This updates from Sunday through Wednesday
Note: if you are reading this and there are no pictures, please be sure to check back later. Unfortunately, the internet is not very reliable, so I am posting without pictures to make sure the text gets posted and will update a picture at a time…
Day 2 - Sunday
We got up very early this morning to drive 3 hours from Guatemala City to Rio Hondo. Leaving the city, I was truly amazed to see the extreme poverty. Thousands of ramshackle make-shift houses built up and down the mountainsides on the outskirts of Guatemala City (primarily in Zone 3 - these communities are called barrios). I wasn’t able to get any pictures of this, but it was an impressive site. This is in stark contrast with the extreme beauty of the tropical region of Zapata, where we are staying in Rio Hondo. There is still a lot of ugliness and poverty, but where the tropical plants are well cultivated (such as at our hotel – see the pictures), the beauty is overwhelming.
We went to church in Rio Hondo. It was a very small church, but they worshiped Christ very enthusiastically. I had the privilege of being able to give my testimony.
After prayer-walking, we began door-to-door evangelism. The Guatemalans are extremely receptive to the gospel. It is a very religious culture, so hearing the truth of the gospel adds meaning to what might otherwise be empty religious traditions. In all, thirteen people made professions of faith today. We also met several devout Christians whom we had the opportunity to pray with for their needs. Both the salvation experiences as well as meeting Christian brothers and sisters were blessings to the whole team.
We go back to the same street tomorrow to continue door to door evangelism.
I am stilled amazed at the poverty I see… and yet I am told that what we see is generally considered to be middle-class compared to the extreme poverty of Zone 3 in Guatemala City. I am also amazed at the tragedy and suffering. Almost every home is faced with some kind of family crisis or tragedy. Many have family members that have left for the US never to return so they are making it the best they can. Many have lost loved ones to violence, crime, and gang activity. Which reminds me… the crime truly is rampant here. Today we heard gunshots in the distance. This evening, because we were traveling after
dark, several of us “bigger” guys rode in an SUV behind the bus to make it look like we were their security detail… and there are security details everywhere. Stores, restaurants, delivery trucks… they all have armed security details. It is kind of strange going into a Pizza Hut restaurant that has a uniformed guard with a shot-gun standing at the front door.
The church service we went to tonight was probably one of the strangest I’ve ever been to. Of course it was very caliente (hot), but the distractions were enormous. About the time Colby (one of our team) began his sermon, a terrific storm hit. Since the local area has been in a drought, this of course was a big distraction. All the adults were distracted by the rain while the kids were running around jumping and playing. I honestly don’t know how Colby managed. It is bad enough to try to speak with an interpreter, but with all those distractions… despite it all, three came to the Lord at the end of the service.
Tomorrow we go to a nursing home…
Day 5
This morning we finished up our door to door evangelism. Our sub-team was able to lead 4 more people to Christ. In all, the whole team led 51 people to the Lord in 2 ½ days of door to door evangelism. It is humbling to see such a field ripe for harvest for the Lord and yet there is so little time and so few workers to bring in the harvest.
In the afternoon, we went to visit a nursing home, although
it wasn’t exactly a nursing home. It was more like a permanent homeless shelter for the elderly and discarded infants. Essentially, it was a nursing home/nursery/orphanage. It was quite a huge operation. They cared for any elderly they find homeless on the street as well as infants and children they find discarded or unwanted. They partially support themselves through Talapia (yes fish) farms. There are always large missions groups that stay
there and work. They even have a partnership with Liberty College in Lynchburg, VA. (where one of my favorite evangelists – Ergun Caner – serves and teaches). There was actually a group there from Liberty while we toured. Our limited time allowed little more than that tour.
That reminds me… there is actually another group from the US that checked into the hotel yesterday. It was a college group from the University of Texas. They were studying architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design. Why they chose Rio Hondo I have no idea.
Tomorrow (or rather today by the time I get this posted), is a travel day back to Guatemala City.
Note: if you are reading this and there are no pictures, please be sure to check back later. Unfortunately, the internet is not very reliable, so I am posting without pictures to make sure the text gets posted and will update a picture at a time…
Day 2 - Sunday
We got up very early this morning to drive 3 hours from Guatemala City to Rio Hondo. Leaving the city, I was truly amazed to see the extreme poverty. Thousands of ramshackle make-shift houses built up and down the mountainsides on the outskirts of Guatemala City (primarily in Zone 3 - these communities are called barrios). I wasn’t able to get any pictures of this, but it was an impressive site. This is in stark contrast with the extreme beauty of the tropical region of Zapata, where we are staying in Rio Hondo. There is still a lot of ugliness and poverty, but where the tropical plants are well cultivated (such as at our hotel – see the pictures), the beauty is overwhelming.
We went to church in Rio Hondo. It was a very small church, but they worshiped Christ very enthusiastically. I had the privilege of being able to give my testimony.
Tomorrow, we begin door to door evangelism.
Day 3 - Monday
We had a great day today. We began by prayer-walking the street on which we would later do door to door evangelism. The street is very much in the mountains as you can see from the various picture views below. You can also see pictures of the houses on the street below. Houses go up the mountain on one side and down the mountain on the other.
We had a great day today. We began by prayer-walking the street on which we would later do door to door evangelism. The street is very much in the mountains as you can see from the various picture views below. You can also see pictures of the houses on the street below. Houses go up the mountain on one side and down the mountain on the other.
After prayer-walking, we began door-to-door evangelism. The Guatemalans are extremely receptive to the gospel. It is a very religious culture, so hearing the truth of the gospel adds meaning to what might otherwise be empty religious traditions. In all, thirteen people made professions of faith today. We also met several devout Christians whom we had the opportunity to pray with for their needs. Both the salvation experiences as well as meeting Christian brothers and sisters were blessings to the whole team.
We go back to the same street tomorrow to continue door to door evangelism.
Day 4 - Wednesday
Today was yet another great day. Our sub-team led 8 people to the Lord this morning and another three this afternoon. If I have the numbers correct, the whole group has seen about 32 professions of faith since Monday. Truly the fields are ripe unto harvest.
Today was yet another great day. Our sub-team led 8 people to the Lord this morning and another three this afternoon. If I have the numbers correct, the whole group has seen about 32 professions of faith since Monday. Truly the fields are ripe unto harvest.
I am stilled amazed at the poverty I see… and yet I am told that what we see is generally considered to be middle-class compared to the extreme poverty of Zone 3 in Guatemala City. I am also amazed at the tragedy and suffering. Almost every home is faced with some kind of family crisis or tragedy. Many have family members that have left for the US never to return so they are making it the best they can. Many have lost loved ones to violence, crime, and gang activity. Which reminds me… the crime truly is rampant here. Today we heard gunshots in the distance. This evening, because we were traveling after dark, several of us “bigger” guys rode in an SUV behind the bus to make it look like we were their security detail… and there are security details everywhere. Stores, restaurants, delivery trucks… they all have armed security details. It is kind of strange going into a Pizza Hut restaurant that has a uniformed guard with a shot-gun standing at the front door.
The church service we went to tonight was probably one of the strangest I’ve ever been to. Of course it was very caliente (hot), but the distractions were enormous. About the time Colby (one of our team) began his sermon, a terrific storm hit. Since the local area has been in a drought, this of course was a big distraction. All the adults were distracted by the rain while the kids were running around jumping and playing. I honestly don’t know how Colby managed. It is bad enough to try to speak with an interpreter, but with all those distractions… despite it all, three came to the Lord at the end of the service.
Tomorrow we go to a nursing home…
Day 5
This morning we finished up our door to door evangelism. Our sub-team was able to lead 4 more people to Christ. In all, the whole team led 51 people to the Lord in 2 ½ days of door to door evangelism. It is humbling to see such a field ripe for harvest for the Lord and yet there is so little time and so few workers to bring in the harvest.
In the afternoon, we went to visit a nursing home, although
it wasn’t exactly a nursing home. It was more like a permanent homeless shelter for the elderly and discarded infants. Essentially, it was a nursing home/nursery/orphanage. It was quite a huge operation. They cared for any elderly they find homeless on the street as well as infants and children they find discarded or unwanted. They partially support themselves through Talapia (yes fish) farms. There are always large missions groups that stay
there and work. They even have a partnership with Liberty College in Lynchburg, VA. (where one of my favorite evangelists – Ergun Caner – serves and teaches). There was actually a group there from Liberty while we toured. Our limited time allowed little more than that tour.That reminds me… there is actually another group from the US that checked into the hotel yesterday. It was a college group from the University of Texas. They were studying architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design. Why they chose Rio Hondo I have no idea.
Tomorrow (or rather today by the time I get this posted), is a travel day back to Guatemala City.
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