On January 23rd, Steve Green, Peter Kecskes and Doug Springer flew to Guatemala to work with Cesar at the Guatemala Bible Seminary (GBS), building a TV studio and doing some painting. Here are some thoughts after their return to Canada by Peter and Steve.
Guatemala
Arriving in Guatemala, we were picked up at the airport by Cesar and driven to Chimaltenango and the seminary where we met our hosts Gudy and Cesar. Cesar is the media professor we were helping to build video/audio Studio B, and Gudy is a professor of Theology.
After our arrival on Thursday night, we began working on Friday to remove the old studio walls, and began drywall mudding Studio B while two local carpenters started rebuilding the original Studio A. On Sunday we went up to a village in the mountains called Tecpan, and had a wonderful time visiting a beautiful restaurant, and then off to see the Mayan Ruins.
Steve and I were hosted by one of the seminary professors by the name of Gudy who was an amazing host. Each day we ate in the cafeteria with the students. The food was excellent, and the students were all very nice and friendly.
Ten days later, we finished painting the new Studio B and the seminary staff lounge. I had a great experience seeing how helpful and friendly everyone was and how much we were able to accomplish. Our time went by quickly, but we still had time to go out in the evenings to try the local cuisine. The president’s wife twice made fresh amazing Colombian Arepas for us as an afternoon snack. On Sunday, we went to church with Cesar and his family, enjoying a great service.
Our last two days we spent in the 300-year-old city of Antigua relaxing and enjoying some tourist sites, a coffee plantation tour, and 300-year old convent. I give glory to God for everything we did and experienced. Thanks to Doug Springer and CMRC who organized this trip – everything went flawlessly. I also met Pastor Steve Green who works with us and shared many stories.
Thank you CMRC for this beautiful experience and praise be to God for protecting us and allowing us to serve.
Peter Kecskes
My opportunity to share in this Guatemala mission trip came on me unexpectedly. Doug Springer spoke with me by text a few weeks before the trip, and financially I was unprepared to be able to go. Another major hurdle was that my passport had expired two months previously.
I was in my office and was praying about the trip and said, “God you gotta help me find this passport so I can have it renewed.” I looked up and noticed that two books on my bookshelf were not fitting tightly together. You guessed it, my passport was pressed between the two books.
I believe that God created miracles so that I would go to Guatemala but also that I would know that it was what he wanted me to do. The first miracle happened a few weeks before we left. We live in Griffith, a rural community an hour and a half from Ottawa. I quickly acquired my passport photos, filled out the printed forms, and took them into our local passport office. I was informed that if I needed the passport quickly, I had to travel to the office in Ottawa. When I opened the door in Ottawa, there were 350 people ahead of me. Ultimately, within 5 days I had my new passport and was able to go on the trip.
Secondly, as I have travelled on trips like this with Doug to Cuba and Peru in the past, I did have the desire to join him again. In speaking with a friend who lives some distance from me, I spoke of my desire to join this mission trip but was uncertain about the financial commitment. That friend later spoke with another retired businessman, and together, they informed me that they were willing to pay my airfare to Guatemala.
Thirdly, I am a pastor and had yet to speak to our church board regarding this mission opportunity. I quickly sent out an email, and each member replied “Pastor, if you have the opportunity to join this mission trip, take it.”
The fourth miracle was financial. At this point, my wife and I had about $200 that we could allocate to this trip, and at my wife’s encouragement, I shared the trip and the financial need on my Facebook page. Asking for myself really is not something that I’m comfortable with. The next day I went up to our local restaurant early in the morning for coffee with some men. One man slid five $20 bills across the table and said, “My wife saw your Facebook post and we want to help you on your trip.” Wow! A little later, after paying for his breakfast, a local businessman slipped $50 into my hand and said “Steve I want to help you get to Guatemala.” Within two days, all the remaining funds that I needed for the trip came in through people in the community and within our own church. At a time when I thought this trip was a financial impossibility, God enabled me to see a possibility.
Once we arrived in Guatemala, we began renovating an existing video studio and creating a new smaller studio. Our work included demolition, construction, drywalling, priming and painting. We also created two studio lighting bars from galvanized pipe and fittings. Along with the lighting bars, we adapted hardware store c-clamps to LED lighting fixture hangers.
Once we arrived in Guatemala, we began renovating an existing video studio and creating a new smaller studio. Our work included demolition, construction, drywalling, priming and painting. We also created two studio lighting bars from galvanized pipe and fittings. Along with the lighting bars, we adapted hardware store c-clamps to LED lighting fixture hangers.
The video studios will serve to broaden the seminary’s offerings as they produce both radio and Christian video programming. Seminary lessons and guest speakers are also recorded for distribution to Spanish pastors in Latin America.
While working, we stayed on the seminary grounds, ate our meals in the student cafeteria, celebrated a student birthday, and engaged in several language-challenged discussions with curious seminary students. The food served was authentic Guatemalan fare, and we ate very well.
On these CMRC trips, I am often reminded of just how blessed we are to live the life we have in Canada. Also very apparent is the fervent Christian faith of our brothers and sisters in the Lord in other countries. I always return home challenged “to pick up the pace,” in my own Christian walk. I deeply appreciated the opportunity and the experience of serving on this trip, and wholeheartedly thank God for this opportunity to serve when it seemed impossible. Thanks to Doug Springer, CMRC Director, for his detailed trip planning and my sponsors who made this trip a reality.
Steven Green
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Karen in Iquitos Peru. Karen manages our young women’s education program part time. Pray that she will be healthy and find job to support her.
- Pray for the pastors in Cuba. Blackouts are still daily occurrences and food in a challenge to purchase.
- Pray for the peace of Israel.
- Pray for the Jewish families grieving over loved ones murdered by Hamas and others in Gaza.
- Pray for the Jewish people and especially families whose grandparents, babies, children, and others are being held and tortured by these demonic terrorists.
