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Bridge in Guatemala Print E-mail
Thursday, 05 February 2009 20:58
Jesus es el Camino by Ken Herfst

It had been about an hour earlier that we had left Quetzaltenango en route to view the new bridge in Provincia Chiquita. We left the paved road and began our winding descent to Corral Grande. As we came around a corner, we met up with two trucks on either side of a one lane bridge. There was no choice but for one to back up some 500 meters. Naturally, that meant that we all needed to reverse up the hill. Finally, about 30 minutes later we managed to cross that bridge and were on our way again.

Once we reached Corral Grande we took another road to Bella Vista (“beautiful view”). Only a 4x4 can handle this kind of road. Vehicles must hug the mountain side to avoid a steep drop. At the top, a small crew of men was digging a trench across the road for a drainage pipe. We negotiated with the work crew for some time, until they agreed to fill part of the trench with rocks so that we could cross. Twenty minutes later we pulled up to the Presbyterian Church “New Jerusalem” in Provincia Chiquita, where pastor Marlón Carreto met us. After breakfast, we walked down to the new bridge.

Our journey emphasized the importance of good infrastructure. Bridges can make all the difference in the world. The previous bridge had been wiped out by Hurricane Stan in October of 2005. During the rainy season, those living near this river cannot cross to the other side. Children have no access to the school, villagers have no access to health care, farmers cannot bring their crops to market and church members cannot attend services. A makeshift bridge consisting of three tall pine trees lashed side by side provided a dangerous alternative.

The challenges of building this bridge were huge. Our engineer designed a bridge that could be assembled on site. Three-meter sections were welded together near the village center and then carried down to the bridge site by teams of 20 men each. The bridge is roughly 30 meters long. The entire community pitched in, and in three months the construction was complete. When the rainy season arrived, the three-log bridge was washed away by the torrent.

We gathered at the bridge site and had a short inauguration ceremony.

I pointed out that the bridge is a wonderful picture of the friendship and cooperation that exists between Christians in Holland and North America and the community (Word & Deed Holland funded this project with oversight provided by Word & Deed North America). Even more, a bridge is a tangible example of how Jesus Christ closes the gap between God and man. In fact, the dedication plaque carries the name “Jesus es el Camino” – Jesus is the Way.

Contrary to so many projects, no one tried to gain personal benefit from the bridge construction: this was done – as the motto of Word & Deed rightly says – to the glory of God.

Later that morning we returned to the Presbyterian Church for a thanksgiving service. I preached briefly from Hebrews 12:1-3, emphasizing what it means to follow Christ, following up from John 14:6. Words of appreciation were expressed by members of the community, the mayor’s office from the neighboring city, as well as others. Time and again we heard about the testimony this church has had in the community. The pastor shared with me that as a result of the work of the church they have 50 new members. What impressed these people was the church’s genuine concern for the well-being of the community. Shortly after lunch we left the community, anxious to get out of the area before the afternoon rains would make travel impossible.

By late afternoon, we were back in Quetzaltenango. The words of the mayor’s wife stayed with me: there are many other bridges built by the international community that might cost more, but this one was certainly more challenging. Over 1,300 work days were donated by the community to make this a reality. Work crews of 10 to 15 men worked daily to gather sand, gravel and rocks for the bridge walls. They worked with the bricklayers and then built the scaffolding. Later they brought down the sections one at a time. Yet, none of this could have been done without the partnership with the churches in North America and Holland. Time and again, the community asked me to express their gratitude to Word & Deed and their supporters for this gift.

Please join us in giving thanks to God for the privilege of serving this community in this way. Pray that as people use the bridge daily and as they see the plaque announcing the fact that Jesus is the Way, they would walk with Him.

San Jacinto Update
After endless conversations and negotiation, we are now set to begin the construction of the homes by the end of October. Changes in government, changes in policies, and changes in approach to community work created a whole new series of hoops we needed to jump through. It looks like we’ve jumped the last ones now and all the lights are green to go. We’ll keep you updated!

Xe Abaj Update
The agricultural development project is going very well. A few families built their own cold frames as they saw the advantages of producing tomatoes and chili peppers. Eighty families received chickens and built small coops. We were able to participate in a government program that provided corn, beans, cooking oil, rice and other staples for the entire community. A health worker now visits this community two days a week and Bible studies using “Proclaimers” (devices that hold the entire New Testament on a micro-chip) are slowly producing fruit. This is a very traditional community, but we are confident that the gospel being planted through Word and tangible deeds is providing real and lasting hope.

Pastor Ken Herfst is director of the mission department at the Presbyterian Seminary in Guatemala; and coordinator of the Emergency Relief Committee of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
 
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