Encouraging Guatemalans to Return to Jesus

After a yummy breakfast at Hotel Bambu in Mazatenango, we drove 45 minutes to the town of Retalhuleu.  While other churches in the area are growing, Iglesia Evangelica Bautista Sendero de Vida is struggling… having just a handful of regular attendees.  Today we took the time to visit, encourage, and pray with some people in the area.  Some in our group shared Jesus’ love with the lady at the tortilla stand near the church, others visited Karina, a mom of two kids that stopped going to church over 3 years ago.  We visited Vila and her daughter Susie. Vila was one of the early members of the church but because of her knee condition she has difficulties walking and participating in the church.  We visited Marcos Antonio at his wood shop who helped lead his brother to Christ but now has stalled in his walk with Christ. Before lunch, we visited the nearby school and invited the kids to come over in the afternoon to the church for activities.  Over 35 kids arrived at the church and we played with them – soccer, jump rope, and tag both before and after our lesson.  We shared the story of Adam and Eve and Henry presented the Gospel to them. We played two games to show them that Jesus is the only way to the Father.

What to pray for:

• please pray for the town of Retalhulue and the people we visited today – for them to feel the Holy Spirit to lead them back to church and to invite others to learn more about Jesus
• pray for new leaders to have a vision and direction for the Iglesia Evangelica Baustista Sendero de Vida
• pray for the Whites to find ways to connect with the town of Retalhulue to help them grow, perhaps by sending teams for longer in the future

-Marian