Piedra Partida
Piedra Partida is When Will We Cry? Inc.'s headquarters in Guatemala. This is the small town where Pastor Eleazar was born and raised and where much of his family still lives. The first church began by his ministry, Esfuerzo Cristiano (Christian Effort) is also located there (left).
Typically, our volunteer mission teams stay in the dormitory (right), which is across the street from the church at Piedra Partida and from Ely's mother's house, where our meals are served. Our domitories have become our outreach center, where we house teams and gather and store supplies for ministry. We hope to have the new addition to the dormitory (the unpainted section on the right) finished and ready for teams by 2007!
Palo Gordo
While the church at Piedra Partida is the oldest church of the Esfuerzo Cristiano, the church at Palo Gordo is the newest (left). Located up in the mountains of San Marcos, this is Pastor Eleazar's 44th church and was built in May of this year! The Bridge team from Spring Hill, TN held the first VBS in this church in June, and the pastor put the finishing touches on the inside in mid-July (right). What a beautiful church! We pray for God to bless the efforts of this new pastor and his congregation, and we hope to be working with them again soon.
Las Mercedes
In Las Mercedes, typical houses are made of wood and plastic. Upon first arrival, there was no gospel in this small town, and the people there were very skeptical of outsiders. Betrayed and forgotten by their own government, these people told us never to return and even threatened the lives of Lewis and Pastor Ely. However, with many prayers and persistence, we questioned whether they would allow us to pour a concrete floor in their school, funded by the generous children at Sharon Baptist's school. They agreed and afterwards told us we were welcome to return anytime.....
A little over one year later, a church has been planted, and more than 50 people have accepted Christ! Praise God!!
These are just a few of the small towns where we work. Each church and each community presents unique needs and concerns, but they are all very grateful for our prayers and service. Often the teams bring hope, encouragement, and renewal to these pastors and their congregations. We are honored to be a part of their lives and are always blessed by there humbleness and hospitality.
Please check out the Team Photo category to see other areas of San Marcos where we have worked this year.
Guatemala is sub-divided into 22 departments, one of which is the San Marcos department. The population of San Marcos is around 800,000 , and the largest city in this region is also called San Marcos. This area is best known for two things: volcanoes and coffee. It is home to the Tajumulco Volcano, which is the highest point in all of Central America, reaching 14,200 feet!
There are five major coffee-growing regions in Guatemala, and San Marcos is one of them. Because it has more volcanoes than any other region, the coffee here benefits from the nutrients of the rich volcanic soil and the elevation. San Marcos is also the warmest growing region with the highest rainfall and most intense rainy season of any area.
San Marcos is unique to the other departments in Guatemala because of its broad geographic range. Many of the towns where we work are closer to the coast at sea level, but so many more are located in the northern region, where the altitude climbs into the thousands. With 44 churches spread throughout the region, we'd love for you to check out how you can get involved with us through Volunteer Missions.
The official flag of San Marcos Department
Guatemala is sub-divided into 22 departments, one of which is the San Marcos department. The population of San Marcos is around 800,000 , and the largest city in this region is also called San Marcos. This area is best known for two things: volcanoes and coffee. It is home to the Tajumulco Volcano, which is the highest point in all of Central America, reaching 14,200 feet!