Great Week with the mission team!

We had a wonderful week with a medical team from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina as they ministered alongside La Iglesia Bautista Canaan from Chimaltenango opening more doors among the Ch'orti'. It was great days of sharing the Gospel as the medical doctors, dentists and pharmacists shared the love of Jesus in both word and deed.  They were such a great team.  As I was talking with them and sharing how easy they had been to work with, they shared about how they had been spiritually preparing themselves for many months - think that made a difference?!  Well, it did among the Chorti - doors were opened in previously hardened areas, the Gospel was shared with each patient, and several came to faith in Christ.  Really only in eternity will we know the full impact of results from the ministry of FBC Mt. Pleasant. Thank you for reflecting Christ in all you did!

They arrived on Saturday ready to get rolling.  After orientation and dinner, they repacked medicines and supplies and drifted off to sleep anxious to begin the work to which God had called them.  Early Sunday, the 5 member team from the Guatemala church joined us for breakfast and prayer and then we were off to "Ch'orti'-landia."  We arrived in Chiquimula for a quick lunch and registration at the hotel.  Soon after,we traveled about an hour away up in the mountain to Patenta, just a little ways before Nearar.  (You remember Nearar, I know, if you have been following our blog.  It is the aldea where our church has been investing much time in evangelism and discipleship and where Satan does not want to lose ground.)

There were two medical doctors.

Folks who made friends with the patients and kept them entertained while sharing Jesus.

There was a full dental clinic with three dentists and a hygentist.

And oh did they pulled teeth...over 700 for the week!

A fully staffed pharmacy with 4 pharmacists worked tirelessly
filling as many as 320 prescriptions one day!

Monday and Tuesday we operated the clinic in Nearar. 

We were pleased to see some of the same sweet faces from those previous trips.

Since school was in operation Tuesday morning, we were not able to hold the clinic there. 

 Instead, we operated in the front yard of Manual's home from where we had previously worked.

The adobe walls had fallen leaving small dirt mounds on the cement where the house had stood.

But still the Gospel was shared,

patients were seen by the doctors

and dentists,

  

prescriptions were filled,

the gospel was shared in the school

 while others made house calls to some too ill to come to the clinic.

Then in the afternoon, we returned to the school where those in lines waited patiently.

That night at dinner, one of our translators came attired...

in a shout out to our Auburn Fan daughters back home. haha

Somebody please send these guys some UGA t-shirts!

Wednesday was the final day for the clinics.  We loaded the vans early that morning because the drive was about an hour further up the mountain but ended being over an hour and a half further because several times, the vans were emptied as women walked and men helped push the vans up the steep rocky very rutted trail to El Límon.  If you remember, this aldea was the one that struck Pastor Victorianos heart when we first shared the lostness of the Chorti.  But with the receptiveness of the people in Nearar and the lack of response from the leadership in El Límon, the work was begun in Nearar. 

We arrived much later than expected to a large waiting crowd in El Límon with the restriction of no open Gospel presentation.  But as the doctors and dentists worked they shared their own personal story, planting Gospel seeds and opening doors that had been closed.  It was rewarding when several people asked for Spanish New Testaments and promised to read them.  Laying a foundation for future work was a huge step in the salvation of the people of El Límon.

The remoteness of the aldeas and the five hour return trip to the captial before dark hindered another day of mininstry but as we look back over the week, what an awesome time of foundation laying in previously unreached areas.  Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings, discipleship and worship times were held by the mission group from Iglesia Bautista Canaan for those who had previously responded to the Gospel and those who did boldly declare Christ as Savior this week.

Continue to pray for the Chorti.

May they hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

May the light of the glorious Gospel shine brightly bringing salvation.

Some golden day we will all praise Him around His throne!