Hey y’all we hope you are all doing well as you take up your cross daily and follow CHRIST. We have had a blessed 2023 thus far as always because of GOD’s mercy and grace upon us. It appears we jump out of one thing into another and before we know it time has come and went and is coming again. We have been blessed to have activities on campus where GOD is being glorified and blessed to have visited pastors to encourage them and share the Good News of CHRIST. They passed three months have been a fun whirlwind from a team from Texas (the church of garden valley) the end of May who came down and watched the LORD move off campus through some school activities but also watching HIM move on campus through their own hearts and team. For sure a special time. They also dug a trench installed and buried a drainpipe and built a deck on campus.
After that we had a group from covenant church of the brethren West Virginia stop by for a quick trip before going to the lake for ministry, it was a blessing having them stop by over night before going out and installing stoves for a community the following week. At which we got to be double involved by arranging the stoves to be delivered for them to install and by them stopping here. Lanisha turned 8 years old, so we took a small family trip to celebrate. Came back hit the ground running and it seemed as though we didn’t stop. As we had a ministry come up for a retreat and training for three days.
Then it was prep everything for the next team where we had the privilege to have another group from Texas stay with us from Gracepoint church. Where they traveled long distances to share the love gospel of JESUS through HIS Word and the distribution of bunk beds, food bags, visited a widow lady and are now supplying materials for her a house. On Campus they built some wooden stairs and had two ladies from Arkansas jump in with them. Another blessed time serving with all of them. The 2 ladies are sisters, and they were here a few days after the Texas team left and then they ended up changing their flight for a few hours later and went out to deliver shoes and wash feet to over 75 kids at which was not a plan of theirs for the trip, but GOD made a way that became a ripple effect for the month. As they installed a stove, bunk beds, water filters, bibles, etc. while here as well. As we traveled out to visit the widow with the Texas team, before going to another town to share the love gospel of JESUS through food bags, the ladies met a young boy whose shoes were torn, and his toes were sticking out. To see their heart and being willing to change their flight and take the 4.5-hour trip twice it was awesome to see GOD move in their servants’ hearts.
However, there were a lot of kids in that town so we prayed and believed we should go back out and donate shoes for all the kids. Thus, after the sisters left, the next day we had more folks come in from Virginia, Parkway Baptist, and Crossway Fellowship and maybe even a couple more churches all in one group. Where we were able to buy over 200 pairs of shoes go back out and do a big party for the kids with the bounce houses, the team traveled the 4.5 hours, washed over 200 kids’ feet, and gave them new shoes. It was an amazing day washing the kids’ feet, as they shared the love gospel of JESUS and traveled back same day. While here they also did more block party activities with kids in various towns, evangelized with house visits as well and delivering food bags and bibles. Their first two days in Guatemala were cool too as they did youth activities with the girls from Casa first and then the next day an activity with the boys here on campus. That was a blessing.
While the Virginia team was here my parents arrived with my niece who just graduated high school this past May and is now in her freshman year in college on an academic and athletic scholarship. So, they went out with us on some outreaches and then we got to have some family time with them as this was my nieces first trip here.
The weekend after they left, we had Juventud para Cristo (youth for Christ), Guatemala base, bring up boys from one of the government homes for two days and they did some activities and devotions at which I was able to share one. Praying GOD rocks their paths as being in a home where the bible is only taught when a group like JPC comes and shares it every other week is tough.
From there we began some cleanup, a little construction, and preparation for a teacher in service day for the missionary teachers at the school our kids attend. That too was a blessing as they came up for a few hours and we were able to provide them a special lunch. It was told to me afterwards, a few days later, that some teachers (missionaries) were at the point contemplating how to tell the director they weren’t going to be able to teach this school year. However, after coming on the mountain GOD took their burdens, anxieties, fears, stressed, and whatever battles they were facing and gave them a piece. The words told to me were “GOD’s hand is on your ministry on that mountain.” I tell you that because you are a part of this with us, from prayer to financial support, to coming down and serving with us, etc. This I truly believe is one of many testimonies of what GOD has done and is doing in this place HE has called us to build. We have heard a few but know HE is working and with that we thank The LORD for you, as the apostle Paul said making mention of you often in our prayers.
We know it’s to GOD our FATHER be all the Honor, Glory, and praise in all things.
As I will always stick to Galatians 2:20
Nonetheless that with the teachers was on August 4th we then prepped up the stuff for our kids to get started back to school, did some construction and cleanup on campus (which can be daily thing), and had some folks from covenant brethren church in the states arrive on the 10th and 11th at which they left on the 13th and 14th. They came down to ordain a pastor and a church that had been praying for years to have a GOD fearing/ bible preaching church spiritually cover them and hold them accountable to teaching and preaching the WORD of GOD. It has been neat to see how GOD has made that happen too. We also had, that same weekend, an awesome missionary family (the McIntyre’s) come stay a couple nights on campus as they were part of a wedding ceremony in Antigua. They are from my neck of the woods in Alabama and GOD has called them to do a lot of what we do here serving the LORD and encouraging pastors, yet they are about 5 -7 hours from us. They have been here for about 14 years, go check their ministry out it’s “eyes wide open ministries” and pray for them please.
Our two oldest kids started school on the 14th and are getting settled back into that routine.
We had an outreach on the 17th with some old friends/ CHRIST siblings that were visiting casa aleluya and wanted us to coordinate a day of evangelism and ministry. Thus, we went to San Andres Iztapa, where they donated bunk beds, water filters, food bags, while praying, sharing the gospel, and living on GOD’s people in various ways and forms.
All of this has been a blessing as everything we do, and desire is to make the name of JESUS known on and off campus through various platforms HE provides for us to do so. The fun part is we get to do it with you in some way form or fashion. We again thank the LORD for y’all.
We look forward to continuing the year as the LORD wills it however He wills it.
Please don’t hesitate to shoot us an email as it would be a blessing to hear from you and pray even more specific for you.
Here are some areas you can specifically pray for us in:
1. That GOD’s will be done in us and through us daily in every breath, “puppet style.” (If you know what I mean)
2. Everyone we meet would know JESUS as LORD and Savior and that our kids would grow in HIM daily!!!
3. GOD would continue to use us and allow us to finish the details of the construction on the mountain.
4. The adjacent property owners where there are no buildings would sell us their land and GOD would provide.
5. That our family would be able to move close off campus and that HE would send a family to help us with the activities off and on campus who have a heart to serve.
6. For wisdom to know HIS perfect will from here on out.
7. GOD be truly praised in our family and in this ministry.
Thanks for reading and may GOD’s blessings fall upon you as you Live HIM Loud!!!
Blessings in CHRIST,
The Clemmons Family- Guatemala
