Seen and Unseen

By Chad Mattingly, outgoing President, and Carrie Saathoff, incoming President of the CEDEPCA USA Board.

So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 5:18)

The above scripture passage was the focus of our final devotion at the CEDEPCA USA Board meeting yesterday. This past week, Board members flew in from all corners of the US to hold their annual meeting, strategize ways to increase support for CEDEPCA, travel together, and witness the incredible, and often unseen, work that CEDEPCA is doing to transform lives and realities here in Guatemala…and beyond.

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Steering Committee Formed and Getting Down to Business

The Guatemala Partnership of New Castle Presbytery has just exploded in the last two years….in a good way! There is new energy from churches, new excitement from individuals, and new commitment from the Presbytery. We launched a website, increased our financial support tenfold, and formalized our partnerships in Guatemala. There are now 12 churches within the Presbytery involvedwith more in the wingsand more and more individual members have traveled with us to see God’s work up close.

NCP Guatemala Steering Committee
Steering Committee meets via Zoom

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A Certain Hope

I find myself waking up each morning, and within seconds, suddenly remembering the ongoing situation we are facing. The impact of COVID-19 on those of us here in the United States is unprecedented: lives lost, jobs vanished, plans put on hold. As the virus spreads, I fear for what the people of Guatemala might face. The reality that could unfold there may be even more dire.

As of this writing, there are just 70 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Guatemala. That number is certain to climb. The Guatemalan government has taken this emergency seriously, closing borders, enforcing curfews, and declaring a country-wide stay-at-home order.

As a result, daily life in Guatemala has changed significantly. Read more

Give the Gift of a Guatemalan Stove this Holiday!

waSHh%EPRUuIIf+DJyT3egMany of us will prepare holiday feasts standing at a fancy stove-top, with double ovens and microwaves at the ready.  But for many people around the world, their cooking reality is an open fire on a dirt floor. This Christmas, please consider giving the gift of a stove to an indigenous family in Guatemala. These stoves are engineered to be fuel-efficient and cost-effective. They reduce respiratory and eye diseases caused by smoke, and save time, money, and trees.

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