Pray for Guatemala on Sunday, June 19, 2011

Pray for Guatemala on Sunday, June 19, 2011

Prayers for Guatemala: Matthew 28:16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Oh holy God, You that have provided me with the calling to serve you. I understand how sweet is your gaze and how wonderful you are through the faces, the eyes, and the suffering of a nations battered and devastated by the consequences of the cruelty of a war that lasted more than 36 years. I beg you to provide me with the strengths and the skills so that I can give one of my hands to someone who needs it, and to open my two arms to someone who lacks and needs them.  Provide me with humbleness and a harmless heart in order to serve and to give love to someone who is full of hate or who lacks love.   I beg you to provide me with courage and valor so I may help carry the suffering of someone who is carrying physical, emotional and especially spiritual suffering. 

Please give me strength so I can maintain a lifestyle that is pleasing in your site and so that through my example, I can influence others to follow a dignified and pleasing life upon your eyes. In some moments during my ministry I have witnessed falsehood and greed of many who seek and only believe in taking advantage of the most humble and vulnerable and because of this I have suffered, and for this I have understood and learned of the suffering of one of your people, the Guatemalan people. I ask, oh Holy Spirit, that you use my ministry in order to bring love, peace and solace and hope to women who are the most violated by machismo, racism, and gender discrimination often mistreated, abused and humiliated by their own husbands and even their own sons.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

In Guatemala, there are also good men and women leaders who follow a life given to serve you. Give them hope and valor o Holy God so that they can continue to serve you.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Please strengthen me and fill me with valor and courage so I may not doubt during these critical times because I now clearly understand the meaning, value and importance of a Critical Presence especially with our partner, Guatemalan Cultural Action, ACG.  Amen

Mission Moment from Guatemala:

At ACG I’m involved in working on developing new ideas and projects relevant to ACG’s four core program areas (Women’s Self Sufficiency Program, Education and Cultural Promotion, Media and Human Rights Program, and Sustainable Rural Development).  Of these program areas, one that has been most successful is that of Guatemalan Cultural Action’s (ACG) revolving scholarship student fund.  This fund has allowed many young Mayan men and women to pursue their studies beginning with grade school, high school and, although still a very small number, a university level education.   That being said, projects like the scholarship fund could not be made possible without the committed support, not only physical through my ministry, but also economically of Global Ministries and the many Disciples and UCC congregations that together contribute in making the lives of many young Guatemalan men and women possible and encouraging. 

One institutional and financial challenge here with our partner is the diminishing priority in women’s programs which has to do with the lack of active and committed women within the designated program called Women’s Self Sufficiency Program.  In that light I am helping to coordinate a gathering of ACG women members, scholarship students, board members and other women who have participated with ACG in those levels and or as supporters of the organization over the years.  Our purpose is to create a working group of women who would work on project development for the women’s program thus generating ideas, proposals and ultimately, creating and promoting women leaders.  The other challenge is developing creative ways to help facilitate these efforts of working with women.    Because I feel very strongly that women are social agents of change and because I know the potential that indigenous women have in contributing for themselves, their families and their communities I am hopeful that women can find a place and a space where they can come together and strengthen and encourage each other to participate and to celebrate the importance of their contributions.    

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Gloria Vicente-Kanu)

Global Ministries International Partners in Guatemala:

More info on Guatemala: http://globalministries.org/lac/countries/guatemala/

Global Ministries Missionary in Guatemala:

Gloria Vicente-Kanu serves with Guatemalan Culture Action (ACG) as a youth and communication worker

Pray for Partners without Global Ministries Mission Personnel: Honduras

More info on Honduras: http://globalministries.org/lac/countries/honduras/