Nelson Ponce is seven. When he grows up, he wants to be a teacher, not because he has a passion for teaching, but because teachers…
Micaela steps outside her small house and looks to the sky and the clouds overhead. Her home sits on the edge of a ravine in Guatemala City.
Guatemala City is built on volcanic soil prone to erosion and shaped by seismic activity. Heavy rainfall and earthquakes, along with deforestation, have led to the formation of ravines that now cover about 42% of the landscape.
These conditions especially endanger nearby areas with mudslides and flooding, a risk worsened by the many densely populated informal settlements built along these unstable slopes.
Typically, November marks the end of the rainy season in Guatemala, although any rain still poses a risk to these communities, and Micaela wants to be prepared.
But today offers something different than rain—a sight that makes her grandson Otto leap with excitement. Down the street, they see four women from Moriah Christian Church coming to visit.
Otto isn’t just excited because the women are bringing them food, even though they are. And he isn’t only glad to see them when they bring clothes or a toy for him and his brother, though sometimes they do that, too. Otto is overjoyed to see the women from the church visit his home because they have become like family.
Every month, these women from the church faithfully walk the difficult twenty-minute journey from the church to Micaela’s home. The food they deliver helps address the physical needs of Micaela and the boys, but that is not their only reason for visiting.
Several months ago, a community leader introduced Micaela to Pastor Victor of Moriah Christian Church. Since his first visit to her home, he has witnessed her influence within her community and is eager to see what the Lord will do in her life.
Micaela and the boys were very thankful when the church delivered food and listened attentively when visitors shared the gospel message.
Their conversations grew deeper with each visit, and Micaela began seeing things from a new perspective. Eventually, she made a declaration of faith.
While she is still learning, she knows she has Pastor Victor and the women from the church who visit her regularly to offer advice and spiritual guidance. “ I know that He is a great God,” she shares. “I did not have much knowledge, but with advice and teachings, now I know who God is, and I live in love with my God. Jesus Christ is everything to me. Without Him, I am nothing, and I have nothing.
I know that He is a great God. I did not have much knowledge, but with advice and teachings, now I know who God is, and I live in love with my God. Jesus Christ is everything to me. Without Him, I am nothing, and I have nothing.
Despite the arduous journey, she attends church as often as possible, and the boys are always excited to accompany her. Micaela’s constant prayer is for her grandsons to grow in faith and to accept Christ into their hearts. She prays this same prayer for her son—the boy’s father—who lives at the house but is rarely there.
Since she spends her days caring for her grandsons while her son is at work, Micaela cannot work. However, Pastor Victor has seen her remarkable creativity shine through various church activities. He remains hopeful that God will open a door for her to use her talents, perhaps her gift for cooking, to start a small business and help support her family.
Because of my sensitivity to seeing people who suffer, I have always wanted to help. This ministry is an arm to be able to do so.
Although working in the community near the ravines is dangerous, Pastor Victor, joyfully serves for the sake of sharing the gospel with those in need.
Pastor Victor is grateful for the opportunity the Food Pak program offers his church to serve his community. “There are many churches here in the sector,” he shares, “and we are the only church that works in the community.”
There are many churches here in the sector, and we are the only church that works in the community.
While Pastor Victor’s church may be the only one serving this particular neighborhood, his church is one of twenty churches currently partnering with Children’s Hunger Fund in Guatemala. Through programs like the Food Pak program, churches like Moriah Christian can deliver practical aid and the hope of the gospel directly into the homes of families in need.
Through their partnership with Children’s Hunger Fund, these churches are expanding their reach. Families like Micaela’s are able to thrive, not just physically but spiritually. Every time Pastor Victor or the ministry team at his church visits a family in need, they demonstrate that ministry isn’t limited to Sunday. Ministry is practiced every day through love and service.
The recipients’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.
