In the heart of the Colombian Amazon, the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Leguízamo – Solano hosted the Induction for New Missionaries to the Amazon 2026, a space for formation, spirituality, and fellowship held from April 28 to May 5, organized by the Amazonian Center for Intercultural Thought (CAPI).
Over several days, men and women from different countries, congregations, and pastoral experiences shared a journey of missionary preparation aimed at deepening their understanding of the Amazonian reality, strengthening the synodal spirit, and renewing their commitment to the peoples and territories of the Amazon.
The Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) was present in this important process through its Executive Secretary, Marcelo Lemos, who accompanied the formation sessions and shared with the participants the experience and journey of CEAMA as a fruit of the Synod for the Amazon.
A space to know and love the Amazon
The orientation allowed the new missionaries to engage with the cultural, spiritual, and social richness of the Amazon, as well as the challenges faced by its peoples and ecosystems.
The sessions began with moments of prayer inspired by the four dreams of Querida Amazonía: the social, ecological, cultural, and ecclesial dreams. These moments helped situate the mission within a spirituality deeply connected to the lives of the peoples and the care of our Common Home.
Among the topics discussed were the reality of the Amazon, the geographical and social context of the border territories between Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, Amazonian spirituality, the spiritualities of ancestral peoples, the ecological dream promoted by Pope Francis, and the process of building a Church with an Amazonian face and heart.
The reflections were accompanied by various pastoral workers, religious, and specialists who shared their missionary experience in the Amazon region, fostering intercultural dialogue and a deep listening to the realities of the territory.
A Church with an Amazonian and synodal face
One of the significant moments of the meeting was the presentation on CEAMA by Marcelo Lemos, who delved into the process of ecclesial coordination currently taking place in the Amazon and the challenge of building a Church that is increasingly synodal, close to the people, and incarnated in the realities of the Amazonian peoples.
Reflection also took place on the path opened by the Synod for the Amazon and the importance of strengthening ecclesial and pastoral networks that enable a response to the social, environmental, and spiritual challenges present in the region.
The gathering also included community activities and field experiences, such as visits to Amazonian communities and tours of ecological areas in Puerto Leguízamo, allowing participants to engage directly with the region’s cultural and environmental dynamics.
Among these experiences, visits to the Putumayo mission in Peru; the community of Soplin Vargas; the Taricaya wetland; and the community of Refugio stood out—spaces that fostered encounters with local communities and an understanding of Amazonian life through closeness and listening.
Amazonian Spirituality as a Path of Mission
The orientation was marked by a strong spiritual and communal dimension. Participants experienced moments of prayer, celebrations, spaces for reflection, and synthesis and evaluation activities, strengthening a missionary spirituality in dialogue with Amazonian cultures.
Reflections on indigenous spiritualities and the care of our Common Home helped participants understand that mission in the Amazon involves learning to walk alongside the peoples, listening to the signs of creation, and recognizing God’s presence in the territories and cultures.
In this context, the formation of new missionaries was seen as sowing hope for the Amazonian Church and for the communities that continue to defend life amid multiple challenges.
Sowing Hope in the Amazon
CEAMA’s participation in this induction reaffirmed the commitment to continue supporting formation processes that strengthen a Samaritan, synodal, and intercultural Church in the Amazon.
The meeting made it clear that the Amazonian mission remains an urgent call to walk alongside the peoples, defend human dignity, and care for our Common Home from a deeply incarnate spirituality.
Forming missionaries for the Amazon meant, once again, sowing hope in territories where life cries out and where God continues to speak through the peoples, the rivers, the jungle, and the communities.
