| GANG
CHAPLAINCY INITIATIVE
Back
Row Left to Right: Yoly (Looney), husband
Jack, Gerardo, Pastor Edwin Solis, Ignacio Sanchez,
Pastor Marvin Garcia, Joel Van Dyke.
Second Row: Sergio Nix,
Pastor Erwin Luna
Front Row: Rudy
PRAYER REQUESTS
There have been many changes
in the prisons where our chaplains are working with
active gang members. Here is the latest way you can
effectively join us in prayer:
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Preventivo
Prison
Our
chaplains are working with 135 plus member of the 18th
Street Gang (Barrio 18) in this prison and great things
have been happening. Please pray for the two weekly
visits to this prison that occur on Monday and Tuesday
every week.
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Chimaltenango
Great work is also happening here with
85 members of the Barrio 18. Visits are occurring twice
weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Last
month we had our first three inmates of the Barrio 18
leave these two prisons and all three sought out the
chaplains that were working with them inside the prisons
when they got out.
All three have left the gang and have been baptized
after confessing faith in Christ. All three are in discipleship
relationships with our chaplains and one has decided
to pursue pre-marital counseling in order to marry his
long-time girlfriend. Please join us in prayer for these
young men!!
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Boquerón
We have finally secured permission once again to enter
with our chaplains every Friday after a three month
shut-down because of an international investigation
after four cops were killed inside the prison.
These four cops in turn had been accused of killing
three El Salvadorean congressman in Guatemala City.
Boqueron prison is "home" to 145 members of
the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).
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Granja Canada
This prison is home to many ex-gang
members who are "red-lighted" by active gang
members meaning they did not leave the gang on good
terms and thus are marked for death. Our chaplains visit
here on Friday's as well.
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Gaviotas & Etapas
2
Two juvenile detention centers that
are jammed full of gang members. Please pray for steady
access to these prisons as consistent riots and senseless
violence have made it very hard for us to get our chaplains
in on a regular basis.
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Honduras & El Salvador
Please pray for our negotiations with Red Viva (Honduras)
and Semillas de Nueva Creacion (El Salvador) as we put
finishing touches on our relationships and ramp up to
launch the EdT in these two nations.
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Dominican Republic
Please pray for Mario Matos and his family as he heads
up our efforts in the Caribbean. The next training is
slated for September and will be held in the two major
cities of the island on back to back weekends.
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Nicaragua
Please pray for Nicaraguan Directors
Carl Most and Hultner Estrada as they prepare for the
final course in three years of EdT involvement in their
nation. The course will be held from August 27-29 and
then a final retreat will be held November 29-December
1.
Please pray for the transition of the EdT in Nicaragua
as the stage of multiplication begins with Carl and
Hultner and our national partner, the Nehemiah Center,
taking the reigns and replicating the strategy throughout
their nation.
Kuyper
College students in Preventivo Prison with active gang
members
|
Since
November 2007, our EdT Caribbean Director, Mario Matos, has
been working on engaging and connecting grassroots Dominican
leaders. In March we had the visit of EdT Director Joel Van
Dyke for the purpose of presenting the vision and plans of
the Strategy of Transformation. In attendance were over a
hundred leaders in two gatherings in the two main cities of
the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo & Santiago).
relational
outreach that places special focus on those who are farthest
away from the reach of the traditional church.
