By Shenalyn PagePosted January 04, 2023
An energetic team of 120 missionaries from Amazing Facts International, Granite Bay Hilltop Church, and the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism (AFCOE) joined together November 20–28, 2022, for a life-changing mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala.
The group worked in teams to provide free medical and dental care, build a school, conduct evangelistic meetings and a vacation Bible school, and hold evangelism training for local pastors and lay church leaders. The trip ended with a weekend of worship with more than 1,200 in attendance.
Says Pastor Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts International and senior pastor of the Granite Bay Hilltop Church, “It was a profoundly moving experience for the members of our team to sacrifice their Thanksgiving vacation in order to go minister to the less fortunate. While our team was there to bless others in the name of Jesus, they were just as blessed as those the Lord sent us to serve.”
Health Professionals Provide Care to a Multitude
In modeling the saving work of Jesus during His time on Earth, the mission team offered health and healing through free dental and medical care to needy people throughout the community. Each morning, long lines formed to receive these services.
The dental team, composed of twelve dentists, put in fillings, pulled teeth, and performed cleanings. They were blessed to be joined by many like-minded local dentists and hygienists.
The medical team, composed of six health professionals, provided a variety of screenings and other medical services, including giving out free eyeglasses.
John Sauve, the director of the dental team, marvels, “The devil tried to shut down this mission trip from the very beginning, but the Lord took care of everything we needed.” For instance, the team had 700 pounds of dental equipment to transport to Guatemala. One machine essential for teeth cleanings arrived broken. However, the morning after the team arrived and shortly before services were to be provided, someone walked in and offered the crew the exact machine they needed.
In total, 1,500 people received much-needed care from our dental and medical team.
Evangelism Training and Vacation Bible School
To quicken the work of sharing the gospel in Guatemala, the Amazing Facts and AFCOE staff offered four days of intensive evangelism training to 250 local pastors, elders, and lay leaders. The team taught the church leaders the principles of the evangelism cycle, the characteristics of a healthy church, how to use friendship evangelism to develop interests, and how to give Bible studies to seekers.
Local church leaders said the training was the most helpful they’d ever received. Plans are already in the works for more training next year!
One missionary team offered vacation Bible school at a local church for about thirty children. The ten members taught the enthusiastic young ones about God’s creation, the truth about heaven, Bible heroes, and how to better care for their health. “The kids were so eager to learn,” says Karla Meza, team coordinator. “I was really touched by how receptive they were.”
Construction Crew Builds School and Serves Needy Family
Our mission-minded construction team worked with a local congregation to lay the foundation and put up the walls for a church school that will serve more than 100 students when it is completed. The team’s expertise enabled the church to complete, by God’s grace, far more than initially planned.
One day, the crew realized that a corner of the neighbor’s tin roof would be in the way of the new school’s walls. Some members of the construction team went next door to kindly ask permission to trim back the tin roof. The neighbors were happy to accommodate, but while there, the crew discovered that the 400-square-foot home was packed with 15 children, three moms, one of whom was disabled, and a father. None of the kids had shoes, and a broken stovepipe filled the house with smoke.
“Their plight moved us,” says Pastor Doug, who worked with the construction team. The next day, the team bought shoes, groceries, clothes, and toys. They also made plans to fix the stovepipe. When they took the gifts to the neighbor’s home to deliver the presents, the family was overwhelmed with gratitude and praise. Says Pastor Doug, “They just kept saying ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ and ‘Praise God!’ over and over again.”
Evangelism Meetings Reach Hundreds
AFCOE graduates from the past two classes worked together to hold simultaneous evangelistic campaigns in nine local churches across the region.
The results were thrilling. Thirty people made decisions for baptism, and 40 requested additional Bible studies. “The students had the time of their lives,” says Carlos Muñoz, AFCOE director and trip coordinator. “It was the first time they had ever preached a prophecy campaign. It is a bonding experience unlike any other when we join together to share the love of Christ.”
A tremendous highlight for the team was joining young people from Generation Youth for Christ Guatemala for their annual conference, which was also taking place in Antigua. Pastor Doug spoke to about 450 people each night, with more than 1,200 gathering on the final Sabbath for worship, Bible study, and fellowship.
Says Carlos, “It was a wonderful experience for Amazing Facts to work with the local churches and other ministries to help the people of Guatemala. This is what Jesus called us to do, so seeing our collaboration grow was something beautiful to behold.”
Adds Pastor Doug, “It was a very special time for all our team members. We sang ‘Side by Side’ in English and Spanish at the end. We were virtually all in tears.”
Amazing Facts International thanks our many team members for giving up their holiday time with family and friends to join us in reaching souls in Guatemala. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the faithful support of friends who enabled the ministry’s mission work with their gifts and prayers. Thank you!