Disaster in Guatemala

It has been several days since Tropical Storm Agatha passed through Guatemala leaving a trail of disaster all over the country. Although the volcano, Pacaya, is still very active spewing ash, gas, and rivers of lava, the black snow that covered the city and country has diminished. Indications are that it will take many months to clean up the millions of tons of black snow from the city streets. The area around the volcano is closed and several villages surrounding it have been evacuated.

The results of the tropical storm are cause for more concern. Two hundred people were killed, many are still unaccounted for, thousands of houses have been damaged, and thousands of people are being housed in shelters. Two hundred bridges have been destroyed, and many rivers flooded multiple communities.

Some communities have been cut off from the rest of Guatemala, such a Panajachel, where giant mudslides have closed the main road into town and both bridges collapsed. As the rains continue to fall, we are now faced with major highways collapsing to the north, south, east, and west of the city. For large transport trucks, it is very difficult to take products to the city. As the shortage of grocery products grows, because of the damage to crops and the slow moving traffic, prices at the stores have doubled.

The second sinkhole in zone 2 of Guatemala City has now brought about the evacuation of people from homes another four or five blocks around it as a precaution. We pray for a break in the rain to allow work to be done in some of these areas.

Some schools in the provinces are still closed. There is a great need for clothes, shoes, medicine, and food. Hearts for the Children Ministries located a village blown away by the storm and is supplying food and ministry.

Tom and Elisabeth Allan
Hearts for the Children Ministry
Project Number 1022014

Power of Prayer

Kathy Watson, Missionary to Kenya, shares this powerful testimony:

"Recently, while talking to one of several teenage men that have been saved over the last year in the remote area of Kenya, I discovered the powerful hand of God that is growing these teens in absence of any missionary presence. One 18-year-old spoke about his friend who had been very sick and had no money for the necessary medicine. The two boys agreed together in prayer one night. They testified that as they joined hands and called on God, the one teen was miraculously healed. Even heathens learn that nothing is impossible with God!

Noah and Washington are just two of the seven young men that have been transformed and miraculously changed in the bush area at Rock of Hope Missions Site. They are walking miracles individually, and are seeing many others find the Lord because of their own lives in Jesus!"

Kathy's Project Number 0650855