As some of you know, I flew back to the states to pack up our house in Phoenix as we’re trying to get it sold. I met Mark Kaseman on the return flight to Medellin and our conversation drifted to the philanthropic work he does in Medellin. He spends his days volunteering with a school high atop the barrio La Concha of Bello (a suburb of Medellin) Antioquia.
La Concha was constructed to house families displaced by the paramilitary violence throughout the country. It’s quite primitive as they receive little to no infrastructure support from the local authorities. A couple buses running on a mud track carved into the mountainside are all that connects La Concha to the urban communities below. The families of La Concha exist in near isolation from the world and most of its residents have little to no economic means or opportunities, a scenario that does not bode well for the children growing up here. The public school system cannot accommodate these families and the one private school there, Leon XIII, is overwhelmed and many of the families struggle to meet the modest tuition fee.
Mark came to La Concha after meeting some missionaries on a plane to Medellin and learned of the work they were doing there. Mark spent the first six months helping to buy food and clothing for the residents. Colombia was a more dangerous place then and the missionaries decided to leave when the relative safety on the ground deteriorated. Mark stayed and started his project, Angeles de Medellin. He makes the trek up to La Concha from Envigado Monday through Friday where he teaches English, basic computer skills, and athletics. A highlight for the kids is the Christmas party Mark throws every year. When he’s not on the mountain Mark uses his contacts in Medellin (and the states) to get medical attention for the kids and acquiring much needed school supplies and equipment. I accompanied Mark to La Concha and judging by the warm reception we received as we walked the muddy roads of the barrio, he’s making quite an impact in the community.
Mark established Angeles de Medellin to bring attention to the needs of the families in La Concha. He has a facebook page, Angeles de Medellin, for those who would like to offer support. There’s a web site in progress, angelesdemedellin.com, and will be online in the near future. Mark has a full plate with the time he spends on the ground in La Concha and coordinating resources and can use all the help he can get. Meeting these kids was a humbling experience and I’d like to think there’s going to be a happy ending for the folks in La Concha but I suppose that’s just not realistic. Though I’m confident that through Mark’s work many of them will have a fighting chance.
