Traveling with Victoriano - Part IV

On Tuesday, Pastor Victoriano Cojti and his youngest son traveled with us to an area where we had not gone before.


Ariel did not have school that day in preparation for exams so after lunch, he and his dad were headed up the mountain to work in their field of corn and frioles.

Santo Domingo Xenacoj is a small town about 15 mintues outside Chimaltenango. However, they are very proud of their beautiful municipalidad building.


There are two baptist churches in town.


The younger of the two, Iglesia Bautista Restoración, is pastored by Román Lazaro. At the present they meeet in this rented building in town.


The town is very Mayan, but both churches have services in Spanish. Most of the people use Spanish for trade and the children are educated in Spanish but their heart language of real understanding is Kaqchikel.

Next we entered Sumpango. We were surprised at the size of the town. The municipalidad building displays the blend of most of these towns. Though the official language is Spanish, the heart language is Kaqchikel. Note on the writing - the Spanish spelling of the town is Sumpango and the Kaqchikel spelling is Tzumpango.


But I think the sweetest display of this fact is the picure of these two school girls - one dressed in the official school uniform and the other in traditional dress.



There is no Baptist work here, but there are some evangelical churches. This gentleman was proclaiming the Gospel in the park across from the municipalidad.


About 5 minutes back toward town we turned on this wonderful paved road to the small town of Santa Marta.


Wow what a road, we thought, until the good road curved and Victoriano said..."directo." To go directo meant take the small, washed out, rutted, 45 degree straight up the side of the mountain. Yes, we went straight up the "trail" in our good truck "Clyde" to a small Baptist mission and pastor's house.




Built by Korean First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, it is a Kaqchikel church.


It is without a pastor at the present time so a Korean missionary comes on Sundays to preach, but the message is in Spanish. One of the major problems is there is no electricity or water at this location. Next to the church is the home of one of the three families who are members.



The location is beautiful. We looked out over the fields to Xenacoj where we had visited earlier...


then down to the town of Santa Marta.



Pray the Lord of the Harvest will send forth laborers to proclaim the truth in the heart language so that all may hear, understand, and receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.