Last Monday evening we arrived here at our new home in Chichicastanango, a small village within Quiche, Guatemala! Once we tossed our 40 lb. packs onto the dusty concrete floor, blowed up our sleeping pads, and explored our quaint home, we joined our ministry host and his wife for dinner on their porch. After we all scarfed down the delicious homemade pizza they got for us, Juan began to tell us a bit about his life and the ministry that he has started here in his hometown. I feel so blessed to be here and to be able to work alongside our amazing ministry host Juan Peliz. He is such a lovely example of a faithful man of God and he has set off a whole new spark in my heart. I wish you could all meet him! My solution is to write a quick biography about him. 🙂
First of all, Juan is the cutest man ever.. he is always either cracking some kind of joke at us or speaking truth and wisdom over us. He is a leader of the ministry titled New Generation which focuses on the new generation of children that will one day grow to become the pastors, leaders, and teachers of Guatemala. Juan’s passion for this ministry absolutely baffles me. He has sacrificed so much so that he can live out God’s desire for him. Sacrificing for the Lord is always worth it.
Juan’s story is one of heartbreak but also of redemption and faithfulness. When he was just seven years old he was left to raise himself. His parents had 6 other children to take care of so in result he had to take care of himself. He told us about how he lived on the street and would often have no food to eat. In search for a better life, Juan made his way to America but spoke little to no english. He struggled for quite a while but he was able to learn english and then after he graduated high school he worked in America for another 15 years. He felt God calling him to plant a church in El Salvador so, in obedience to his heavenly father, he packed up his things and did as God instructed him.
In El Salvador not only did God give Juan the opportunity to plant a church, but he met his sweet wife there. She worked as a police officer and, he, a pastor. Their life was nearly perfect in their eyes but then Juan felt a tug from God to move back home to Chichicastanango. Juan knew in his heart that if he was going to make the move that Evelyn would have to quit her job. A week after proposing the idea to her, she submitted to God’s calling for them and quit her job. Juan told her that he could make no promises to her and that she would have to put her complete trust in God’s provision so they packed their van with all of their belongings and made the drive to Guatemala!
Upon arrival the devil tried to stop them in their tracks as Juan told us. Their car was parked and then all of the sudden it went into flames. All of their belongings burnt to ashes and all Juan and Evelyn could do was watch their lives change before their eyes. They had no blankets or clothing to keep them warm as they slept on the cold cement floor of their rental home. But still they had hope that God would provide. And let me tell you He did!
Juan and Evelyn were given clothes to wear, a bed to sleep on, blankets to keep them warm, and a new roof to replace the one that was soon to fall apart. This was just the beginning of God proving that they had made the right decision to move here. Shortly after the move they were able to get married and they will actually be celebrating their 2nd anniversary next Tuesday!
When Juan came back to Guatemala, he was informed that his father who had passed away left him the space where the church and our little home currently is. Juan could have easily used this space for himself to save money on rental house bills, but he decided that he wanted to give the space to God. A part of the property is used to host teams like mine and the other part is now being used as a church! This morning we all joined in the church that now has freshly painted walls, a new roof, and furniture. This church is such a beautiful testament of God’s faithfulness to Juan and Juan’s faithfulness to God. As we sat on the benches looking at the transformation this building had been through, Juan told us his dreams for the building.
He dreams of this church being a safe place for children to come and do homework, to come learn about God, and to have a warm meal to eat. He told us that he is not doing this because he has a lot to give but because he serves a God that does. He admitted that leaving this broken country would be the easy road to take but he is passionate about making a change here. He was in tears as he told us that he wished no child would have to endure what he did as a young boy and then he told us the only solution was to share God with the new generation of children is the only way to make a lasting change in this country. He is content with knowing that he may not see the fruits any time soon because he knows that something has to be done to make a positive change now. God’s reality is so much greater than our reality and we are trusting that God will make Juan’s dream and even more a reality.
One evening this week Juan told us that he wished more people were praying over his ministry. My hope in writing this blog is so I can tell him that many people from all over are praying for him!! Please join my team and I in praying over Juan, his family, his ministry, and his home country.
