What started out as “one of those days” on the mission field, unexpectedly, morphs into loud and colorful morning. All of this ushered in by the enthusiastic beat of a base drum. Drawn out of my office in the Mercy Wings hangar, I open the 30 ft doors and stand on a rock to look over the wall onto the dusty road. School children on this day are on parade. …
Medical Outeach- La Victoria
It’s the month of March and the seasons are changing in the western highlands. Rain and clouds that were the normal just weeks ago, have given way to dry and clear days. The seasons in Guatemala can change unexpectedly, forecast rain may not fall, or sunny skies instead are hidden by layers of clouds. One thing remains the same, people all over the world need Jesus. Someone must care enough …
Our neck of the woods
The high plateau that makes up the western region of Guatemala, is home to ancient volcano, some asleep for decades, others restless and ever active. Fuentes Gorginas (Georgina fountains), is a favorite afternoon for many who live in the western highlands of Guatemala. Including us missionaries who, from time to time, need a refreshing few hours. Not too far from our home city of Quetzaltenango, a little slice …
Must be a hundred ways to…..
Just goes to show that there must be a hundred ways to serve using aircraft in Guatemala. Organizers from Mt. Hope church, Lansing MI, are in the final preparation stages for a stadium event to take place in San Marcos, Guatemala. Using local radio broadcast, loudspeaker cars, and flyers to announce and invite the pubic. Distribution of the flyers (no pun intended) fell to Mercy Wings International (MWI) and pilot Chuck Martinez. …
Our small but “scrappy” volcano
Not everyone can say they have an active volcano in their backyard, but we can. This morning many heard the rumble and watched as the ash plum produced by our neighborhood volcano ascended miles into the sky . Actually there are two volcano (s), the larger silent one is the Santa Maria, and the smaller the Santiaguito. The smaller but scrappy volcano is active daily, but the rumble heard today …
Run the race, finish the course
The end of 2105 is marked by many events in Guatemala. In our corner of the western highlands, there is a lot of excitement. A year of sacrifice, study, and work have come to an end. Resident, night, and weekend, Bible Institute students are ready to “move the tassel” and mark the day. But, before the family dinners, and tearful goodbye’s are said, the traditional group photo is taken. Think …
Is it ever too late?
If missionary life is anything, it can always be characterized as an exercise in patience. The flow and pace of life in Guatemala can vary drastically compared to the everything-on-a-schedule style of life in the States. Mail for instance, can arrive several months after the fact, but it is a welcome arrival just the same. As missionaries, these gifts from home, generate the same feeling as though they had arrived Christmas …
Making “time” for the Gospel
Time is a precious thing, and in today’s world, there is often too little of it. For the this reason, Mercy Wings International (MWI) is all about getting the Gospel to the people using the speed and reliability of aircraft. Because of the aircraft advantage,- ministry workers in Guatemala spend less time traveling and more time teaching, preaching, and evangelizing. “The Gospel is only good news if it gets there …
Am I weak and feeble enough?
“God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.” — Hudson Taylor. Taylor was known for his sensitivity to Chinese culture and zeal for evangelism. Taylor spent 51 years in China. The society that he began was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to the country who began 125 schools and directly resulted in 18,000 Christian conversions, as well as the establishment of more than 300 stations of …
The Mighty Engine….
“Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work.” — A.B. Simpson Albert Benjamin Simpson (December 15, 1843 – October 29, 1919), also known as A. B. Simpson, was a Canadian preacher, theologian, author, and founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), an evangelical Protestant denomination with an emphasis on global evangelism. For Robin and I (Chuck), as missionaries that live and labor in the western …