It is rainy season in Guatemala but this year has been worse than normal. Will you join us in praying? Following is part of an email from Impacto, a ministry that serves the people of Guatemala.
"Over the weekend, many more mudslides occurred and roads in many parts of Guatemala are closed, including parts of the Pan-Am Highway that our teams use to get to and from the lake area. One of the worst mudslides was where we turn off the Pan-Am to go to Poacorral. Reports are that a bus and two cars are buried under this mudslide. As is the custom in Guatemala, when something like this happens, men from the nearby villages race to the slide site and start shoveling to try to get to the people as soon as possible and even if no one is reported to be under the slide, they will begin trying to clear the roads because they need the big trucks to have access to bri ng in supplies and also to take out any produce that is headed for sale at market. The men were shoveling at this particular site and another slide happened, killing many of the men who were helping with the rescue. Word was sent out to all volunteer fire departments that urgent help was needed at this slide. The President of Guatemala flew to this mudslide site. A third slide occurred and he ordered all rescue efforts to stop until the rains stop and there is less danger of the mountain sliding yet again. He also ordered that the Pan-Am Highway be closed until authorities give the word that the mudslides are no longer in danger of happening.
The crews that have been working on the roads and clean up efforts have been fighting mudslide after mudslide since Agatha came through in May. With the severe rainy season, fears are raging that more mudslides will happen between now and the end of October when rainy season usually ends. The worst part of rainy season is usually the month of October. The ground everywhere is already so saturated more mudslides are actually more probable than possible. Please keep our Guatemalan brothers and sisters lifted in prayer. Many lives have already been lost, not just in areas of clean-up, but of people in their homes when slides happened. Flooding is, of course, another issue that is causing many problems, loss of homes, property, and lives. We do not always understand why but we know from The Bible that God is in control and that He is Sovereign. Proverbs 3:5 tells us: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. We must trust God through the good and the bad because He has a plan and only He knows what is best."
Thank you for praying. Your partnership in this way is critical and powerful.
"Over the weekend, many more mudslides occurred and roads in many parts of Guatemala are closed, including parts of the Pan-Am Highway that our teams use to get to and from the lake area. One of the worst mudslides was where we turn off the Pan-Am to go to Poacorral. Reports are that a bus and two cars are buried under this mudslide. As is the custom in Guatemala, when something like this happens, men from the nearby villages race to the slide site and start shoveling to try to get to the people as soon as possible and even if no one is reported to be under the slide, they will begin trying to clear the roads because they need the big trucks to have access to bri ng in supplies and also to take out any produce that is headed for sale at market. The men were shoveling at this particular site and another slide happened, killing many of the men who were helping with the rescue. Word was sent out to all volunteer fire departments that urgent help was needed at this slide. The President of Guatemala flew to this mudslide site. A third slide occurred and he ordered all rescue efforts to stop until the rains stop and there is less danger of the mountain sliding yet again. He also ordered that the Pan-Am Highway be closed until authorities give the word that the mudslides are no longer in danger of happening.
The crews that have been working on the roads and clean up efforts have been fighting mudslide after mudslide since Agatha came through in May. With the severe rainy season, fears are raging that more mudslides will happen between now and the end of October when rainy season usually ends. The worst part of rainy season is usually the month of October. The ground everywhere is already so saturated more mudslides are actually more probable than possible. Please keep our Guatemalan brothers and sisters lifted in prayer. Many lives have already been lost, not just in areas of clean-up, but of people in their homes when slides happened. Flooding is, of course, another issue that is causing many problems, loss of homes, property, and lives. We do not always understand why but we know from The Bible that God is in control and that He is Sovereign. Proverbs 3:5 tells us: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. We must trust God through the good and the bad because He has a plan and only He knows what is best."
Thank you for praying. Your partnership in this way is critical and powerful.