Crucible of Dreams

The small town of Necoclí in northwest Colombia is the jumping-off point for migrants hoping to walk through the jungle from South to Central America. On the other side of the Gulf of Urabá, they pick up the trail that will hopefully deliver them through the treacherous Darién, the only roadless stretch of jungle between the two continents.

A decade ago, only about 3,000 people were crossing into Panama through the Darién each year. In 2022, a quarter of a million people made the trek. And they all have to go through Necoclí.

Necoclí is a complicated place. While you’ll see police on the street and the government operates there to some degree, the town is largely controlled by the Clan del Golfo, a paramilitary group and the country’s largest drug cartel. A few NGOs operate to help the migrants, but their help comes sporadically.

In the middle of this is a Catholic priest and a handful of nuns who try to fill in the gaps, administering medical needs, helping with housing and employment and serving hot meals. They also preach mercy and charity to a local population strained by the years-long influx of migrants.

Photographed for Deseret Magazine with reporting by Kyle Dunphey.