April, 2024
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
On April 7th, a massive fire broke out inside a huge landfill located near Amatitlan, here in Guatemala. Strong winds caused the fire to grow, and the thick smoke and odor devastated the surrounding area. Even our neighborhood in San Cristobal, where we live, suffered for more than a week from the overpowering odor and sight-blocking smoke. The schools in Guatemala City and Sacatepéquez were closed for several days. Even with the windows and doors closed, we couldn’t escape the odor and smoke that filled the air. But, thank the Lord that it cleared up after a sustained period of strong winds and brief rain. The Pakaya volcano, which had been invisible, became visible. We can now take a deep breath once again, and feel calm and free.
If we feel stuck in our lives today, why is that? If you’re praying today with a sore nose, itchy eyes, and the feeling of being in a closed space that threatens to explode for a myriad of reasons, consider the words of 2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Our prayer for you is that the presence of the Holy Spirit, like a strong wind and a cleansing rain, will give you a sense of freedom from the snares of all those cares, oppressions, and emotions that at times can bind you.
Project for a Christian Middle School
The project to establish a Christian middle school, which we have been working on with three locals since last year, including the principal, has been delayed due to a problem with renting a place. The location is at the entrance to Patzicia, and it can accommodate about 100 students, although the facility needs some work. Once the rent is agreed upon, registration of the school with the Ministry of Education will begin, and if all goes well, the school could start next January. We want to start renting in October and plan special activities for the purpose of recruiting students, organizing, etc. All these plans are currently delayed due to the lack of rent agreement. Would you pray with us that an agreement will be reached and that the necessary procedures will go smoothly so that we can start the school next year as we planned.
Scholarships
We are currently sponsoring four students on a long-term sponsorship plan. There are two girls, Jacqueline and Cindy, and two boys, Jonathan and Luis. Three are in high school, except for Cindy, who is in college. We plan to sponsor the entire school year of 2024, and we are praying to sponsor many more students in the future. Thank you for your prayers and participation.
English Class
Our application for extracurricular activities for public school students in Sumpango was approved by the Department of Education in Sumpango, so we visited the Mixta N 2 Public School. The school building is used as an elementary school in the morning and a secondary school in the afternoon. They have about 600 middle and high school students. We started teaching English classes to about 40 students in the third year of high school. Please pray that many students will come to know God through sharing of the Word of God during the classes. Please also pray for our safety from all dangers on the way to and from the school.
Family News
In closing, pray for the safety and long-term residency visa for Joshua, who is still living in Belgium. Pray for him to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and follow His guidance each day in the midst of many different life-values and beliefs. .
Our lives are a journey of getting to know our Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Pray that we will all worship Him boldly and without weariness, every moment of our journey. Thank you all for your prayers and gracious support. Praise the LORD.
In His endless love,
Mr. and Mrs. Il Kang