Our Guatemala Mission team has returned. Their report is posted below.

Thanks to everyone who helped us prayer walk almost 1800 homes and distribute evangelistic materials and invitations to our church.

Our Guatemala Mission team has returned. Their report is posted below.

Thanks to everyone who helped us prayer walk almost 1800 homes and distribute evangelistic materials and invitations to our church.

Guatemala Team Report 2010
Our team team hit the ground running on Friday building four houses in the local community.  It was incredible to work next to shacks that these families were currently living in. We realized that when we were done, each family would have a home without a dirt floor for the first time in their lives.  Our team worked hard to make each house a home.

Saturday was a humbling and emotionally draining day as we ventured to the local dump where families carved out a living picking through the rubbish of society.   We were able to preach the gospel to everyone, and our team prayed for each family individually.  Some prayed to receive Christ. Local pastors were with us to follow up.  We also distributed food and held a medical clinic out the back of our van.  Seeing the joy that came on the mom's faces was priceless after we had given their children food and medical treatment.   What was difficult to deal with was seeing little children pull apart bags of trash, looking for something of value at the edge of a 300 foot cliff of rubbish. The stench was nauseating and the thought that these children may never know anything better was even worse.  It was tempting to rationalize the situation away by thinking that this is just how these people lived.  We were sobered by the reality that we wouldn't want anyone we loved to live like this and would do what every it took to make sure they didn't.    Before departing our whole team was in tears, as we climbed up to the top of the trash pile to hold a prayer meeting.  We knew this is where Jesus would be. One of our team members, Sherri Henson, later gave a verse that captured the essence of this situation while challenging us to be part of the solution.  It was Psalms 113:7 "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap."

Thank you for your prayers,

Joe Horner and the Guatemala Team.

Guatemala Team Report 2010
Our team team hit the ground running on Friday building four houses in the local community.  It was incredible to work next to shacks that these families were currently living in. We realized that when we were done, each family would have a home without a dirt floor for the first time in their lives.  Our team worked hard to make each house a home.

Saturday was a humbling and emotionally draining day as we ventured to the local dump where families carved out a living picking through the rubbish of society.   We were able to preach the gospel to everyone, and our team prayed for each family individually.  Some prayed to receive Christ. Local pastors were with us to follow up.  We also distributed food and held a medical clinic out the back of our van.  Seeing the joy that came on the mom's faces was priceless after we had given their children food and medical treatment.   What was difficult to deal with was seeing little children pull apart bags of trash, looking for something of value at the edge of a 300 foot cliff of rubbish. The stench was nauseating and the thought that these children may never know anything better was even worse.  It was tempting to rationalize the situation away by thinking that this is just how these people lived.  We were sobered by the reality that we wouldn't want anyone we loved to live like this and would do what every it took to make sure they didn't.    Before departing our whole team was in tears, as we climbed up to the top of the trash pile to hold a prayer meeting.  We knew this is where Jesus would be. One of our team members, Sherri Henson, later gave a verse that captured the essence of this situation while challenging us to be part of the solution.  It was Psalms 113:7 "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap."

Thank you for your prayers,

Joe Horner and the Guatemala Team.