Encuentro Indigenous 2011

Encuentro Indigenous 2011 will be held this week, Tuesday through Saturday, in Cobán, Guatemala, the seat of the K’ekchi. Since many IMB missionaries have invested into the work, discipling K’ekchi believers into a growing church planting movement, it is a joy to have them coordinate the conference this year and share how they have planted over 400 growing, reproducing churches and missions. Some of our own first “on field” mission work and exposure was among the K’ekchi, so we are excited to hear as they share and motivate other indigenous to reach out in evangelism.


During the Encuentro Indigenous 2010, David shared from our research among the Ch'orti', an indigenous group near the Honduran border, of their extreme lostness and the numerous aldeas without any evangelical witness at all. As he shared, the Spirit gripped our pastor's heart. As a result, Pastor Victoriano began to lead our church in a year-long preparation process of teaching missions, of praying, of giving to missions, and of planning and executing mission trips.

In November 2010, David accompanied a group of about 15 six hours to the mountains to begin a relationship and ministry among the Ch’orti’. A brake problem with one of the trucks proved to be divine intervention to cause them to remain in Nearer, rather than their original plan of the village of El Limón. Being stranded there for two days, the team began to minister and the door to present the Gospel opened quickly.

Then in January 2011, they returned without us, as we were working in Honduras, and traversed the mountain side going house to house sharing the Gospel, holding evening services resulting about 15 people being saved.

The week of Semana Santa (Holy Week of Easter), a group of us returned with a doctor, 2 medical students, and 2 nurses to facilitate a medical clinic, continue the house to house presenting of the Gospel and following up with the those who had accepted Christ, and holding evening meetings. Pastor VIctoriano contracted land to construct an open air structure to begin the first evangelical church, a Baptist church.

We will return the third week of May to help them, along with the believers from Nearer, construct this structure. Then groups of 3 to 4 will return will return at least once a month to continue discipleship and evangelism. As this area begins to grow in their faith, our church will lead them into reaching out into other areas already receptive to the Gospel, offering not a religion, but hope for life, eternal life. They will continue evangelistic outreach to other areas with the goal of planting a Baptist church in every village without an evangelical church.

This is what our desire had been all along...not just putting numbers into our mission data base, but using our research to lead Guatemalans into investing in the kingdom by evangelizing villages in Guatemala without an evangelical witness and ultimately reaching out into the whole world.

Pray with us that as Pastor Victoriano, pastor of La Iglesia Bautista Canaán here in Chimaltenango, shares among the pastors and leaders that others will catch the vision of cross cultural missions reaching the nations. Jeronimo, the Mam pastor who spent more than a year and a half in jail unjustly charged with murder will be there with his wife. It will be our first experience to see them since his release.

Marvin and Britani

You have read as we have shared about visits with Marvin and Britani but we have never taken the time to explain who they really are.  So below is the story of Marvin and Britani and now, baby Jacob.  God is being glorified and praised as they live their life of faith.  Pray for them as they continue to seek medical attention and care for Marvin.

Marvin is a young man from Ixchiguan in whom Lily, one of our IMB missionaries, has invested for many years.  He and Britani met in the summer of 2009 while she was on a mission trip from her church in Oregon...and the old story continued...they fell in love and then were married last summer. 

Sometime this past fall it was discovered that Marvin had a mass of blood vessels at the base of his skull cutting off his blood supply to the brain and he began having seizures (during the night) which of course, terrified Britani, who was pregnant.  The doctors were able to diagnose his problem and prescribe medication to control the seizures but, of course, the best possible solution was/is to have surgery in the US.  They wanted to spend some time in the US with her family anyway but this just made things more urgent.  They began working on his visa early in the fall - following all the processes here and her parents assisting from Oregon.  Her dad has a couple of businesses so he will have a job there and Britani can return to her former job as well.  They have such a heart for the children in Antigua, especially the children in the park, so they want to return to continue the work here.   They were hoping he would have his visa in time for them to leave in December when her visa expired.   But she had to return to the states without Marvin, however, she returned 10 days later and they continued the process. 

Their new hope was that all would be completed before the end of February/first of March in order to leave and have the baby in the states.  When they realized that this wasn't going to be the timetable, her mom came March 15 to have some time before the baby’s arrival, be with them for the baby's birth, and a little while after his arrival.  Even during this time, they continued working on the process.  Jacob arrived Wednesday afternoon, April 6th.  Since she had a c-section, she remained in the hospital until Friday.  On the way home from the hospital, we took them to RENAP to get his Guatemalan birth certificate even before we took them to their home. Saturday night, his mom and one of his brothers came from Ixchiguan to stay until Sunday.  They live upstairs in an efficiency apartment.  Their mattress and box springs with a blow up mattress for her mom already on the floor, the others slept on the floor in the kitchen area. 

Tuesday, we picked them (M, B, and baby J) up at 8 and traveled 45 minutes to the capital to get Jacob's Guatemalan passport. They were finished by noon and had passport in hand!  Wednesday, (one week after Jacob’s birth), we picked them up at 5 am to return to the capital to the US Embassy to present Jacob for his US passport.  Britani had scheduled this appointment several weeks before anticipating Jacob’s birth to at least be “on time.”  If she had not been able to present him this day, it would have been three more weeks before she could present him.  After waiting in line about an hour and then presenting Jacob, she was told that she needed more documentation – an additional 3 more years of back taxes to prove her US citizenship.  She had presented 4 years worth, her US passport, her US driver's license, their marriage license, and other documents but needed still more.  (Isn’t that always the case?!)  Back home to call her dad and to find the additional forms and send by email in order to be printed and bring back the next day.  Thursday, we picked them up at 5 am again and took them back to the US embassy.  It was the day of Marvin's interview for his visa (talk about NERVOUS, he was terrified!!); the date had been scheduled for three weeks.  Although his appointment was at 8, numerous others had that same time slot, so he had to arrive very early to get in line to get a number to determine the order of the 8 o'clock appointments.  Since it was too early for Jacob to be in the morning air, David and I took him with us to eat breakfast and pass the time.  We returned around 7:30 and kept Jacob until they went into the Embassy around 8:30.  They returned a couple of hours later with good and bad news.  They had all the paperwork completed for Jacob's passport and we could return in about an hour to pick it up. However, the US lawyer had not sent some of the required paperwork to the embassy here, so it was another call to dad to get the lawyer's office to over night the needed paperwork to the embassy.  Marvin was given another appointment for Monday at 2, but they returned home that afternoon with their one week old son having BOTH his passports. 

David and I left Monday morning with a group from our church in Chimaltenango for a three day mission trip to the Ch’orti’ and were unable to assist them during these final steps.   Since Britani's mom was returning to the states on Monday, so they accompanied her to the airport and went to the embassy. With all the paperwork in hand and in order, Marvin was given his visa.  Talk about EXCITEMENT!!!!  Well, then the timetable moved even faster if that is possible. 

Since, we didn't return from Nearer until Wednesday night, and had the plans for Thursday in the capital, they made arrangements to leave on Friday.  His family (his mom, 2 brothers, sister and her baby of 2 years) came to visit on Wednesday night and to accompany them to the airport.  Thursday afternoon David picked up the mattress and box springs to return to the folks from whom they had borrowed it.  So Thursday night they slept on the blow-up  mattress with the family sleeping elsewhere on the floor.  Friday, only the BUSIEST day of the year in Antigua (the Friday of Semana Santa), we arrived at 7 to get them at 7:30.  They loaded all the bags, said goodbyes and headed to the capital.  We met the family at the airport (they had traveled in a taxi) for a brief moment.  We took all the bags inside to check them and their bags (I got to hold Jacob and enjoy him a little more), and then we kept the check in luggage while Marvin and Britani went back to say goodbye and take more photos.  Then finally, we sent them on their way!  It was Marvin’s first airplane trip, his first immigration check, his first meeting of many of her family, and so on.  It was a LONG emotionally challenging day for them all but they arrived safely in Oregon around midnight.  Praise God!

It has been so exciting to walk alongside them in this journey.  I must admit, I really didn't expect it go as quickly as it has.  True, it has been so quickly in a day count, but in the processes of governments and with the challenges of his records, etc. it has gone much quicker than I ever imagined.  It has been so sweet to watch them and walk beside them as they continued stedfast in their walk with the Lord and trusting Him every step of the way. 

Continue to pray for them as the journey ahead is still very long for Marvin and his medical issues.  God is faithful and sufficient, not only for them, but for you as well.  How is your walk of faith?

He is Risen!! He is Risen Indeed!!

In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song;

this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My Comforter, my All in All,

here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh

Fulness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones he came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied -

For every sin on Him was laid;

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine -

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath.

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

A whirlwind beginning to a WHIRLWIND month

This week has been quite a beginning of this whirlwind month ahead of us...there were five (yes, count them, 5) trips to the capital.

Monday - the trip was a fun trip as we ladies celebrated another birthday lunch (and several of the husbands enjoyed food and fellowship together too) at the new IHOP!  Yes, you read that correctly - IHOP has recently opened here in Guatemala and they are already working on the second one.

Tuesday - the trip was to get Jacob's Guatemalan passport which went without a hitch at all as we left town with his passport in hand.  Jacob's parents, Britani (North American) and Marvin (Guatemalan) are sweet friends of ours that you have seen before on our blog.  Marvin has a VERY serious medical issue and he desperately needs to get to the states for medical attention.  There have been SO many hurdles and hoops to jump through, but through it all, they have had such sweet spirits even in the most difficult of circumstances.  Please continue to pray for them as they continue the process and as he receives the medical help he needs.

Wednesday - the trip was to present Jacob for his US passport.  We arrived at the US embassy at 7 am and left a couple of hours later without his passport.  One More Hurdle - a few more documents were needed which her dad was able to email that afternoon and have ready for presentation on Thursday am when we went back.

Thursday - the trip was for Marvin's interview to receive (or deny) his visa.  We arrived at 6 am and dropped Marvin and Brittany at the gate to wait for a number.  He had been assigned an interview time, along with many others, and this number would be the order in which they were called for the same interview time.  The embassy does not open until 8, the 8 o'clock interviews do not start until 9, but they were in line at 6 to be first (he was second).  David and I felt a little like, no, a LOT like, Abraham and Sarah as we got to enjoy a leisurely breakfast with Jacob before rejoining them around 7:45 for Jacob to accompany them to the interview. Marvin was very nervous, very nervous, very nervous but he did well, however, Another Hurdle, they were told that several documents that the US attorney was to have expedited, were not in the file here.  After several phone calls, she assured them that this time the documents would be here in time for his return appointment on this coming Monday at 2 pm, Although we all left a bit discouraged, not all was lost, for we left with Jacob's US passport.  So this little guy, only a week old, now holds his two passports...a miracle in itself!

Friday - the trip was to purchase supplies for the upcoming Sinergia conference in May.  Sinergia is a mobilization conference for the encouragement of, and training of latin believers to launch out as missionaries into the world, especially in the unreached areas of the world.

Then in the afternoon, we were able to leave home with our friend Carol and her sister Kim, who had just arrived for a week's visit for a little R&R and head to Lake Atitlán.  Enjoy some of the pics of 24 hours friend time :)

 A little shopping is always in order

 The beginning of a parade

 No parade is complete without the beauty queens

 Here they come...the volunteer firemen

 There they go...yeah, the volunteer firemen with a couple of the trucks.

It was just a fundraiser parade.

 We stopped at a new place on the way home.  

Just couldn't resist this little fellow, notice the tear in his eye and the trail of tears on his cheek. 

 Special friend time with Carol and Kim.

Whew!  Early mornings (two of those days were 3:30 AM wake ups to leave home before 4:30). Capital traffic. Throw in a little "friend time." Just the beginning of this whirlwind month.


Second Whirlwind Week Ahead:  Please continue to pray for us this week as we head out early Monday morning with a group from our church as we minister in Nearer.  We covet your prayers.  Pray for those who will hear the message of salvation and receive forgiveness of their sins.  One day, you will see them around the throne praising God because you prayed them into the kingdom.

Some Radical Prayer Needs

Recently in our reading of Radical by David Platt, the following statement really struck home with me:  "In our quest for the extraordinary, we often overlook the importance of the ordinary, and I'm proposing that a radical lifestyle actually begins with an extraordinary commitment to ordinary practices that have marked Christians who have affected the world throughout history."

I know that many of you have read the book and have been challenged to "take back your faith from the American Dream" and live radically changed in your Christian walk by committing to those ordinary practices, including radically challenged prayer for the world. 

The week of Semana Santa, we will be accompanying a medical mission team from our church to Nearer.  Although David accompanyied them previously, this will be my first time to go with them.  I am listing some prayer concerns that I am asking you to specifically lift up for the next two weeks.  If you will commit to pray for these, please leave a message either here, on facebook, or by email to let us know of your prayer covering.

1.  Remaining fruit in those first believers from the trip in January
2.  Discipleship of these new believers
3.  Fertile ground for others ready to receive Christ as Savior
4.  Medical clinic to meet needs of people of Nearer and open new doors of ministry
5.  Raising up of a missionary to live near/in Nearer to continue the ministry fulltime

I look forward to sharing with you amazing answers to your prayers.  God is at work and we want to be a part of what He is doing and continue the cycle of growth.

On the hill...

Yesterday afternoon was special. Our young friends, Marvin and Britani wanted to take us to Casa Santo Domingo del Cerro.

Casa Santo Domingo was one of the grand old convents of Guatemala. Today it is a very nice hotel we often pass as we enter Antigua from the capital. Rosary prayers and Mass is still held at the Chapel of our Lady of the Rosary every Sunday. The Casa Santo Domino Cultural Center includes a Colonial Museum, Archaeological Museum and displays of Pre-Columbian Art and Modern Glass. The Casa Santo Domingo del Cerro (of the hill) is located on a hill just outside Antigua. Here beautiful gardens are set on the hillside overlooking Antigua. A giant bird aviary houses some local and African birds. Contemporary art is scattered throughout the grounds. We spent time wandering the grounds and salon areas for services, weddings, receptions, etc. We were ending our time at the restaurant for a delightful dinner only to find that it closes on Sunday at 5 pm…we should have gone there first! But we had such a neat time walking the gardens, looking at the views, and just being together.

At the entrance to the garden was this beautiful carpet made of sawdust and vegetables.  Since it the time leading to Semana Santa (holy week), we see these carpets throughout Antigua.

Denise is here to spend time with Marvin and Britani as they await the arrival of Jacob.  She's one proud grandma :)

This beautiful waterfall was the setting for several photos.

This wooden carving was quite touching...the foot of Jesus with the nail.  He died for me...for you...for each one in Guatemala and around the world.

This is an unusual carving of a quetzal.

We couldn't eat on the hill, but we found a neat little restaurant not too far from their apartment where we enjoyed delicious food and sweet fellowship.

And off we went...

The white outline is the country of Guatemala and the pink lines are the areas where we have traveled these past two years. As you can tell, much time has been spent on the road. It makes us remember the part of our job description…”A couple that likes to travel; that likes to travel together.”

Indeed we have traveled, but as we have, God has continually opened our eyes and hearts for the great need within Guatemala. We will travel back to some of these areas with the purpose to plant growing reproducing churches in areas with little or no light of the Gospel of Truth.

Begin praying with us now:

1. For a united strategy of purposefully planting growing reproducing churches throughout Guatemala.

2. For Guatemalan pastors and churches to have a heart to reach their own country with the Gospel of Truth and ultimately the world.

3. For the salvation of people.

4. For the raising up of men to be leaders and pastors in these new works.