MINISTRY PARTNERS IN GUATEMALA

(POSSIBLE PROJECT SITES)

Dr. Joel Lara, Iglesia Cristiana El Camino Escuintla y Misión Oasis Escuintla

Dr. Joel Lara is a Guatemalan "tentmaking" medical missionary. While maintaining a limited practice in the city to support his own family; Dr. Lara, his wife and his family have been actively involved in building a church and medical clinic in the town of Escuintla.

While this ministry began by using borrowed space; by December of 2004, they needed to move and begin the search for a permanent home. Dr. Lara told me in August, 2005, as he watched a team from Eagle Brook Church in MN break ground on their new property that he was amazed at all that God had provided: a piece of land; a team to help begin the work; and money to buy materials. It was proof to him that God had not abandoned them. Now in 2006, the new dental and medical clinic is almost finished, and continues to provide care at extremely low prices to people who have no other access. 

Construction is finished on the first open air multi-purpose facility that the church is currently using for its worship services.  Construction needs in the future include sunday school classrooms and a more complete church building.  Doctors, dentists, nurses or medical students are all invited to come serve in this important ministry.  This is a church that grew out of the medical clinic ministry among the poor, and has had a tremendous impact in the community.

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Mike and Dottie Clark , Casa Para Niños Aleluya

Casa Para Niños Aleluya is a Christ-centered ministry that includes both a physical home and spiritual covering for 400+ abandoned, orphaned, and abused children in Guatemala. The ministry involves care giving to children by providing food, clothing, shelter, education, and spiritual discipleship.

Casa Para Niños Aleluya was started over 12 years ago by Mike and Dottie Clark with the sole purpose of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to the suffering children of Guatemala. Through the housing, feeding, and education of the children, they are able to teach them about the unconditional love that many of them did not receive from their home. Mike and Dottie serve as the resident grandparents.

Many types of teams can be useful at Casa Aleluya: construction, service, care-giving, etc. Some teams may also be involved with Casa in doing outreach ministry and church construction projects in poor outlying villages.

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Jenny Stead, Field Director-Kids Alive Guatemala

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The concept of an Oasis signifies what homeless and abused kids need and what “The Oasis” will become for 50 Guatemalan kids in crisis. The Oasis opened its gates to children in 2003. The first two houses, named Casa de Gracia (House of Grace) and Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope), became home to 8 girls each.

The Oasis is still under construction and is dependant on teams of volunteers to continue building. Currently KAG has completed 3 homes and has started work on house #4. When the construction is finished there will be 6 homes, 1 multi-purpose center, a basketball court, soccer field, gardens, guardhouse, and over 50 beautiful children being rescued from crisis.

Kids Alive Guatemala also has another facility for girls called Lily of the Valleys in the same town of San Lucas, just outside of Guatemala City.

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Pastor Abraham Sotoj, Church in El Cajon Guatemala

Pastor Abraham is a young pastor who lost his church and home to mudslides/flooding during the hurricane that hit Guatemala in the fall of 2005.  They had just finished building the home in July.  Pastor Abraham has been serving as Pastor for 6 years and has seen his ministry grow immensely.  Immediate hurricane relief assistance is needed as an important expression of Christian solidarity.

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Rebeca Galindo - HELPS

As part of the Community Development staff at HELPS, Rebeca is responsible for the stove project. We are thrilled to be able to work with Rebeca and HELPS in bringing such a significant and sustainable form of community development to the people of Guatemala. Replacing the “three stone” open fire that 80% of Guatemalan women use; the HELPS stove provides a safe, smoke free kitchen environment; reduces deforestation; and empowers women. The results are amazing.

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Aniceto Tax – Colegio Berea, Yepocapa

Aniceto, a wonderful, kind man is the Chairman of the school board for Colegio Berea in Yepocapa. This Christian school already has over 140 students enrolled. Most of the families cannot afford the extremely low tuition and so they receive additional assistance from the school. They are currently in a small rented facility, but construction on their own new school building is well underway. This school not only serves Christian families in Yepocapa, but is already being widely recognized in the community as the best educational opportunity and so non-Christian families are sending their children and being introduced to Jesus Christ. The school hopes to move from the rented facility into their own building in January, 2007.  There will still be work to finish after they move in and teams are welcome! It is such a privilege to be able to partner with Aniceto and the other members of this important ministry.

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Joseba Arina Querejazu at REMAR

The REMAR orphanage just outside of Guatemala City in Villa Nueva, is one of many ministries that are a part of the REMAR mission, a large ministry from Spain, which is working throughout Latin America. This facility is home to so many children and includes a school as well. They have a large piece of property and are working hard to bring all of the children’s homes onto the actual site. Joseba is the Director of REMAR's ministries in Guatemala.

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