Jake and Lauren moved to Colombia in 2015. Prior to that, they spent 13 years living, working, and church-planting in an under-resourced neighborhood in Indiana.
Jake grew up in Colombia, often living among the Eduria, an Indigenous community in the Amazon basin. In 2017, along with two friends, they started Fundación Wájaro, a Colombian non-profit. “Wájaro” is an Eduria phrase meaning “let’s go together.” The foundation’s vision is to accompany communities most affected by Colombia’s historic armed conflict. They seek to pursue peace, justice, reconciliation, and collective well-being.
Jake and Lauren seek to strengthen and equip the Indigenous church and the Kingdom of God within communities throughout Colombia (wajaro.org). The Wájaro Foundation works extensively among the Wayuu in the desert region of northern Colombia and the Misak in a southwestern Andean area. However, the foundation is connected to numerous other Indigenous groups. Wájaro plays a role within the Pro-Indigenous Christian Consortium of Colombia and supports a network of evangelical indigenous leaders.
The Joneses’ deepest passion is to walk in the life of Christ. Consequently, they desire to reveal and be faithful to Jesus, who chose to turn the systems of this world upside down, reconciling people to Him and each other. “Remember the poor” and living in authentic community with others are the very things they are eager to do (Galatians 2:10).
