Guatemala Missions Report (Luis Gilbert)

Report of First Trimester Activities in 2012
The Gilbert Cano Family.
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Heritage Bible Chapel

May the most rich and abundant blessings be poured out on your lives and families. We won’t tire of giving thanks in the name of Jesus, for your prayers and financial support, as without your help it would not be possible to realize the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to us. You all are an important part of the ministry. I say this on behalf of all the teachers and the students impacted. If get a chance to see the photos on facebook, you will get to enjoy the work that has been realized thus far, and your comments are encouraging and uplifting for us. Sincerely, from the Gilbert family that loves you, Luis and Dora, Joshua, Abigail, Emanuel, his wife, and child, Kaiden.


January 2012.

We realized three workshops, in three different places within Guatemala, Jocotillo, Barbarena and Magdalena Milpas Altas impacting a total of 100 teachers. We collaborated with an association in order to collect school supplies. This was a clown activity for children, and over 1,000 children arrived. We were able to collect school supplies for over 600 children.



February 2012.

4th of February.
We realized a medical mission journey in Jutiapa on the eastern side of Guatemala, in the town of Jocote, where over 200 people were attended to (not counting the children).

From the 18th to the 26th of February.
We accompanied the team from Wooddale Church in order to realize children’s ministry. It was a great experience also for the children that came from Wooddale. We visited 10 schools, presenting the Gospel to more than 2,000 children.



March 2012.

3rd - 4th of March
We realized a training in presenting sports as an evangelistic tool. More than 10 churches were represented with 75 people attending.

God gave us the opportunity to realize three trainings for teachers of children. This took place in Boca del Monte in the Church Capernaum. 35 teachers attended.



From the 16th to the 20th of March.
In Coatan, more than 400 kilometers outside of Guatemala City, we impacted more than 300 children and trained 10 teachers. These 5 days were very blessed.

From the 23rd to the 26th of March.
We traveled to Honduras: beginning the ELI Program there, with over 10 churches represented and 40 teachers attending. Also, we had the opportunity to present the sports ministry.



Projects:
We have begun to give away some children’s materials on CD, and have given out more than 600 CDs. This has enabled churches to save on the cost of materials as the CDs make printing of materials unnecessary. Your prayers are vital as other churches are also asking for the CDs. Each CD costs $1, and we need more funds to be able to provide this tool.

We would like to ask for your prayers also as we are beginning preparations for the sports ministry conferences in October. This will be focused on motivating the pastors to begin sports programs. We will have Chaplain Oliverio from the Brazil Selection as a conference speaker.

We give thanks to God as He's shown us faithfulness throughout these past 4 years. We have been living off of 70% of our income, and have been giving Him 30% (15% for missions and 15% tithe to our local church). Your prayers would be appreciated so that we can continue to be faithful to Him

-Luis Gilbert

Update from Missionary Ashley Van Dyke

Hola a todos. My name is Ashley, and I am 24 years old. I grew up in Rindge, NH in an amazing Christian family. There are 6 kids in my family but the extended family is growing… more nieces and nephews!

When I was 13 years old I felt God speaking to me about Missions. This is now something I have been involved with for about ten years. I love meeting new people, learning languages and cultures, and telling others about Jesus and what He did for us.

In March of 2011, I went down to start a new ministry with the young girls in Zacapa, Guatemala. I have been meeting with them on a regular basis and doing bible study. Since March, I have been spending one-on-one time with each of these girls. Other things I am involved in: regular home visits, help with the music ministry, teaching Sunday school classes in Piedras Azules and Juan Ponce and being available for whatever else is needed.

I came home in December for the Holidays to reevaluate and see where God wanted me. He is leading me back to Zacapa, Guatemala with these youth girls. I am heading back Febuary 1^st to continue with Astrid, Sinitia, Cindy, Brenda, Barbara, Shadya, Ana, Clara, Paola, Joselyn and maybe some more!

Prayer Requests:
• Wisdom to know how to lead the Youth Girls
• Protection
• Knowing when and where to help out with so many needs
• For the youth girls and their own personal relationship with God
• That I continue to grow and seek God in everything that I do

Gilbert Family Prayer Letter - Fall 2010

Many of Heritage Bible Chapel's congregation had the pleasure of meeting Pastor Luis Gilbert and his family when they visited us in the Spring of 2010 and performed an evangelistic drama during a Sunday worship service. We received the latest of his ministry updates and prayer requests this month:

Beloved Church:

May the Lord continue blessing you greatly in every area of your lives, in
your families, and may you have success in all that you set out to do in the
name of the Lord.

I give thanks to God that He allowed me to get to know you, and that today
you are part of the vital ministry that God has placed in my hands. My family,
without your help, would not be able to provide training for hundreds of
children's Bible teachers throughout all of Guatemala.

Thank you for your prayers. You are the gears that move the hand of God,
and in having your support, we know that God will bless you richly. Please don't
forget to write to us, as this encourages us to move forward in ministry and
also helps us to know how to pray for you all.

September 4th - We were invited to give theatre training
in the Theological Seminary of Central America. 60 students attended. My wife,
Dora, and our daughter, Abigail, accompanied me. This is the seminary
where completed my theological studies.

September 8th - We traveled to San Lucas Toliman in order
to provide trainings for (ELI) the School for Training Children's Leaders. Jaime
Lopez, the director of Sepal, accompanied me. 35 students attended. This took
place in the Bethel Central American Church.

September 17th, 18th, and 19th - We traveled to the city
of San Marcos where we began ELI, providing training for the Assembly of God
churches from ths region. 108 teachers from various denominations attended.
Katherine de Villalobos accompanied me. She is a missionary from Costa Rica.
Abigail, my daughter, also came along as we traveled 250 km. God has been
opening new doors for us.

In the city, my wife, Dora, and my children, Emmanuel and Joshua, attended
the first Internacional Conference for Clowns, where they taught and learned
various new techniques. God gave me the privilege to help set up this event.
Through this event, Emmanuel was invited to attend a Clown Conference in the
United Staes in February of 2011, Lord willing.

September 24th, 25th, and 26th - I traveled to Peten,
about 600 km. outside of Guatemala City. I went to impart theatre training,
making this the third "festival of talent" that has taken place in this area.
The storm Matthew affected us some, but thankfully having this venue has been a
huge blessing and tool in working with youth as 60 youth attended from various
churches. For this activity, I traveled alone.

During the month we have continued to work with some social help
ministries, collecting offerings and help for those who have been affected by
the rains. Please do not forget to pray for the following petitions:

1 - A Christian Education Conference that we will be providing in
Coatepeque, and that pastors will send their Christian educators.

2 - Please pray for the rain that has been affecting these events, making
it harder for children to attend their churches.

3- Pray for the students that are beginning university studies.

4- Pray for the children's education in those countries that have been
devastated by war and poverty.

Thank you again. May the Lord continue blessing your lives.

With much love in the Lord,

The Gilbert Family, Luis and Dora, and their children, Emmanuel, Abigail
and Joshua

Ashley Van Dyke's Update from Guatemala

Ashley Van Dyke sends the following field report from Guatemala:

Hello,

I am in Guatemala right now. We have already been here for about a week. Before that we were in Belize for about 10 days. Belize was very different than a lot of central america. Everyone speaks English, which was different hearing Spanish all the time. The time in Belize was pretty low key. We just helped organize and clean some of the rooms that the base has people stay in.

We are now with a friend, Ryan, who has lived here in Zacapa, Guatemala for the past four years. He is originally from New Hampshire and has come down through his church as a missionary. He has a lot of different ministries he doing here. The beginning of this week, we were constructing a wall that would close of a house to make it more secure. The Florian Family is who we were building the wall for. Their dad was just killed a few weeks ago so the family didn't feel as safe without an enclosed area. We did as much work as we could there and a few other people are finishing it up.

Yesterday was really awesome. Sharon, Ryan and I took the Sunday school class (all girls) up to an old volcano that is full at the top with water to swim in. We hung out there all day and sharon and i shared on being a virtuous women and staying pure, etc. The girls really enjoyed it and thanked us a bunch.

Ryan, who lives here, leads a Bible study every Wed. a church service on sat in a village, and a kids program in another village, and Sunday he leads Sunday school. Before each one of these activities we drive all around town and into a few different villages picking up a bunch of kids. The truck is usually jammed packed! but it is awesome to see how much they love coming to church and all the activities.

Tomorrow we have church then the bible study group is going to get together and help build some houses. There was bad flooding here a few months ago so there a lot of families with no homes. They are just wood small houses but work well for the families.

We will be here in Zacapa for about another week. This town has a lot of hurting people. Alba, is one of the sunday school girls, was in her house a week ago and people barged in shooting guns. Her brother was really hurt. He still has a bullet in his leg but doesnt have enough money for the surgery. There are lots of other stories like these.

I attached a few pictures from the past week.

Thank you for your prayers.
Ashley

The Gilbert Family Prayer Letter - Summer 2010

Ministry news and prayer requests come to us from the Gilbert family of Sepal Ministry in Guatemala this month:

"Dear brother and beloved church:

May the Lord continue blessing your lives, family, and give you success in all that you do in the name of the Lord. Our prayer is that the Lord fills you with joy and wisdom each and every day.

We want to share with you some of the great things that the Lord has done through the ministry that He has blessed us with, and you are a very important part of God's work here.

Report of activities: July 8th

We visited the pastor of the Restoration Church in a town called Zapote at the base of Volcano Pacaya. We vbrought them help for sustaining their ministry and we took pictures to show others in soliciting help to rebuild the roof of their church that fell in due to the great amount of sand dumped on it by the eruption of the volcano. We ask you for your prayers for this servant of the Lord.

Saturday, July 10th

We traveled to Salama, in the department of Baja Verapaz to the town of Cuacuchito. There (with the Church of Universal Prophecy) we started the first classes of ELI and 22 teachers attended. Sister Theresa attended some of the sessions last year, and saw













the results of these teachings. The pastor of this church became very interested and brought all of his church leaders to attend. The road was very difficult to travel now that rivers have been overflowing and running strong. The children helped us to carry boxes of materials to the site as my vehicle just couldn't get up enough strength to be able to travel the rest of the distance. A supervisor from the churches of IDEC in the area of Tactic also attended, and we are now going to begin the ELI Program in that region. God has been faithful in opening doors for ministry.

Sunday, July 11th

We helped a group of students from the University of Biola that is experiencing missions for a month here in Guatemala. We were in Chisec, in the department of Alta Verapaz with the Assembly of God Church there. We worked with children from a town in this region. It was a great time, and was good to spend time with these children. The challenge was that these children do not speak Spanish, only K'echi (a Mayan dialect). In the afternoon we did ministry for children from the Central Church.

Sunday, July 18th

We were invited to the church of Faisanes to teach about the importance of children's ministry and to motivate them to begin the ELI Program in their church.

Monday, July 19th to Friday, July 23rd

We worked with a Sports Ambassadors' team from Mississippi in order to share the Gospel with youth through sports. It was a great experience for the team as they presented the Gospel to hundreds of youth. More than 1,500 students were impacted.

Saturday, July 24th

We traveled to Tumbador, San Marcos, in order to support the children's ministry and to continue to motivate them to take part in the ELI Program. This area lies about 275 kilometers outside of Guatemala City. We worked with more than 50 children there.

Sunday July 25th

We were invited to Berea Church in order to motivate teachers and their children's ministry. We presented the ELI Program. About 60 children attended.

The Lord has given us opportunities to provide social help:

1) We are bringing medicine to Pastor Raul Herrera as he is working alongside his church to provide medical clinics.

2) We are also bringing medicine to a missionary couple, David and Katy Huizt, as they also work in medical ministry providing medical clinics each weekend.














We ask you for your prayers, that each of these activities continues to bear fruit:
1) Pray that the youth that have given their lives to God continue growing in His love.
2) Pray for the teachers that they will continue to practice principles that they have learned.
3) Please pray for those touched by medical clinics that they would know the love of God and that God will continue opening doors in order to receive more donations of medicine.
4) Pray for the lives of future missionaries, the students from Biola University and the Sports Ambassador's team. Pray that the ministry that they have taken part in her in Guatemala will continue to impact them and that they will continue to walk in God's call for their lives.

Don't forget to write to me. I would love to receive news about how you are doing, and this also helps me to better pray for your lives and for your families."

Many hugs from the Gilbert Family,
Dora, Luis, and our children, Emanuel, Abigail, and Yhoshua
escuelaliderazgoinfantil@gmail.com

Guests from Guatemala

Two brothers in a refugee camp. A mudslide hit 7 years ago.

(Something about the Gilberts' visit....)