The beginning of 2021 looks much different than in previous years. However, we are blessed to continue finding ways to serve God in the communities to bring light and hope. Today we are encouraged by the story of a local church from El Gorrion in Guatemala.

One of our goals at SI Guatemala is to encourage and empower the local church. Pastor Gilberto and his wife Mindy felt called by God as young people to become pastors, and in 2016 God called their family to come to take over the Assemblies of God church in El Gorrion that had just been formed. It has been incredible to see how their church has grown from meeting in a house to having its church building.

At the beginning of 2020, Pastor Gilberto’s church faced a difficult situation. The owner of the building they were renting decided that they could no longer use the facility. One Sunday, they had worship in their church building, and the next Sunday, they were forced out! As they began praying and preparing for a new location, the pandemic started, and many of their members lost jobs or income. It seemed like an impossible time to try and raise money for a new church building.

Pastor Gilberto is a man of prayer, and he has always participated with us at different sites. He has helped out with our boy’s clubs, has played soccer with sports, and participated in a Bible study with Alvaro and a few other pastors of the community. His wife Mindy is part of the sewing classes offered by the Women’s Social Work Site. Pastor Gilberto and Mindy never lost the vision for a new church location, and they never doubted that God would provide, despite the recent difficulties.

In May, God provided an incredible property, and Gilberto and men from the church began to prepare the ground. Initially, they thought they would only be able to build a tiny structure, but God continued to provide, and during the pandemic, they were able to construct their church building! They began services inside the building again, and we look forward to continuing partnering with Pastor Gilberto and his church to meet the needs of El Gorrion!