Nearar Anniversary Service 2018

This past weekend the Nearar group had their anniversary service.  They were celebrating seven years.  It is so exciting to see how far they have come.  The work in Nearar has been a combined effort of many.  Before we moved to this area another IMB couple, David and Glynis Miller, were partnering teams here trying to share the Gospel in this village and surrounding areas.  At the time the village of Nearar had no evangelical work.  They also partnered a Guatemalan Baptist church from Chimaltenango with this village.  The combined efforts of each of these, along with much prayer, eventually bore fruit and a small group of new believers began.  In January 2012 we moved to this area and began weekly Bible studies with the group to disciple them.  The Chimaltenango church continued to come over a few times a year to do discipleship, outreach, and evangelism.

Fast forward to today the church in Nearar is a shining light in their community and they are trying to reach their village for Christ.   We are thankful for the role that we got to play to help advance the gospel in this village.  As we now prepare to nurture them from a distance we ask you to join us in prayer as they begin to fully minister on their own.  We plan to make regular visits with them and will still partner teams in the area.  Our role with them will be a little different going forward but our love for them and desire for them to grow will still stay the same.

Here are some photos from the anniversary services.  They met on Saturday and Sunday night.  

On Saturday we met outside on the soccer field.  We started each night at 5:00.  When the sun set it got very cool and windy.

Luz and Rafa leading hymns

They invited a music group from Jocotenango to lead worship.  The guest speaker was a representative from the local radio station, Radio Alegria, in Jocotenango.

On Sunday night they moved the service inside the church building.  The crowd continued to grow and there was not enough room to fit everyone by the time the service ended.  It was a great problem to have.   So many came to show their support.  It really encouraged the group to see the large turnout.  They had planned and prayed for weeks for the services.  God answered their prayers

At the end of the service the speaker called the leaders down to recognize them.  He then had a time of prayer over them and for the work they are doing.  What a sweet time it was!

Both services were wonderful and it left us feeling proud and excited.  It was a great way to end our time here.  We have been a little sad about leaving them but God reminded us that He is working.  It is not our work anyway, it is His.  We leave them in His hands knowing that He has good plans for each of them.  Pray that His name will continue to be made known in that village and the surrounding areas.  Pray that they would shower their community with love and that their lives would reflect Christ in every way.