It still stands...

It was with GREAT excitement and joy that we headed out with a group from La Iglesia Canaan on May 17 to return to La Cumbre de Nearar to construct a building to hold once a month discipleship training/worship times and future evangelical meetings.  As you read in our June newsletter, that building was completed in two and a half days.  It was a time of rejoicing and yet spiritual warfare.  We realized that when we received the news of the robbery in our home that afternoon.  We realized it as we held some opposition that afternoon before the meeting.  We realized it as we saw some young men gathered in front of the door, one with his gun in his belt, others with their machete.  We realized it as we saw Manuel standing guard behind our truck during the service.  And yet at that first service, two young men accepted Christ as their Savior.  We all understood that satan did not want to give up ground that satan has held for generations.  And so again before we left on Friday morning, we prayed for La Cumbre de Nearar, for its inhabitants, for its new building, for the believers, for those who had heard but had not yet believed, for satan to be bound and for Christ to be glorified.
 And then you read in the prayer update that accompanied the June newsletter about the murder of Manuel, the man of peace, who assisted us in so many ways.  We still do not know much about the details of the murder, nor the reasons why, but we are trusting God to be glorified.  Victoriano and several men from our church will be going this week to find out answers, to encourage the believers, and to continue sharing the Gospel.
            PRAY for them as they go. 
                        PRAY for God's protection. 
                                   PRAY for God's wisdom.
                                              PRAY for God's outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
                                              conviction of sin for those involved in the murder.
                                                         PRAY for salvation for this village.

God is NOT finished with this aldea.
                    God is NOT finished with His salvation for the Chorti. 
                                        God is NOT finished.


This past week, we accompanied another missionary couple for them to become familiar with the Chorti area.  They minister among the K'ekchi.  They were looking for possible opportunities to connect the K'ekshi believers to begin new works among the Chorti, much like our church has begun but in different areas from the Nearar area.  Pray that God will reveal His plan and timing for their involvement. 


In one of those long rides, we did pass through La Cumbre de Nearar, although we did not stop we did see that the building still stands, undisturbed.  As we passed in front of Manuel's home, we didn't see any one and the gate to his home was closed.  We don't know what all that means, other than, it is evident that the Gospel has been presented there and some have believed.  Continue to pray for the believers for their safety, for growth in the midst of persecution, for the spread of the Gospel.