2025 marks 25 years of Impact Ministries serving in Guatemala – can you believe it?
In the year 2000, Les and Rita stepped out in faith and drove from Canada to Guatemala with their three young children.
In the year 2000, they moved their family into the little A-frame house in the highlands of northern Guatemala and started exploring where and how God would have them minister.
In the year 2000, a student named Hector graduated Grade 10 from the little Christian school in Tactic that would soon become the first Vida school.
Twenty-five years later, Hector is the lead pastor of the Rio de Vida Churches, and he and his wife Ericka serve as key leaders of Impact Ministries in Guatemala, including filling the role of operations managers.
The little school of 78 students has expanded into a dozen Vida school programs running out of six school facilities and serving over 1900 students.
Isn’t God absolutely amazing?!?
Last month, we couldn’t help but be in awe as I flipped through first-day-of-school photos of children and teachers with their hands raised in worship, ready to start the new school year. And we couldn’t help but wonder what God has planned for each of them in the next 25 years.
This year, the Vida School theme is “Equipped for Every Good Work” from 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Over 25 years, we’ve seen God equipping the Guatemalan people for every good work in the areas where Impact ministers. We’ve seen children trained up in righteousness becoming teachers who are teaching a new generation. We’ve seen God’s Word capturing hearts and families being transformed
Whether you’ve stood with children and families in Guatemala for 25 years, or whether you’re brand new to discovering how God is at work in Guatemala (or somewhere in between), we’re so glad that God is writing you into this story. These are the kids whose futures you’re impacting!
Pray with us that each of these children (and each of their teachers) will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(If you sponsor a child or class, now is a great time to log in to Sponsorsoft to send a note wishing the kids a wonderful school year. If you don’t yet, you can see classes still waiting for sponsors right here.)