Los Guido

Los Guido

This morning we went to visit Los Guido.  This is a community that Clint and Renee have worked in several times before.  Last year, the graduating class at Dayspring Christian School in Greeley went on a senior class mission trip to work in the same area.  Jerry had helped with that team and spoke highly of the work they did there.  Today I was extremely impressed with what they had accomplished when I saw the obstacles they faced.

We found our way into the area although it was difficult as many of the roads in were blocked because of on-going road repair.  The houses we went by were increasingly humble the farther in we got.  They also were clinging to the hillsides.  Down at the bottom of the gully ran a river.  All of the pipes running directly out of the backs of the houses ran with liquid falling into that river.  The electric lines ran helter skelter from house to house at times.  We parked on a steep narrow road, and found a narrow path running up the hill between houses.  The path ran by houses of people Clint greeted at times.  At one point the path had all but dropped into the gully with only a small part still passable. When we got to the church, there was a concrete walkway.  We met the pastor who showed us the church and the construction project that the school had helped with.

These "kids" had hauled many many loads of gravel and sand up the hill on their backs as well as sacks of concrete and re-bar.  They also carried a cement mixer up, a septic tank, and a water tank.  It seems almost impossible when you see the steep, long, narrow path.  They said the septic tank barely fit through in places.

After they hauled all of the supplies, they dug out a long dirt bank and poured a footing for a new church wall.  They also dug the septic tank hole and drain field.  They also put the water tank way up on the hill above the church.  The wall has been mostly been built upon the foundation they poured.  The church is hoping to get further this year.

The church they now meet in is pretty humble, but they have done a lot with scrap materials.  They have a few electric lights and can run a simple sound system.  Right outside the church, the hill falls away to the gully.  The church is at the end of the path, so the pastor says they are usually not bothered by anyone there.

This is the mission field, the houses of Los Guido.

The church from the front.  It apparently is not really sound and will come down when the new church arises.



This cement mixer was carried up the hill by the Dayspring Team




Jerry pointing to the new wall that was erected behind the church on the Dayspring foundation.  This was will be part of the new church.




Here is the wall




Inside the present church.  They just had a women's crusade for the local women.  That's what the balloons are for.




Jerry and Pastor Rocha (sp?)



The pastor's "study" was just a table by one of the windows.



The bathrooms at the church.  Note the sink.  Pretty nice.




Sometimes it is hard to see where one house starts and the other stops.



The water tank way up the hill.  That was a very steep hill too.

The disappearing path would be a challenge with a cement mixer. That is quite a drop.

We spent some time praying with the pastor and encouraging him. What a passionate heart he has.

We plan on going back to Llano Verde next weekend to hold a church service,  and then to Nicaragua for the next week.  We may visit the Mosquito Indians and see what ministry opportunities are there with them. It is a recon trip mostly.
 We also are interested in seeing more of Nicaragua.  It seems like things politically are heating up there, and this will be a good time to go before it gets too unstable.