the area.

For Flórez, who also founded the GARSA Rescue Corporation, such actions reflect the essence of Adventist rescue ministry.

“Our volunteers are trained comprehensively, both in technical skills and in risk management. But what truly drives them is selfless service,” he said.

Flórez noted that GARSA volunteers are highly trained and internationally recognized but emphasized that their greatest mission goes beyond technical rescue.

“If in the final moment of a person’s life we can say, ‘God loves you,’ then it was all worth it. That voice of hope makes the difference,” he said.

Across northern Colombia, the Adventist Church continues to combine humanitarian aid, rescue operations, and spiritual support, bringing relief and hope to communities still recovering from the devastation.

Church leaders expressed their commitment to continuing to provide relief, faith, and hope to those most in need.