The Pájaros de Paz in Medellín, Colombia. Photo by Jeanette Payton.
Photo and Article by Jeanette Payton
In the heart of Medellín, Colombia’s second largest city, stand two bronze birds made by renowned local artist Fernando Botero. The statues tell a story of war and peace, death and rebirth.
Botero originally designed just one bird for the site. But in June 1995, terrorists bombed the square, placing ten kilos of dynamite at the base of the bird. Thirty people died and more than 200 were injured.
The bird, as you can see, was destroyed. The city planned on removing what was left of the statue, but Botero had a better idea. In 2000, he donated an identical bird and placed it next to the damaged one. He asked that it stand next to the first as a symbol of peace and remembrance. They are now known as the Pájaros de Paz, the birds of peace.
These works of art represent the city’s story in more ways than the bombing. Medellin was broken by years of violence during the reign of the famous drug lord Pablo Escobar. It is a city that has also experienced great transformation and redemption since then.
And the birds beautifully illustrate our story through Christ. We too were broken and damaged until Jesus set us free and healed our wounds. We are new creations in him!
We also have had the privilege of being part of his story of redemption, by knowing and loving our Colombian friends for more than 11 years. We have the privilege of befriending broken men and women, sharing the Word of life, and seeing Jesus transform, heal, and redeem them.
