PRAYERWalk with me...

This time we will travel from Camotán toward Honduras and exit to the left right past the Puente (bridge) Jupilingo. Along this 16 km loop, Ch’ortí live up and down the mountain side. We saw no evangelical churches along this journey.

Pray that the cycle of deception will be broken and that people will hunger to know the Truth of God.

Pray believers will have a vision to reach these people who walk these roads, who walk these mountains, who walk in darkness and deception. Who will come?

Pray for believers to walk these roads and speak boldly about Salvation through faith alone through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Pray that the people who plant crops up and down the mountain side will come to know the Bread of Life who will satisfy their inner longings of Peace, Hope, and a Future.

Pray for crops to grow which will nourish the physical body and that the Spirit of God will flow rivers of Living Water satisfying their spiritual thirst providing Eternal Life.

Pray that the children will learn to read and write so that they can read the Words of Life. Though there are many schools along the road the cost of uniforms, books and other supplies keep many children from being able to consistently attend.

Pray for churches to be established that will loudly proclaim that Jesus is Lord!

Pray for that many Ch’ortí will stand beside you at the Throne of God singing Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Friends...

Friends, Jim and Patsy came to see us last week. What a blessing they are to us. Many years ago, David took Jim on his first mission trip. When we left the church we were serving, Jim took up the chllenge and has led numerous mission teams to Guatemala in the 10+ years. What a joy to see their love of Guatemala and their desire that all the peoples have Salvation in Jesus!


We were able to take them to some places where they had not been before and also to revisit some places where they had ministered. We spend time at the Pacific with Larry and Sarah with whom they have worked for a number of years...

and walked the cool waters and the hot black sand.


They had heard of the "Pana House" and were finally able to stay overnight there.


We revisited Campamento El Eden


and rejoiced in the finished product of past teams who had labored in the construction of the dorm building...


and reminisced in evening devotional times spent around the fire pit.


We walked the streets of Santiago...


and saw people with whom we have shared in the past but who still don't yet know our Jesus.




We delighted in the beauty of God's creation.




We look forward to their return in May with their team to continue the work of Operation Go with Larry and Sarah.


Thanks for the refreshment you bought to us. We love you, Jim and Patsy.

Prayer Walking Continued...

Today let's prayerwalk more Ch'orti' aldeas.


Leaving Caparja, continue on the main carretera from Honduras and pass marker 214 km crossing over a white bridge. After the sign La Libertad, turn right onto the paved road. Stop and put the car in four wheel drive because very quickly the road becomes a typical mountain dirt road.

At the first "Y", take the left and continue past the school. Again pray for the students in this school, that they will learn and advance in knowledge. Pray for the teachers to be wise and diligent in their teaching. As you pass, several homes are seen along the road, pray for these families. The homes and families that we observed here seemed more prosperous than in some other areas. Pray that they would continue to prosper.

At the next "Y", take the right and pass by an Iglesia de Dios, Church of God. Pray that the Light of the Gospel would penetrate this entire area.

Many churches are found on this road. Some are evangelical, some are not. Pray that the Truth of the Word would overshine any mixture of doctrine or theology which would confuse the believers or hinder people from salvation.

Pray that believers will take personal responsiblity to share the Gospel with their family and neighbors. Pray for their words to be clear and easily understood. Pray that the spirt of deception would be bound and that Truth would be freely known.

As you walk these 22 km in prayer look out unto the hills and praise God. Praise Him that one day, people from the Ch'orti' Mayan group will be standing before the thone of God crying,

"Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb."

Pray that MANY Ch'orti' would be in that number.

Prayer Walk along with us...

We will be out around the country this week with some dear friends who are visiting from the States. But we want to share with you an opportunity to prayer walk the area along with us in some of the beautiful but very needy lands of the Ch'orti'.


Entering Guatemala from Honduras, take the first left into Caparja. Coming into the town, again take the first left, a dirt road to El Guayabo, and immediately put the car into four-wheel drive. The road will be very steep at times but cement blocks have been inlaid in some of the worst places to aid in the ascent/descent of the mountains.

Pray for the safety of people who daily travel this road. Most of the people do not have cars and buses can't travel to these aldeas. Some though have purchased a pickup truck and outfitted it with a steel frame in the bed and it becomes a flete, or transport. There is standing room only...usually about 15 to 20 folks standing in the bed of the truck. The road is a very curvy, steep, one lane road...


but offers beauty beyond compare. Pray that as the people view God's handiwork, they would come to know the Creator of it all.


At the first "Y," take the left> this area is El Guayabo. about 200 families live here scattered out up and down the mountainside. As always, the Catholic church is the most predominant building found. But here is also an evangelical church, Iglesia Amigos with about 40 members. Pray that these members would grow in their understanding of salvation by faith alone in Christ. Pray that they will stand strong in their witness. Pray that they will recognize the responsibility to share the Gospel with their family and their friends. Pray for the growth of the evangelicals in this area. Pray that the hearts of their neighbors would be open to the Gospel. Pray for understanding of salvation by faith alone...it can not be earned.


All beside of the roads, people try to grow a crop of corn or beans, their major diet, but the land is very poor. Pray that crops to produce adequate food for the people and livestock.



Schools are found in every aldea. Pray for the education of these children. Their lessons are taught in Spanish but many children have only spoken Ch'orti' before they attend school. Pray that as they grow in their knowledge, they will be able to read and understand the Bible. Pray for a desire to learn.

Continue past El Guayabo to the Caserio Filinca. You will see small walking trails and some roads enter into the main road. They lead to homes scattered up and down the mountain. Pray for these people to have a longing to know the truth and not just accept the traditional teaching from the past. Pray they will have hope. Pray for peace in their families and in their hearts.


Along this 6 km round trip, pray for the Light of the Gospel to SHINE in the darkness of religion. Pray that the Light that is shining will be BRIGHT and PURE.

Till all may know...

Putting it into words and pictures...

It has been so difficult to put into words our trips to the Ch'ortí area. But finally here are our thoughts on last week's journey.

We arrived in Chiquimula to our home, Hotel Posado Perla del Oriente. As I said before, there is no need to get excited about us staying at the Pearl...cold water is SO overrated anyway...ha! It is neat to arrive and the ladies smile and welcome us as they are getting to know us. Great opportunities to share with them as well as we leave every morning and come back late afternoon, wind blown and saddle sore.

Thoughts from along the way - in no particular order:

"Every round goes HIGHER...HIGHER..."


"She'll be comin' 'round the mountain..."


"How Great Thou Art!"


"beauty from ashes..."



"You can see forever..."


"Not many people even on vacation today are seeing the beauty that we are seeing..."


"In a dry and thristy land where no water is..."



"Stepping out into the wild DEEP yonder..."


"Trying to grow corn out of rock..."


"So very curvy...so very rocky..."



"Just the normal, everyday traffic..."




But my favorite of the week as we were riding along..."Hey, I know where we are, if we turn here we will head back to that place where we were last week." And it was TRUE! We are beginning to see how the terrain and roads fit together...well, at times we are. That's really good since we are having to draw our maps as we go along.

"The emptiness of Religion..."


Why are we rocking along these roads? We are preparing the way for those who come behind bringing the GOOD NEWS. Pray for those who will come...so many are waiting.