Have you heard of the story of God’s message to St. Francis of Assisi?

St. Francis was stopped before the crucifix of the Chapel of San Damiano, which was falling to pieces, when he heard a request:

“Go and repair my house, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.”

St. Francis took those words literally and set about lifting stones with his own hands. But God was also speaking about the brokenness of the world.

On August 10, 2026, at 7:34AM in Colombia, many communities fell into ruin when a 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook the west part of the country. Church walls cracked, roofs gave way, and homes, friaries, and Poor Clare monasteries were left in complete disrepair. The physical and emotional damage has been immense.

Please support the Franciscans helping the people of Colombia?

There have been hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and entire families are now homeless. Simple necessities like water, milk, and eggs are hard to find. Many roads are closed making emergency assistance difficult. One main road is blocked by 20 landslides.

But the people know that God will provide.

Each gift, big or small, brings us closer to our goal of supplying water, food, and safe shelter for the people that we serve in Colombia. 

• $30 will help provide portable sanitation units, drinking water tanks, personal hygiene kits, and disinfectant supplies.
• $50 will help provide family food parcels and kits, supplies for soup kitchens, bottled water, and basic kitchenware.
• $75 will help shelter the homeless with tents and temporary accommodation units, sleeping mats, blankets, bedding kits, and lighting.
• $100 will help provide infrastructure assessments that are desperately needed, scaffolding, personal protective equipment for workers, hand tools, and rubble removal and disposal services.

Rebuilding Colombia will depend on all of us, men and women of faith, who cannot stand by and watch our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer. The people are in great need, they are fragile, and they are vulnerable.

But they are also resilient.

They just need our help.

Humanitarian aid to families, structural appraisals of unsafe buildings, and restoration of homes are all desperately needed.

The earthquake has not only destroyed physical structures but opportunities for people to connect, find a hot meal, and worship.

Please help us repair homes and hearts. Every gift counts.

Our Franciscan friars are determined to rebuild and restore hope to their communities in Colombia affected by the earthquake. Help our friars become an engine of rebuilding, not only of physical structures but also of hope.

Whether you are able to offer your resources or your most fervent prayers, every gesture of solidarity toward the people of Colombia is an act of charity.

You and your loved ones are in our prayers each day. Thank you for your steadfast support of Franciscan Missions and your heart for those that we serve all over the world. 

Con un corazón agradecido, 

Hermano Andrew Brophy, OFM
Director ejecutivo
las misiones franciscanas