"Following the example of Jesus Christ’s service, the Barranquilla Chapter has offered loving, selfless help to those most in need,” says Patricia Díaz, South America Northwest Area Chair. By making legal knowledge readily available, the chapter “reflects the Savior’s compassion, helping [people] find justice and hope in their lives."
On October 18 and November 1, 2025, chapter members held free legal clinics in Usiacurí and Piojó, Atlántico. Participants received practical information in a welcoming, respectful setting designed to bring legal services closer to people with limited access. Just as importantly, the events strengthened trust between community members and the institutions that serve them.
Earlier in 2025, chapter members assisted a women's merchant association in drafting its bylaws and explaining how to register the new organization with the city's Chamber of Commerce. This assistance aimed to help entrepreneurs build durable organizations and confidently participate in the local economy.
In coordination with Portoazul Clinic, chapter members organized a blood drive in response to a shortage. When local blood banks reported that the need for donations had risen by 40 percent, JRCLS members responded by donating blood for members of their community. Their effort was a life-preserving answer to an urgent local need.
A Visit That Made a Difference
Most recently, on May 23, 2026, the chapter visited a retirement home in Barranquilla and participated in conversations and group activities with 38 residents. The chapter members’ purpose was simple: to bring joy, companionship, and a sense of care to residents facing health challenges and, in some cases, loneliness or family separation.
Chapter Chair, José de la Rosa, commented, “When we devote just two or three hours to supporting people in their needs, problems, and challenges, we can change lives. That brings immense joy to our hearts and motivates us to keep contributing to a better city and department."
The retirement-home visit also deepened the chapter's awareness of the needs of older adults in their community. Twelve attorneys who regularly participate in these service projects are relatively young–many under age 30–and come from diverse religious backgrounds. "Through volunteer work, young people find ways to show the goodness the Savior invites us to have for our neighbors,” de la Rosa explains.
As members of the Colombia Barranquilla Chapter serve, they recognize that professional skills can be used not only for work, but also to strengthen people and communities. Whether they are helping a family understand a legal issue, supporting a new association, donating blood, or sitting with an older adult, chapter members have received the same enduring lesson: they are building a stronger city and department one act of kindness at a time.
