Sometimes, we don’t realize how deeply we carry a place inside of us until something happens that reminds us where we come from.
On August 10, 2026, Colombia was shaken by a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in Chocó. The earthquake caused widespread destruction across western Colombia, affecting communities and cities including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, and Manizales. (AP News)
And today, watching videos coming from Colombia, I cried.
Not only because of the destruction. I cried watching people come together—neighbors helping neighbors, strangers becoming family, people sharing what they had, opening their homes, their hearts, their cars, their businesses. People simply showing up.
Because that is who we are.
One heart. One homeland.
This year, I feel like I have been wearing my Colombian yellow shirt forever.
At first, it was for football. Colombia was playing, and the excitement was everywhere. We wore the yellow with pride, whether Colombia was playing that day or not. It wasn’t just a shirt. It was celebration. It was identity. It was belonging.
Then came the elections.
The same yellow shirt carried a different meaning. It represented our country, our hopes, our voices, and all the complicated emotions that come with watching our homeland from far away.
And then came this.
Today, I put on that same yellow shirt to help.
I volunteered with others collecting donations for people affected by the earthquake. When I arrived, I saw yellow everywhere—people opening their cars, carrying boxes, bringing food and supplies, and giving whatever they could. Some had driven more than two hours simply to help.
And then a huge truck arrived from Jacksonville, filled with donations for Colombia.
People were coming from everywhere.
Not because they had to.
Because they wanted to.
Every time we opened the trunk of a car and saw another donation, I felt something in my chest that I could barely hold back.
I wanted to cry.
Not because I was sad.
Because I was proud.
Proud of Colombia. Proud of Colombians. Proud of every person who decided that they could do something, even if that something seemed small.
And that’s when I realized something: sometimes we underestimate the power of a small act.
One box, one bag of food, one donation, one hour of our time, one phone call, one person deciding to show up. It may feel small to us.
But to someone who has lost almost everything, it can mean everything.
In Colombia, we have a beautiful saying:
“Donde come uno, comen dos.”
Where one eats, two can eat.
It is more than sharing food. It is a way of living. It means that if I have something, I make room for you. If you need something, I share. If you are hurting, I don’t turn away.
I make space. I give what I can. I help carry the weight.
And today, I saw that spirit everywhere.
One donation became another. One car became another. One person inspired another. One small act became part of something much bigger.
That is the beauty of community.
We don’t have to solve everything. We don’t have to save everyone. We simply have to ask ourselves:
What can I do?
Maybe it is helping your country, helping your neighbor, bringing a meal to someone who is struggling, donating what you can, volunteering an hour. Maybe it is simply showing up.
Because compassion doesn’t need a passport.
You don’t have to be Colombian to help Colombia. And you don’t have to wait for a disaster to help someone.
There is always someone who needs a little more than we do. Someone who needs a hand, a meal, a ride, a kind word, or a little hope.
And sometimes, what feels like a small gesture to us becomes a lifeline for someone else.
That yellow shirt has meant many things to me this year.
It has meant excitement. It has meant hope. It has meant identity.
And now, it means solidarity.
It reminds me that no matter how far away we may live from the place where our story began, there are moments when we remember:
We are still connected.
We are still family.
One heart. One homeland.
And maybe that is what being part of a community really means.
Not simply knowing where you come from, but remembering that when someone needs you, you show up.
So today, I am not asking you to change the world.
I’m asking you to do something small.
Help someone. Give something. Share something. Make room. Look around you.
Because your small act may be exactly what someone else needs to keep going.
And maybe, if enough of us do something small, those little acts become something extraordinary.
Today I came home tired. I took off my yellow shirt, and I realized that this little piece of fabric has witnessed so much this year.
A game.
An election.
A humanitarian mission.
Three completely different moments. One country. One color.
One heart.
And tonight, I am grateful.
Grateful for Colombia. Grateful for the people who showed up. Grateful for the reminder that we are stronger together.
And grateful for the simple truth that Colombia keeps teaching me:
“Donde come uno, comen dos.”
Where one eats, two can eat.
Where one hurts, we can all help carry the pain.
Where one needs help, someone can choose to show up.
One heart. One homeland. And many hands willing to help.
💛💙❤️
Sometimes a shirt is just a shirt. And sometimes, it becomes a flag you carry close to your heart.
A Wave to Carry With You
Who around you needs a little help today—and what small thing could you do?
Maybe you can donate. Maybe you can volunteer. Maybe you can bring someone a meal. Maybe you can make a phone call. Maybe you can simply listen.
And if you cannot give anything else, pray.
Pray for Colombia. Pray for the families who are hurting. Pray for the people who are working to rebuild. And then look around you.
Because somewhere, someone needs you too.
Don’t underestimate your small act.
What feels small to you may be enormous to someone else.
Scroll down ⬇️ spread the waves on social media, keep riding the wave a little deeper, and at the very end leave your thoughts in the comments.
What small act of kindness can you offer someone this week?
If this wave moved you, don’t just read it—Pass it on. Pray. Give. Volunteer. Help someone who needs you.
Subscribe, and send this wave to someone who may need it today. ⚓️
