My Trip to Colombia, South America

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By Jay Peregrine, executive director, Urantia Foundation, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Editor’s note: Jay and Mo Siegel, the president of Urantia Foundation, attended the April 28–May 2, 2012, Urantia Association International Conference in Medellin, Colombia.

Colombia and Brazil are two of the most religious countries in South America. And Colombia is one of the largest, per capital, Urantia Book reading countries in the world. After all of the problems with drug cartels in the 1980s, Medellin has emerged as a vibrant city with a wonderful climate. It has a beautiful new transportation system, including gondolas which serve hill-side neighborhoods, and it has art museums and thriving industry.

Tamila Ragimova, president of the Colombia association of the Urantia Association International, did an excellent job organizing the conference. There were 15 presentations by Spanish and English speakers. The presentations were simultaneously translated into English and Spanish. In addition, a live-streaming internet video link was provided. Conference attendees spent their afternoons in workshops, where topics were studied in-depth in smaller groups.

In the evenings we were treated to traditional music and dance at the hotel. One night we took a tour of the city in chivas (a chiva is a small, colorfully painted, open-air bus.). On the last day of the conference we took a trip into the countryside, visiting a traditional village and having lunch at an old hacienda.

For me, the conference was a time for renewing old friendships and for making new friends in the context of in-depth study and discussion of the teachings of The Urantia Book. It was also an opportunity to experience a beautiful and exciting country―Colombia.

UAI Colombia Conference 2012

Jaime Rey Albornoz

Tamila Ragimova

Wilson Leon Naranjo

Yolanda Silva