From June 24 to 29, we experienced the very first CANA retreat in Colombia, in Chía, near Bogotá. During those few days, we once again witnessed how the Lord transforms the hearts of individuals, couples, and families through the work of His Holy Spirit. We saw Him at work with immense power and tenderness. Our trust in Him grew even stronger as a result. One song kept coming back to our hearts, the one we’ve sung together so often: “How great is our God. Sing with me how great is our God. And all will see how great. How great is our God.”
Nine couples participated in this retreat. Most of them were, or had been, members of the CANA national team since 2022. When we arrived in Bogotá, we found a team that was deeply exhausted. After several years of service and months of intense preparation, many were worn out. Organizing this retreat had been a real struggle, particularly due to the lack of financial resources to enable everyone to participate. Seeing all these people gathered together, we realized that the fact that every couple was present was solely by God’s grace. He had opened a way where, humanly speaking, it seemed impossible. It was in this context that Fr. Christophe, Rogério & Cintya, Mario, and I began this retreat as facilitators.
From the very beginning, we have seen God “make all things new.” We witnessed lives profoundly restored by His love. People marked by deep wounds were able to experience—sometimes for the first time—the embrace of a Father who had never stopped loving them, of a God who had never abandoned them, who had remained with them through all their suffering, and who had wept with them all those years.
We have also seen couples rediscover hope, make important decisions for their married life, and begin a journey of reconciliation with their children. We have witnessed hearts renewed, eager to trust the Lord fully once again and to say “yes” once more to his call. For when a person truly allows themselves to be loved by the Father and discovers that they are a daughter or son of a God who knows only how to love, their life can never remain the same.
One of the greatest blessings of this retreat was also the team of servers. Every detail prepared with love, every discreet act of service, every smile, and every welcoming gesture allowed many to experience God’s love in a tangible way. Very often, the Lord goes unnoticed in those who serve humbly, and yet it is through them that He so profoundly transforms hearts.
The children and young people also experienced their own spiritual journey. During this retreat, the Lord spoke not only to the parents directly or through their spouses, but also through their children. A remark by one of them beautifully sums up what God was doing: “Dad, today I followed the voice of the Good Shepherd and managed to overcome all the obstacles! ” These simple words deeply touched his father’s heart, as he, too, was discovering that God was speaking to him through his child. The times of silence, prayer, teaching, and guidance thus naturally extended into family life.
This first CANÁ retreat also marked a truly foundational milestone for CANÁ in Colombia. The bonds between the couples were strengthened, their desire to serve grew, and a new enthusiasm was born to share with other couples the beauty of God’s love, to inspire them to love one another more deeply each day, and to let Christ take first place in their lives.
We returned home with hearts full of gratitude and hope. We also felt sustained by the prayers of so many brothers and sisters who, from different countries, accompanied this retreat without being physically present.
We know that this retreat is only the beginning of a beautiful story that the Lord will continue to write in Colombia. As Saint Paul reminds us: “He who began this good work in you will bring it to completion” (Phil 1:6).
