Making headway in the Mountains

As you may recall from an earlier blog, one of my heart's desires is to be able to reach the remote, mountain communities of San José Pinula.  This is not an impossible task, just a tad difficult.  One of the difficulties is the long standing friction between the catholics and the evangelicals.  Quite often just knowing that a person or group is not catholic closes the door of opportunity.  These communities are particularily close minded, distrustful, and difficult to gain entrance into.

Fortunuately, ABA (Asociación Brazos Abiertos- as we are known in Guatemala) has a good reputation and working relationship with the public school system of San José Pinula.  Using this relationship we were able to gain entrance into 4 public schools in the mountain area.

Our first outreach was actually hosting the Solid Rock Youth Group of Faith Landmarks Ministries.  It was an amazing time!  2 teams of about 30 people visited 2 schools each.  Each team boarded their perspective buses and we began the hour and a half journey into the highlands.  Travelling on dirt roads we passed oxen teams hauling lumber, cowboys on horseback sporting machetes, broccoli plantations, and a huge dairy farm.  The temperature dropped as we climbed higher, but as the day wore on, the sun warmed up even the highest regions we visited.

After going to seperate schools, both teams began by playing games with the school children to establish a relationship with them.  The kids had a blast!  These rural schools rarely have any type of special events and when they do have and event it does not compare to what the SRY teenagers brought.

After a time of games and fun, 2 dramas were presented, and then an altar call.  There were tremendous respnses in all 4 schools.  Nearly every student and parent went forward to say the prayer of salvation!!!!  Amazing.  From what I can calculate, this was the first time many of these people ever truly heard the gospel.  It just shows that we are all in need of a savior and we are all longing to have forgiveness of our sins.

Altar call

After the dramas and altar calls bags of food were given to each family.  Most of these children suffer from malnutrition, it was great to see them eating on peices of fruit as they walked the dirt roads home.  Over 100 families were reached on this day alone.  Glory to God! 

What a way to bless the communities.  Every school invited us back as often as we can come.  The next challenge????  Making room in our schedule to go back!  Oh, there is so much work to be done for the Kingdom of God.  We really need more laborers.  Pray with us for the Lord to send more missionaries to join our team and help us carry the gospel all over San José Pinula.  Pray with us for sponsors to pay for salaries, allowing us to hire Guatemalans to help us disciple the hundreds of children that have been placed in our paths.