Dear Friends at Columbia Community Church, thank you for partnering with Compassion to plant a new church in Guatemala. In this update, we are pleased to share a letter from Leonel Xuya, Compassion’s Director in Guatemala. Be inspired as you read his love for Christ, the church and the people of Guatemala, especially vulnerable children.
Warm Greetings from Guatemala,
We thank you for joining us to advocate for children, to release them from the spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.
My name is Leonel Xuya, the Country Director for Compassion Guatemala. Compassion International began its work in Guatemala in 1980 by supporting local churches. Currently we are working with 216 churches around the country in 18 departments.
I am convinced that the church is the instrument chosen by God to bring hope to an injured world and to do justice to the poor and oppressed. The local church provides an incomparable atmosphere of stability and nurture in which children can experience the love of God.
Guatemala is a country with great natural and historical wealth. Unfortunately, 59.3 percent of its population lives in poverty and 23.4 percent live in extreme poverty due to profound inequality and lack of public policies that promote health, education and employment on a large scale. For many children, it is difficult to break the cycle of poverty due to a lack of food and health care during their first years hinders their physical and intellectual development. We are focused on communities with greater indicators of poverty so that we can positively impact the social, spiritual and economic life of the people.
Planting churches is a new experience for us. This is a complement to our existing partnership model and growth strategy. Without a doubt, this will help us expand the reach of our program in communities with great need. We were very careful in selecting mother churches that have a vision for, and are committed to, holistic child development. This is an exciting opportunity for the local church, for Compassion Guatemala and, of course, for the children and families that will be benefited. The pastors of the daughter churches are committed to supporting and maintaining the vision of reaching children in poverty and communities that need to be impacted by the Gospel.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to continue working to rescue more children from poverty and impact many people with the message of Jesus.
“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
Thank you for your support and for joining with us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
In Christ,
Leonel Xuya
