Episode Details

Melyssa Colon Cordero - is a Florida based Pastor, preacher, wife, mother, worship leader and racial justice fighter. She works with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the Latino Fellowship Ministry.

We experienced heavy internet traffic due to COVID trying to record, causing delays in getting started.

Melyssa talks about “COVID life” which started for her four weeks ago when her kids went on Spring Break and did not return. “Everythign has been destabilized.” It is adjusting to a new normal. She and her husband are both working from home, her kids are doing online learning. Melyssa jokes that she is teacher, guidance counselor, cafeteria lady, custodial services, tech support, maintenance…Doing it all! And not getting paid for it. “It has been really challenging, but I’ve found really restful moments of God’s grace and favor.” It’s been pretty overwhelming with all the emotions at once.

Maggie asks what self-care looks like for her: Melyssa wakes up 2 hours before her kids in order to center herself over a cup of cafe con leche with Jesus. It is a space for quiet before the chaos of three boys. She has lived in her house for the past ten years but is just now finding her porch to be a gift from God in this season. Plus the weather has been amazing! She barely remembers life before Corona. The porch is restorative. "There’s something about being out doors that breathes life into you.”

She gets her kids outside by going on walks around the neighborhood, taking in her neighbors with new eyes, appreciating things with new eyes things always existed but that she didn’t see because she was so busy and distracted with life. There are thing she is doing now that she wants to continue when COVID is over.

Danielle feels her tears are close, that there is such grief held in not being able to leave your home but also having a renewed appreciate for things you have. It’s a huge privilege what we have.

Melyssa’s kids have been playing outside more, even though they are like every kid in America that wants to stay inside and play video games and watch you tube… She said they are choosing to go outside now. This is something new and she loves it! There is something new being birthed amidst the death that is around us. Not just deaths as in loss of lives, but also loss of the ability to hug someone, loss of jobs, loss of the ability to celebrate birthdays the way we would…

Melyssa was recently hired with InterVarsity to work with the Latino Fellowship, an ethnic specific ministry. Right before the shelter in place order she was in Puerto Rico [Mar 4-7] leading a time of worship and fellowship. Her primary focus is to raise support and she doesn’t even know how to do that during a recession. She finds herself readjusting her expectations of what raising support looks like in this season. It looks more like CARE right now, it’s not just about asking for money.

As a Latina is she is highly relational and finds that any support or fundraising starts with building relationships —- she already naturally wants to connect and care about people.

This past week she is gone back and had to ask her boss to decrease her hours because she really feels called to be present with her family in this season. He recognize that she doesn’t have the capacity to do it all. She believes that God is doing something in her family and she needs to be pay attention; Something that is going to have long term implications. Her boss’ priority is what’s best for her and her family, not just what’s best for the company. And Melyssa recognizes this isn’t forever, it’s just a season.

“God is doing something and I want to have the ability to see what He is doing!”

Danielle breaks it down:

1. She is still listening. She’s paying attention in this season
2. She’s heard something; She has noticed something in her family.
3. She’s in it for the long haul: investment in her fami