As we swerved back and forth like a drunk driver to avoid the massive pot holes that riddled the road back from Mexico an exhausted smile crept on my face. A few days earlier, these pot holes we were avoiding were the catalyst for a Divine appointment with a “Pinchazo.” Our flat tire in Santo Domingo forced us to find Daniel. While he worked on our tire we had the opportunity to hear his story about his battle with alcohol. This opened the door for us to share how Jesus transformed our lives. Daniel gave his life to Jesus and is now being discipled by a “Timothy” who is being discipled by a local pastor that we trained the day before!

Crazy how this divine moment was hidden within the inconvenience of a flat tire. Day after day, experiences like this remind me that God is working behind the scenes to prepare people’s hearts to experience him. But… What if we had just stayed in the air condition car as Daniel fixed the tire? What if we hadn’t intentionally tried to connect with him? We would have missed what God had prepared for us. How often do we miss the divine appointments God has for us because we are so pre-occupied? What if we lived each moment anticipating that God has already prepared the way for us to do good things – right now?

 “We are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to do good things which He prepared in advance for us to do!” Ephesians 2:10

This past month has been a series of divine appointments that I could never have imagined. One conversation and connection happened to lead to another. One such connection was with Chosen People Ministries (a group that helps to train pastors here in Guatemala and Mexico). This connection has opened-up some amazing opportunities as they have laid the much-needed Biblical foundation for hundreds of pastors here. The final thing the pastors are taught before they graduate is the importance of making disciple who make disciples. What a perfect set up for The Timothy Initiative. It has been incredible!

Here are few of the highlights of the past month:

Seeing the power of Volcan Fuego’s eruption (this is from our house 11 miles away). The eruption covered everything in thick dangerous ash, killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more. The devastation is unbelievable!

Experiencing God’s protection as we went up the side of Volcan Fuego 2 days after the eruption to help bring relief to 2 villages of people trapped there. By God’s grace barely make it in and out safely. (An hour after we drove through another pyroclastic flow blocked the road we came in on and an hour after we left to get out the opposite direction, the rain waters made the river impassable!)

Training pastors in Ixchiguan who have a heart to reach the Tajamucho Mam people. They are an unreached people group who still do not have the Bible in their language yet. Here’s a link to a video of our trip: Ixchiguan / Mexico Trip

Vision cast to pastors in Tapachula, Santo Domingo, Mapas, Mexico.

Training pastors in Santo Domingo/Tapachula where 14 committed to raising up over 140 Timothy’s.

Training pastors in Zona 18 where 15 pastors commit to raising up 150 Timothy’s!

Prayer walked with the pastors through the streets of Zona 18 with God’s protection (the most needy and dangerous Zone in all of Guatemala) and saw 3 people set free from darkness and are now being discipled!

Speaking live on a Guatemalan TV show (Canal 64) for over an hour  where I had the privilege of sharing the gospel and how to raise up disciple makers.

Pray for the hope of the gospel to penetrate through the traditions and religious strongholds that hold the beautiful people of this country captive.

Please pray for us to navigate all the opportunities God has recently opened. We need God’s wisdom, guidance, provision and direction!

Despite the business of this past month, we were able to spend a day at Hobbitenango and finally hike the active Volcan Pacaya (where we saw lava flowing down the mountain!)