More than 2 million Colombians have fled their homes because of the country's civil war. They live as "desplazados," or displaced people, receiving little aid from outsiders or the government. Many end up in the slums of Bogotà, Colombia's bustling capital. Others crowd into abandoned buildings and empty lots in towns across the country.

This gate is the entrance to "Al Bergue," a camp for displaced people in the central highlands city of Tulua. Formerly a yuca-processing plant, Al Bergue is now home to some 300 people. Armed groups — including left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary militias — have taken control of the surrounding countryside, considering it ideal because the mountainous terrain provides plenty of concealment.

To learn more about the lives of displaced people in Colombia, order a free subscription or copy of MCC's magazine, a Common Place.