Author - AJ Westendorp

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A Church For People Who Don’t Trust Church
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What Do You Really Think of Us?

A Church For People Who Don’t Trust Church

church in guatemala iglesia reforma
A church plant in Guatemala is quickly becoming a refuge for people ready to give up on church. But amidst rapid growth, challenges persist. Photo courtesy of Iglesia Reforma

Tragedy and chaos are familiar to the average Guatemalan. If you fail a class in school, well, that’s not good, but it’s common; hopefully you’ll do better upon repeating it. If you are badly hurt in an accident, well, you can’t count on great care at the public hospital and can’t afford a private one, so hopefully you’ll get better. If  your husband drinks too much or hangs around other women, well, you’ll likely separate, and hopefully you’ll make enough to feed your family, even if that means you only see your kids for an hour each night. Chaos. Disorganization….

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What Do You Really Think of Us?

homeless ministry guatemala
Life for homeless youth in Guatemala is characterized by cyclical poverty, addiction, and little hope for the future. But when a pastor started building relationships with these kids on the streets, he found out that they didn't need more preaching. They needed the gospel. Photo by TEAM

“What do you really think of us, drug-addicts and homeless people?” Angel asked me. I paused. He, like many of the “jovenes de la calle“ (street kids), has been living in the streets since he was a kid. Now, at 22, he’s seen it all, lived it all. He’s used drugs as a regular escape. He’s found ways to survive with barely any income. He’s been pushed out of churches and restaurants because he’s asking people for money, because he’s high or just because he doesn’t look presentable. He’s seen ministries come and go, do their good deed, pass out…

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