(Jenn and Paula)

The day has been a rough day of travel and we are now at the hotel that we will stay at during this week.
We have checked into our rooms and have had minimal down time to rest from the long day of travel. The afternoon was spent going through our supplies and reorganizing them back into the suitcases. This was followed up by a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant. We had a wonderful surprise in that Pastor Diego, his wife and his 2yr old daughter. Were able to show up in time for desert with us.
Pastor Diego gave about an hour long testimony of how he came to be a pastor and how his church has been a missionary church around this lake. It is very fitting that we are able to come and help in the Lord’s Mission with this man and this group of churches.
Some of the highlights that I can remember from his long testimony
When growing up he was very poor. He was not able to go to school because of this until he was 9 years old.
He was a short time later shamed and dropped out.
His father was an alcoholic, a gambler, and an absent father.
All of his brothers and sisters died from diseases.
His mother was always very ill
After dropping out of school his mother sent him to go work construction for his uncle. He had to mix the cement at the age of 10 or 11. Said he cried every day, it was very hard work for him. At the end of the week he would get paid about the equivalent of 90 cents. This bought food for his mother and his sister.
Later his father joined the Guatemalan army and when Diego turned 14 his father said he was going to make a man out of him and wanted to fill out his papers for him to join the Guatemalan army also.. Diego left his home village and went to Guatemala city. He sold fruit and vegetable on the side of the road to make money .
While in Guatemala city he went to a poor persons version of seminary school.
While there he went to the church every day and prayed for his father, that he would come to know Christ.
One day he receive a message that his father had been murder by Gorilla militia for being a member of the Guatemala army. With this news he came home to find out that his father had given his life to Christ and became a very active member of there church.
Later they gave him all of the responsibilities that his father had in the church. And once they found out the training that he had they wanted him to become the pastor
He fought this calling. He did not want to become the pastor because people always complained about there pastors and they do not get paid very much at all and he did not want to be poor for the rest of his life.
Later he gave in to God’s calling and his church has been blessed ever since. They are not rich people not even by Guatemala standards, but they are rich in spirit and God has provided for them what they need.
Just listening to Pastor Diego talk we all heard the need of this 4 church community of 400+ Christ followers and there are so many ways that we as a church family can help.
Clothing, shoes, sports shoes, construction, medical, and as I remember more of it I will mention more of it. One specific need was for musical instruments. Specifically piano keyboards. They used to have a few keyboards and several students. Most of those student have gone on to become pastors themselves. Melinda’s eyes lit up when he said this. Her story after he left was that somebody had donated some money to her and had asked her to spend it on what she thought God was calling her to spend it on. She , being a musician, bought an inexpensive keyboard to bring with us. Her intent was to leave it here. This was an awesome story of the wonders of God’s calling for us to be here and how we have listened and responded.
I can see us coming back here for a long time to come.

Father God you have spoken to us through scripture. You have told us that if we provide for the least of these we will have provided for you. Pastor Diego here in Santiago has listened to your words and has loved the least of these. He has loved you. Lord I pray we can help him with this great work you are doing through him. He has brought a school to this area and has rejected none from it. Your churches here Lord have given food and clothing when there has been little for themselves. Lord they are joyfully giving out of there poverty. Lord may we learn from this example and joyfully give back to you.
In your name Jesus, this I pray.
Amen