Latin America: Guatemala

Ministry in Guatemala at a Glance

Guatemala is a beautiful country of rich diversity and stark contrasts. Guatemala reportedly has the largest population of Evangelical Christians of any country in Latin America,  but it is a country that is being hugely affected by crime, corruption and violence. Ironically, in spite of its burgeoning population of Christians, it has the highest crime rate and level of street violence of Latin American countries. This is largely due to the presence of two opposing Central American street gangs.

It is a very strategic place for the anchoring of a leadership training initiative called the Estrategia de Transformacion.   

Facets of Ministry in Guatemala  

The “Strategy of Transformation” is designed to take advantage of the unprecedented opportunity in Latin America to mobilize a new generation of grassroots leaders for participation in the transformation of their communities and nations. The situation of the younger generation in Latin America is critical, with thousands of young people participating in violent street gangs and others prisoners of grinding poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, drugs and the effects of sexual promiscuity. This reality presents a great opportunity for the Body of Christ to step up and become agents of transformational change.  

The Strategy of Transformation is a collaborative effort in holistic mission that is “owned” by an alliance of three primary organizations in strategic partnership (Christian Reformed World Missions, The Center for Transforming Mission and Liderazgo Juvenil International). CRWM missionary Joel Van Dyke, based in Guatemala City, currently serves as Director for the initiative. It is currently up and running in five countries (Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and the Dominican Republic). The are currently 6 associate trainers   

One of the most urgent needs in Latin America is unmistakably the empowerment, equipping and mobilization of grassroots leaders who serve those who have been wrongly labeled the least, last and the lost in vulnerable communities. The Strategy of Transformation is such a strategy that has set out to explore what it means to effectively reach out to and consider the voices and stories of those far outside of the traditional scope of the local church. The desired impact will come by way of incarnational and missional theological training which calls the church to bear witness to God’s scandalous grace among the most marginalized, un-churched and hostile people and places.  

Street Gang Chaplaincy Initiative

In Guatemala City, the strategy is centered around an initiative of prison chaplains working with active gang members in the cities most infamous prisons. There are 8 chaplains (six of them ex-gang members) working weekly in 6 prisons with incarcerated members active with both gangs. They attend a monthly all day training session where they process the content of the six theological intensives rooted in an incarnational missional theology which make up the heart of the Strategy of Transformation initiative.        

Currently Serving in Guatemala

Joel and Marilyn VanDyke

Guatemala Partners 

The Center for Transforming Mission

Liderazgo Juvenil International

The Estrategia de Transformacion (Strategy of Transformation) seeks to equip the Church in Latin America to serve high-risk youth and families in hard places.