Hello friends. We're a day late on this post, so you get two for one. We obviously arrived safely in Guatemala City, our team of 6 from Valley Ranch Baptist Church. This group is made up of 
individuals serving on our Guatemala missions team at VRBC, though only two of us have traveled to this amazing country before. The primary purpose of our trip is to deepen our relationship with Jerusalen Baptist Church in Los Pinos, a neighborhood in the Mixco area on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and to collaborate with Buckner to develop ways to meet needs of children and families in this area. Our Pastor Larry Parsley and our Minister of Missions, Amy Wilkins paid an initial visit to Guatemala with me last September. Amy is on the trip and will blog her thoughts as well. We hope to better evaluate the most pressing needs in this community and to help the church fulfill her vision of ministry in the area. There is so much opportunity and we are anxious to be led and to serve.
Sunday afternoon Pastor Morales took the team on a tour of some of the ministry sites where Jerusalen Baptist is serving. The team traveled 18 km into the mountains where one of the church's missions is located. They do bible studies on Tuesday and Thursdays, with a church service on Sunday afternoon led by one of Jerusalaen Baptist's deacons. They have about 40 people in attendance right now but with 280 families that live in the village 
there is so much opportunity to share God's love. A few minutes walk from the mission a government school houses 650 kids in primary and secondary school. Within 5 minutes another school serves 1050 kids. We spent the afternoon getting to know Pastor Morales and his heart for the Guatemalan people. God has granted him access to both of these schools through partnerships that he has formed with the principals who are fellow believers. We also learned of another mission that Jerusalen Baptist supports near the Guatemala City dump. Here women and children live in poverty and rarely posses the skills or means to break the cycle of poverty. The church is beginning to teac
h some of the women how to sew so they can sell the clothes they make. They are also learning how to make bread to feed their families. WOW what an impact that ministry can make for decades to come!! Add to that the futbol (soccer) league that the church runs on a dirt piece of land adjacent to the main building as an outreach tool to the community. We were all completely humbled and amazed to see how God is using this congregation of less than 100 people to impact the Kingdom.
Chris Cato
Monday morning we went back to the church in Los Pinos to begin our construction project on the floor of a large room upstairs in the church. As of now the church provides a daycare in about 200 sq. ft. of space and our goal is to lay down a tile surface in the room above the sanctuary to give the children an additional 1500 sq. ft. of space. Today we cleaned the room out and prepped the floor with an acid wash and will begin the tile work tomorrow.
Pastor Morales took the team to another government run school less than a block from Jerusalen Baptist w
here we toured the campus spoke to each of the classes and had the chance to pray with the principal - what a cool experience to pray over the school with the principal! The kids were awesome! They were so enamored with having visitors. They would run up to you and shout "photographia" begging us to take their picture! They were full of life...and energy. 
While the rest of the team visited the school, Ashley Martinez stayed behind at the church with what we believe was a divine apointment with a 25 year-old Guatemalan mother who we'll call Gabriella. Ashley met her on Sunday, and according to Pastor Morales that was her first Sunday to attend church. She didn't live in the community but was there with a friend who works in the church day care. On Monday Gabriella was back at the church with her infant boy. She had no job, and not much of a family support system. Ashely imidiately went over to say hello. While the rest of us toured the school Ashley stayed behind to sit with Gabriella, hold her baby boy and let her pick through toddler clothes, shoes, socks and toys that Ashley and Seth had brought with them in a spare suitcase. Gabriella was nearly brought to tears out of Ashley's willingness to serve God by serving her. Eventhough there was a language barrier everyone can understand love.
Sports is something else that everyone can understand! As we finished work on the floor we took advantage of a little down time to strike up a game of futbol with some of the local youth. It was a great way to open up a conversation about why we are visiting all the way from Texas. Many of them attend t
he co-op school in Los Pinos where we will be visiting tomorrow so I cannot wait to see them again. We have already seen so much here in Guatemala and there is so much to do. We are so excited to be working with Pastor Morales and we know that God has big plans for this country. Please pray that our eyes would be opened to what God is doing and that he would be glorified through this newly formed partership between VRBC and Jerusalen Baptist Church.
individuals serving on our Guatemala missions team at VRBC, though only two of us have traveled to this amazing country before. The primary purpose of our trip is to deepen our relationship with Jerusalen Baptist Church in Los Pinos, a neighborhood in the Mixco area on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and to collaborate with Buckner to develop ways to meet needs of children and families in this area. Our Pastor Larry Parsley and our Minister of Missions, Amy Wilkins paid an initial visit to Guatemala with me last September. Amy is on the trip and will blog her thoughts as well. We hope to better evaluate the most pressing needs in this community and to help the church fulfill her vision of ministry in the area. There is so much opportunity and we are anxious to be led and to serve.Early Sunday morning I received a call that our friend Dr. Sergio Mollinedo had gone to be with the Lord. Sergio was the husband of Chiqui, who has directed the Buckner Guatemala programs for several years. This has been a very sad few days as we mourn the loss of such a true servant of our Lord Jesus. He knew how to put the needs of others ahead of his own. He used medicine to heal the ailments of many, including the Buckner children, our trip participants, our staff and many many others. We will miss this mighty spiritual warrior who gave so faithfully of his time, his talents, and his treasures to meet real needs in this world. His life is an example and a challenge to us all as we strive to serve those in need. We know the angels are celebrating his homecoming, but please continue to pray for Chiqui and the Mollinedo family.
Our team attended church at Jerusalen on Sunday morning. Wow, what a worship experience!
Pastor Jorge Morales provided us the warmest of welcomes and we were even given gifts from the children in the church. Amy explained to the church that our desire is to develop a long term relationship, not just have a quick visit, as we link arms to accomplish His purposes. Pastor Morales spoke on the calling of the disciples by Jesus in Matthew 4. He explained that these men weren't called because of their abilities, but because of the willingness of their hearts. He calls all of us in much
the same way. For His grand plan, we are all/each called to play a part. We have different responsibilities unique to us as individuals. God can and will do BIG things when we choose to participate. The service was amazing and I can honestly say I have never felt more appreciated for doing nothing but showing up. We were much more blessed today than we were able to bless. I was humbled and convicted at the same time. This abundance of warmth I felt and that I imagine other visitors felt, I quickly realized I have never shown to a visitor in my own church.
Pastor Jorge Morales provided us the warmest of welcomes and we were even given gifts from the children in the church. Amy explained to the church that our desire is to develop a long term relationship, not just have a quick visit, as we link arms to accomplish His purposes. Pastor Morales spoke on the calling of the disciples by Jesus in Matthew 4. He explained that these men weren't called because of their abilities, but because of the willingness of their hearts. He calls all of us in much
the same way. For His grand plan, we are all/each called to play a part. We have different responsibilities unique to us as individuals. God can and will do BIG things when we choose to participate. The service was amazing and I can honestly say I have never felt more appreciated for doing nothing but showing up. We were much more blessed today than we were able to bless. I was humbled and convicted at the same time. This abundance of warmth I felt and that I imagine other visitors felt, I quickly realized I have never shown to a visitor in my own church.The Holy Spirit was present and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride! He was unencumbered by language or location and I felt so connected to Him, to my friends, and to these strangers - brothers and sisters in Christ in the truest sense.
Jeff Jones
Sunday afternoon Pastor Morales took the team on a tour of some of the ministry sites where Jerusalen Baptist is serving. The team traveled 18 km into the mountains where one of the church's missions is located. They do bible studies on Tuesday and Thursdays, with a church service on Sunday afternoon led by one of Jerusalaen Baptist's deacons. They have about 40 people in attendance right now but with 280 families that live in the village 
there is so much opportunity to share God's love. A few minutes walk from the mission a government school houses 650 kids in primary and secondary school. Within 5 minutes another school serves 1050 kids. We spent the afternoon getting to know Pastor Morales and his heart for the Guatemalan people. God has granted him access to both of these schools through partnerships that he has formed with the principals who are fellow believers. We also learned of another mission that Jerusalen Baptist supports near the Guatemala City dump. Here women and children live in poverty and rarely posses the skills or means to break the cycle of poverty. The church is beginning to teac
h some of the women how to sew so they can sell the clothes they make. They are also learning how to make bread to feed their families. WOW what an impact that ministry can make for decades to come!! Add to that the futbol (soccer) league that the church runs on a dirt piece of land adjacent to the main building as an outreach tool to the community. We were all completely humbled and amazed to see how God is using this congregation of less than 100 people to impact the Kingdom.Chris Cato
Day 2--
Monday morning we went back to the church in Los Pinos to begin our construction project on the floor of a large room upstairs in the church. As of now the church provides a daycare in about 200 sq. ft. of space and our goal is to lay down a tile surface in the room above the sanctuary to give the children an additional 1500 sq. ft. of space. Today we cleaned the room out and prepped the floor with an acid wash and will begin the tile work tomorrow.
Pastor Morales took the team to another government run school less than a block from Jerusalen Baptist w
here we toured the campus spoke to each of the classes and had the chance to pray with the principal - what a cool experience to pray over the school with the principal! The kids were awesome! They were so enamored with having visitors. They would run up to you and shout "photographia" begging us to take their picture! They were full of life...and energy. 
While the rest of the team visited the school, Ashley Martinez stayed behind at the church with what we believe was a divine apointment with a 25 year-old Guatemalan mother who we'll call Gabriella. Ashley met her on Sunday, and according to Pastor Morales that was her first Sunday to attend church. She didn't live in the community but was there with a friend who works in the church day care. On Monday Gabriella was back at the church with her infant boy. She had no job, and not much of a family support system. Ashely imidiately went over to say hello. While the rest of us toured the school Ashley stayed behind to sit with Gabriella, hold her baby boy and let her pick through toddler clothes, shoes, socks and toys that Ashley and Seth had brought with them in a spare suitcase. Gabriella was nearly brought to tears out of Ashley's willingness to serve God by serving her. Eventhough there was a language barrier everyone can understand love.
Sports is something else that everyone can understand! As we finished work on the floor we took advantage of a little down time to strike up a game of futbol with some of the local youth. It was a great way to open up a conversation about why we are visiting all the way from Texas. Many of them attend t
he co-op school in Los Pinos where we will be visiting tomorrow so I cannot wait to see them again. We have already seen so much here in Guatemala and there is so much to do. We are so excited to be working with Pastor Morales and we know that God has big plans for this country. Please pray that our eyes would be opened to what God is doing and that he would be glorified through this newly formed partership between VRBC and Jerusalen Baptist Church.Chris Cato
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