Guatemala Volcano Relief

PFM Staff members went with Helbert Castellanos, overseeing pastor of the Ciudad Vieja PFK program, to visit two families displaced by the volcano eruption.

Don Victor and his grandson, Wilber, are from San Miguel de Los Lotes – situated at the base of the volcano. It was one of the communities completely destroyed in the first eruption; the population before the eruption was 2,500 and only 500 survivors remain. Wilber, his wife, their two children, and Don Victor, along with a few more family members are the only survivors of their extended family. Around forty family members are still missing. The nine remaining family members now live together in a small bedroom in Wilber’s mother and father-in-law’s home.

Neal, Pastor Helbert, Don Victor, Wilber, and Matt (From left to right).

Don Victor was stranded on a hill as the ash river rushed around him on both sides of the hill. First responders rescued him about four hours after the initial eruption. He is 81 years old.

Wilber is thirty years old. He had just finished his home where he was living with his wife and two children. He was self-employed and lost everything. He went back for the first time to visit his community and found nothing remaining of his home. The ash is still steaming and is about a story and a half high.

PFM Staff members, Matt and Brooke, giving Wilber some items for his children.

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Sandra and her husband lived in a small community that has been declared uninhabitable since the initial eruption. They were forced to leave their home initially due to the eruption, but have not been allowed to return since. They now live with Sandra’s sister in a small room with another sister and nieces and nephews.

Hearing the story of Sandra’s family.

Due to the damage to the main road towards Escuintla, her husband now must leave the house at 3:30 am in order to take the bus around the other side of the mountain to get to his job. He arrives after the kids are in bed. Sandra’s son lost his best friend the day of the eruption. The children have not been back in school since the eruption and the government plans to move the affected children to the next grade level, regardless of whether they complete the full year or not.

Praying over Sandra and her family.

Please continue to pray for these families and Guatemala!

In answer to our prayers and through our hands-on efforts, we have found that one of the greatest needs we can help meet, in the immediate, is by providing basic personal hygiene and baby care kits to those most impacted and displaced by this disaster.

Want to get involved? We are working diligently to raise resources to target this need of providing these kits, which would include such things as:

Personal Hygiene Kits for Men/Women:  Towel, washcloth, bar of soap, razor, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, toilet paper, wipes, shampoo, pack of gauze, feminine products, hair ties, comb, laundry bar soap, large market bag  – approximate cost: $25

Baby Care Kit:  Diapers, wipes, towel, washcloth, bottle, 800 gram can of formula, jar of juice, two jars of baby food, large market bag – approximate cost: $40

Click on the link below and select “Guatemala Relief Fund.”

Click Here to Donate

 

A Letter Across Continents

IGNITE intern, Hope Greenberg, of Calvary Chapel Boston, shares how the Lord used a sponsor’s correspondence letter for their prayer child to encourage her.

As Christians, we are to boast in the things that we are weak in; because of the things that we are weak in, Christ makes us strong. In this time of my life, I am proclaiming how faithful the Lord has been and how He indeed showed me His steadfast love. The last two weeks in February were probably the hardest but most God apparent weeks of my time in Uganda. At the beginning of this time, I got sick. I got amoebas, which put me out for several days. I could not go across to the school and teach which was discouraging. We had only started school a week prior, and I knew this time was pivotal in getting to know the kids and building those solid relationships. Being sick always puts me in a low place.

 

Hope with Potter’s Field Kids in Uganda.

As I laid in bed, I would either think of home or what I could be doing. The enemy used that downtime to discourage me. But thankfully in a few days, I would be feeling better and was able to attend the Kids Club that Saturday. But then that Tuesday, the pain came back. I was sick again. It put me out for only another day, thankfully, but that day was the most discouraging. I knew I needed to cling to the Lord at this time. I was weak and missed the things that comforted me like my family. I reached this low and became very homesick which was foreign to me as I have been away from home the last two years.
We were going to be studying in Psalm 17 that Thursday for our Girls Study so I began to read it. I clung to this Psalm the whole week as I needed to seek refuge in the Lord. I woke up the next day praying Psalm 17:6-7,

“I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.”

I had a feeling it was going to be a hard day, so I prayed that the Lord would show His steadfast love and answer my call. After I had gotten all my work at school done, I began to think about home again as I walked to the church’s cafe. As I was sitting there, Betty asked if anyone wanted to help a prayer child read a letter and write back to its sender. I immediately said I would do it. So, I waited for the child to arrive not expecting what was going to happen. Betty gave me the letter from the family, and I read it to the little girl. The letter included what the family had been doing and asked her some questions. I then read, “Hope Greenberg from our church is in Uganda right now. Maybe you’ll get to meet her.” Tears came to my eyes as I read that. The Lord knew I needed to see that. I needed that little piece of home. God was so faithful showing himself to me that way. He indeed showed me His steadfast love that day, and it is something I will never forget.

Correspondence letter from members of Calvary Chapel Boston to their prayer child in Uganda.

Thank you, sponsors; your correspondence letters are making an impact for the Kingdom!

The Uttermost Parts (Acts 1:8)

I was very blessed to be able to go on this trip. I didn’t know what to expect, but God placed in my heart a peace that these were His children. Yes, they are in great need, but they are His, and I was called to serve them in any way I could.

Staff member and IGNITE Alumni, Colin, interacting with some of the children at the outreach.

Day 1
On Thursday may 17, our first day in the town of Moyo, in Northern Uganda, we visited a camp called Palerino. This camp was one of the poorest of all, with the most orphans of all the resettlement camps in Uganda. At this camp, Me, Colin Sandberg, and Laura (a young lady invited by Pastor Roger) got the opportunity to play worship music for the youth in this camp. It was amazing to see the turnout of this event. There were about 250+ youth and pastors at the event, and even though they didn’t fully know all of the songs we played, they still worshipped the Lord in their own way. Local pastors were given the chance to speak to the youth and invite them to get connected to churches in the camps. Pastor Roger Gales from Heritage church spoke to the crowd to encourage the young people. Ashton Nones, my team leader here in Uganda, was able to encourage the group with a message of hope. After a while of playing well-known worship songs, Colin decided to change up the pace and play a few children’s ministry songs that really got them involved. Their favorite was Romans 16:19, a song which I believe was a very apt song, and a good on the spot choice by Colin. All in all, it was a very good, hot, day of worship with God’s children from South Sudan.

Pastor Roger Gales taught over 500 Pastors and Leaders Inductive Bible Study

Days 2 and 3
Friday and Saturday were focused on pastor’s conferences. The pastors in these areas are very underprepared for long-term ministry and have the tendency to burn out or lose sight of God in these tough areas. At these conferences, there were about 500+ pastors who heard Pastor Roger Gales teach Inductive Bible Study. There were also encouraging messages on leadership, conflict management, and forgiveness brought by Pastor Peter Klause and Pastor Roger. All pastors attending received writing materials and a Bible. It was amazing to see the unity of all these pastors, for there were many denominations present, and even more local tribes, but it was an act of God to see everyone working together to build each other up and help one another in their IBS exercises. There were so many people at the second camp; two translators were needed for everyone for the two local languages present. All the pastors were very touched and blessed by the messages, and they all left refreshed and equipped, ready to effectively lead their congregations.

PFM Staff Member and IGNITE alumni, Ashton, helping distribute food!

Day 4 and Prison Outreach
On Sunday we briefly visited a local prison in the town of Moyo. There were about 100+ prisoners there, some of which were Christians. We were able to play music for them, something they don’t get too often. Pastors Roger and Peter encouraged the men and women there, and we were able to give them soap, mosquito nets, and salt for their meals.
That night we began to unload food boxes and prepare for the next day.
On Monday we were able to distribute boxes of prepackaged self-contained meals to about 100+ families in the town of Moyo. We were also able to give shoes to the women and children, of which many did not have shoes. It was a short, well organized time, but we were very blessed to hand the food and shoes to the people, and they were all very thankful and appreciative, all leaving knowing that these things were gifts from the Lord.

Our Team! Pastor Roger Gales of Heritage Christian Fellowship, Denise Carlsen, Director at MISSIONS 1040, PFM Staff Members, Ashton and Colin Sandberg, and #IGNITEClass14 intern, Ethan, on the day the team distributed food.

The whole trip was very successful, and a real teaching experience for me. I am very grateful for this opportunity, but I would ask to keep these people in prayer. Pray for provision for the people, and hands and feet to go, for there are many who still need to know there is someone who can heal the hurting and restore hope to hopeless.
Thank you, God bless – Ethan McClain, IGNITE Class 14 Intern