A letter from Philip and Bacilia Beisswenger in Guatemala
September 21, 2011, Guatemala City
Grace to you, and peace from Guatemala!
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15th of September (Guatemala's Independence Day) parade in Sayaxche.
Sayaxché lies along the Passion River in the vast northern department of Petén. With a mix of westernized Ladinos and indigenous Q’eqchí, the town has a frontier atmosphere. Stores tend to showcase lots of boots, machetes, and saddles. A rugged ferry hauls vehicles across the river at all hours. I’d been in Sayaxché before with visiting teams, but this was my first solo trip as a mission worker. After a 10-hour bus ride from Guatemala City, I arrived in time to watch festivities for Independence Day, which is September 15in Guatemala. A colorful parade wound through the streets, followed by speeches and music at the central park. (See photo)
Executive Committee of the Q'eqchi Presbytery of Sayaxce (Presbiterio Q'eqchi Sayaxche)
I came to visit two Q’eqchí presbyteries. On Friday morning I met with leaders of the Q’eqchí Presbytery of Sayaxche (QPS). (See photo) The QPS has seven churches and runs a radio station. It has a long-standing partnership with Hillsboro Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Tenn. Together they built a two-story dorm for Q'eqchi students from outlying communities and administer scholarships for 34 students. Roger Marriott, a PC(USA) mission worker who helped begin the partnership, recently concluded his assignment in Guatemala. The QPS leaders expressed sorrow over Roger’s departure and anxiety about the partnership’s future without him. Before adjourning, we prayed for God to continue to provide the right leadership for their partnership to prosper for years to come.
Mayan Ruins from "El Ceibal."
Having a free afternoon, I ventured down the river by boat to explore some ancient ruins. Like most of Guatemala, this area was inhabited a millennium ago by Mayans, forebears to the Q’eqchí. The boat pilot, Walter, steered us past cattle ranches, villages, jungle, and then to a Mayan archeological site called “El Ceibal.” Unfortunately a storm moved in, forcing us to slosh through water while looking at temples and stelae monuments. (See photo) Once the rain stopped, wildlife seemed to wake up, including noisy howler monkeys, flocks of parakeets and, unfortunately again, swarms of mosquitoes. Before long Walter and I hightailed it back to the boat.
Executive Committee of the Q'eqchi Presbytery of the Peten (Presbiterio Q'eqchi Peten).
Saturday was spent with leaders of the Q’eqchí Presbytery of the Petén, which also has seven churches. (See photo) We inspected a tract of land that was acquired with funds from their partner, the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee (PMT). Then we gathered at a local restaurant. After catching up on news about families and communities, we hammered out a proposal for the development of a Presbyterian center on the new land. The proposal, which includes plans for a church, manse and training center, will be shared with the PMT for feedback. We discussed arrangements for two mission teams that are expected from PMT in February to help with construction. Finally, we prayed for the partnership, and also for one of the pastors whose wife passed away this year.
On the bus ride home on Sunday, I reflected on how the Q’eqchí often feel disconnected from the rest of the Guatemalan Presbyterian Church, not to mention the global Church. It’s daunting for their pastors to face ministry challenges with few resources and little education. International partners help them know that they’re not alone. Partnerships with small, remote presbyteries like the Q’eqchí require a generous heart and perseverance. Nonetheless, they’re a fulfilling way for U.S. Presbyterians to participate in Christ’s worldwide mission, and to keep from becoming too insulated from the important struggles and aspirations of God’s people in places like Sayaxché.
May God’s grace keep making new connections in your lives,
Philip Beisswenger
The 2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 286
