Because of the GLS | Broken Communities Experience Jesus in Guatemala

In Guatemala, 60 percent of the country lives below the poverty line, corruption is high and violence and injustice are rampant.

But hope is not dead. There is a solution.

Some leaders in Guatemala are embracing the GLS with vigorous vision. Emmy Munoz is one of those leaders. She is the director of a Christian school, a pastor and a GLS champion working to bring the GLS to as many leaders in Guatemala as possible. She sees the value in the GLS as a way to transform the country one leader at a time.

As the director of a school, she is especially passionate about children and their future—a passion that has been fired up at the GLS. With tears in her eyes, Emmy says, “My dream for Guatemala is that every kid would have access to education and a plate of food on the table… I think that is something every kid has to have. I think that was in my heart all the time, but I really think the GLS has helped me fire up that dream.

“One of the things I have learned is not to forget about the disadvantaged, the underdogs and the people who don’t have opportunities like we have. It was right here at the GLS.”

Emmy leads her school with new vigor and passion from the encouragement she’s received through the GLS. Emmy is not the only one.

As a champion for the GLS, she wants to share it with as many leaders as possible. One of those leaders is a pastor in a nearby community.

When he attended the GLS for the first time, he was pastoring in an area of Guatemala described as a “red” community. Emmy describes red areas as very dangerous because of the violence, gangs and robberies.

After attending the GLS, the pastor knew what he had to do to reach his neighbors. He returned to his church and shared his vision. The church community caught it, and they all went into the neighborhood to clean up the homes and streets. They cleaned up garbage and painted houses. They painted the word “Jesus” on the walls of some of the buildings.

The community took notice. People began to see their church differently.

They were not just a church in a building where people met once a week. They were servants. People from the community began to ask questions and wanted to learn more about this Jesus.

There are hundreds of leaders like Emmy and this pastor in Guatemala who are looking for solutions to change their country. “The GLS has helped me remember that we can do something,” Emmy shares. “Sometimes we think the need is so big that there’s nothing we can to do, but it’s not true. It’s one thing at a time. Each little step we take is going to change something and somebody.

“We need to change the way we live as a country. We need to change the mentality of so many people there. We need more people to come to the GLS to see that there is a different way to live — a better way.”

Thank you for supporting courageous leaders

“Thank you very much for everything you have given to the GLS and for helping other people grow in leadership,” Emmy shares. “I think that is a way we change a country, a nation, a community.”

Please continue to pray for Guatemala and the impact of the GLS. You’re making a difference!

To support the Willow Creek Association and leaders in Guatemala
go to www.willowcreek.com/give