by Bethel University
COLOMBIA, South America (Written by Joel Washburn) — For ten years, groups of Bethel University students have regularly traveled abroad to Cali, Colombia, and volunteered at the local school named Colegio Americano. The teams are continuing a relationship that began in 1928 when Reverend L. Swartz arrived as the first Cumberland Presbyterian Church Missionary to work in western Colombia, and, after three years, with the support of the Presbyterian Ladies of the United States, created the school as a means of a social service to the community. The school was initially called the Colombian School and was led by two American teachers, Mary Ethel Roa Brintle and Bernice Barnett. The two women were alumni of Bethel College, now known as Bethel University. Under their leadership, the school became the first mixed educational institution with no distinctions between race, creeds, or nationalities and the primary means of educating evangelical Christians.
Just days following the end of the Spring 2025 semester at Bethel University, students and community members joined co-leaders Garrett and Jessica Burns on a trip that took them away from their U.S.-based classrooms and inside the Colegio Americano's English classes. Their contribution focused on interacting with students and English teachers, some of whom rarely speak with native English speakers.
Angelica Poveda, the Coordinator of Student Well Being at Colegio Americano, works with Bethel University’s Global Studies to coordinate the week’s activities for the Colombian students. Bethel students enjoy working with the younger students.
To coordinate the learning experiences of both teachers and volunteers, Poveda previously partnered with Stacie Freeman, Bethel University Global Studies Director and Co-Founder of Global Citizen Adventure Corps. The two connected in 2014 when Poveda traveled to Bethel University and spoke to Freeman regarding her role as director of the Global Studies Program. Their meeting resulted in the first volunteer program in Cali that took place in 2015. Now, Bethel’s Colombian experience is led by Garrett Burns, the Chaplain and Director of Community Engagement at Bethel. He returned for his sixth volunteer experience in Colombia with this team. A former student of Freeman, Garrett and wife, Jessica, enjoy the firsthand experience of sharing the love of teaching, sharing, and experiencing the work of Christ.
Chaplain Burns said, “The work that began in 1928 with Bethel students is continuing today through Bethel students,” he said. “God calls students, teachers, and professionals back to Colombia every year where we experience Colombian hospitality, the exotic excitement of Cali culture, and the spiritual blessing of Christ - love for neighbor and care for his children.”
In the future, Poveda would like to organize a group of students from ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades to travel to Bethel University and experience life as a college student in Tennessee. She would also like to see Colegio Americano teachers travel to the United States and learn in a predominantly English-speaking environment.
The May 2025 trip included work and fun. The travelers went from the Cauca Valley to the Cerro de los Cristales, trekked aside the Cali River where they encountered the Parque del Gato (Cat Park) and the beautiful Catholic church, La Ermita. The group enjoyed Colombian coffee, drank lulo juice, and ate all the variations of cheesy bread, especially Pan de Bono, while enjoying the cat sculptures of the famous Colombian artist Hernando Tejada. Upon the “Hill of the Crystals,” the group spent time with Christo Rey, or “Big Jesus”.
The La Niña rains did not hinder the group’s purpose and festivities. Activities included music and dancing with Swing Latino showing the group how to move to the local style, Salsa Celeña, which has earned Cali the title La Capital Mundial de la Salsa (The Salsa Capital of the World).
Travelers partnered with Pre-K - 11th grade teachers to expose Colombian students to native English speakers and enhance their academic goals, social skills, and understanding of American culture.
Between daily work at the Colegio and a visit to Universidad del Valle, Cali’s largest public university, our students volunteered at least 32 hours per person with a total of 480 hours and an economic impact of over $16,699.20.
A few fun facts. Five members of the Phi Delta Sigma fraternity and Lambda Sigma sorority followed in the steps of Davis (Gladys) Bryson, an original founder of Phi Delta Sigma in 1928 and missionary to Colombia from 1929 - 1944, assisting in the formation of Colegio Americano and the Pereira Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Artem Dzun, a Bethel international student from Russia, celebrated his birthday on May 10. He couldn’t resist letting every restaurant know to sample the free desserts throughout the week!
Burns said students returned with a strong appreciation for Colombian history, cross-cultural relationships, a deeper love for God, people, places, and the planet, and a desire to return to the traveler’s favorite Global Studies destination - Colombia!
Travelers included: Mercedes Wright, Camden; Dede Morris, Dresden; Hansford Scott, Paris;, Brandi George, Dresden; Bella Hottes, Camden; Jacey McClure, Dresden; LeAnne Moore, Dresden; Artem Dzun, Russia; Andrew Carpenter, Savannah; Mikey Raymer, Paris; Jacob Lilly, South Fulton; Jessica Burns, McKenzie; Traci Raymer, Paris; Caleb Smith, Nashville; and Garrett Burns, McKenzie.
Bethel University partners with Global Citizen Adventure Corps (GCAC), a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to cultivating global citizens through education, service, and travel. The collaboration between Bethel University and GCAC provides college credit and donor-funded scholarships. GCAC actively builds pathways between rural high schools, universities, and a robust network of global nonprofit partners to provide travel program opportunities to underserved students. For more information visit www.globalcitizenadventurecorps.org.