Thursday to continue our research, we stopped in Camotán hoping that perhaps our friends from last week might know someone who could travel to the aldeas with us. Alas everyone was working, and we were on "our own." The maps we have found don't match the roads we found so we went to the Honduran border and started back, beginning to map the roads by kilometers. At 1 km we turned left into the first town, Caparja and then left on a very dirt road, adjusting to 4 wheel drive, heading down the mountains, then up the mountains to the aldea Guayabo...up and down we went...around the tall mountains we went...across dry dusty rocky roads with drop-offs that were like looking into a well hundreds of feet deep...all the way to a casero (community) named Filinca (plantation). We found the Gospel has been shared through the ministry of the Amigos (the "Friends" or Quakers) but so few have responded to the Gospel as compared to the numerous people who inhabit these mountains.
Returning to the major road 12 miles and 2 hours later, we continued marking the map along the way. Gaining information from a man waiting for the bus, we turned right and headed up to Morolá. Everytime we came to a "Y" in the road, the Lord put somebody there to tell us the correct road to take. After finding Morolá, we headed back, taking a side road to a Church of God church where we had a wonderful visit with the pastor and his family. Another couple of hours later, we entered Camotán for a late lunch. Afterwards we talked to the owner of the cafe and got more great information, and headed out to find the towns of El Volcán and La Lima, closer to Honduras. Again after a couple of hours "riding the dirt roads" we returned to the highway finished for the day.
Friday, again not having anyone to accompany us and not knowing where to head, we stopped and asked a policeman for assistance who graciously led us to our dirt road for the day, and we changed to 4-wheel drive. Why should we be surprised that the Lord helped us at every cross road? We found His chosen people all along the way every time we needed direction...and all along the way, we found people to share, people to direct, people to wave and smile as we traveled the unbelieveable 55 miles of heights and depths of beautiful mountain sights. The very furtherest we visited was El Limón, an area dark without the light of the Gospel but with precious people who need to hear...such a field ready for workers. We circled back to Marimba where we visited with a local pastor weary because there are so many people and so little workers. At the end of the day, we returned to the Pearl weary and worn.
There are not enough missionaries to reach all these aldeas. In reality the only way the people of these mountains can be reached is for the churches in Guatemala, for all Christians, to realize the call of God on their individual lives and go out sharing the Gospel with their countrymen. It is just like in the states, just like everywhere in the world...Christians MUST realize their personal responsibility to share the Gospel and disciple those who receive the gift of salvation. This is the mandate of all Christians, not preachers or missionaries... each one MUST reach another and another and another.
Easy? No way. This area is hot and dry. The villages are remote and hard to access. The terrain is difficult, even with 4-wheel drive. The people are desparately poor and backward. The grip of Mayan paganism mixed with Catholicism has a stranglehold on the people. Why would anybody want to go there? Because Jesus died in order that these people's sins could be forgiven. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. No one has told them, so they live and die in spiritual darkness. Surely the Lord is calling someone to bring the Gospel to these Chorti. Who could it be?
3 comments:
Wow, David and Glynnis. It's so wonderful to see what you are doing in Guatemala. This land and the Mayan people have captured my heart since we first took that mission trip there. Your pictures remind me of it. I just returned home on the 23rd myself from a 2 week medical mission in Valladolid, Mexico, so I know a little of what you mean by "home again". Wish we could visit, but at least I can pray for you.
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