Sunday, we will hear all about our recent journey to Guatemala and celebrate our partnership with the Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala (ILAG). Since its founding in 1991, ILAG has always been about ministering to people living on the margins of Guatemalan society, particularly the indigenous poor. From the lowlands of Petén in the north to the ravines of Guatemala City, the ILAG works to make God’s grace known to all. Currently, the Lutheran Church in Guatemala has more than 2,000 members in 17 congregations. The Southeastern Synod and the Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala have been walking together as companion synods for many years, teaching us what it means to be Lutheran in our global church. Through visits to ILAG, receiving the ILAG pastoral team as guests here in the Southeastern Synod, prayerful support, financial support, and living through the values of accompaniment, all of us have grown more deeply in our faith. One of the ministries we experienced was Casa MILAGRO. In Spanish, Milagro means Miracle. The MILAGRO Women’s Education Center is located in the Lutheran Center in Guatemala City. Sometimes called Casa Milagro, MILAGRO is also an acronym:
M – Mujeres (women)
ILAG – Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala RO – Ropiendo paradigmas (breaking paradigms)
At Casa MILAGRO, young women receive an education and develop a wide range of skills vital to a future with great possibilities. They learn skills to start a sustainable business and prepare them to be leaders in their families, churches, and communities.
We will gather during our regular fellowship time to see pictures and videos of our trip, enjoy some Guatemalan foods, and write notes of encouragement to our siblings in Christ. If you’d like a preview of what God has been up to in Guatemala through our siblings of ILAG, check out this video: https://youtu.be/JhP_XI4KeA8. To view a video of our own experiences in Guatemala, watch this video: https://youtu.be/66rnhQYQ3O0.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Chris