Building Hope in Guatemala: A Partnership Rooted in Faith

Building Hope in Guatemala: A Partnership Rooted in Faith

by Cheryl Moyd

Our 2025 High Pointe Mission Team had the privilege of serving alongside Hands of Hope International (HOHI) during our recent mission trip to Guatemala. What began as a week of service quickly turned into something much deeper—a reminder of how the global Church is connected by faith, sacrifice, and love.

Last year, our High Pointe mission team worshiped with Pastor Marlon and Bethesda Church in a Mayan town called Xenacoj (pronounced SHEN-eh-coe). The church location was temporary, and this past year Pastor Marlon’s congregation found themselves homeless.

Pastor Marlon earnestly sought God’s direction and, while reading the book of Acts, the answer became clear: “Until land can be purchased to build on, we will meet in my home.” And that’s exactly what they have done – gathering each Sunday in the upper room of Pastor Marlon’s home.

Recently, Pastor Marlon took a leap of faith and purchased land for a permanent church home. Incredibly, the land he purchased sits across the alleyway from where his church previously had met, allowing Bethesda to continue to serve in the same area of Xenacoj. The land purchase wasn’t just a financial investment—it was a personal one. Pastor Marlon put his own construction business up as collateral to make the land purchase possible. He and his wife Marisela have poured their hearts into this dream, and their congregation has followed suit—sacrificially giving what they can to support the vision of a permanent place of worship.

Each week, members of the Bethesda church gather on the land, working together to clear it in preparation for building. There are no paid workers—just faithful hands and willing hearts, preparing the ground for what’s to come.

This July, our team engaged in various outreach projects in Xenacoj, and afterward we were invited to visit Bethesda's property. Together with HOHI and many of Bethesda's congregants, we walked the land and heard Erik Hunt (HOHI) explain the blueprints of the church that will soon be constructed.

We were able to share about High Pointe's own journey—from starting as a home church to now entering a campaign to expand our building. It was a moving moment of connection between two churches walking parallel paths of faith.

Praying for Pastor Marlon + Marisela

Stephanie Larkins, who serves on staff at High Pointe, prayed beautifully over Pastor Marlon and Marisela. She lifted up the construction project, the ongoing funding needs, and the hope of acquiring an additional piece of land adjacent to what they’ve already purchased. She prayed for Bethesda and the blessing they will be to the community of Xenacoj.

It will be exciting to watch the construction project unfold for Bethesda. Please join us in praying over this precious church: that God would be glorified, that Bethesda would be known in their community as a church that loves God by loving people, and that they would continue to serve God by serving others.

High Pointe Church is honored to be part of this journey. Through your generosity, we are helping fund the upcoming construction of the new church building. We are also grateful for Crossroads Church in Georgia who has committed a significant financial gift toward the construction project.

This is more than a building. It is a space where the Gospel will be preached, lives will be changed, and God’s love will be made known for generations to come.

Thank you, High Pointe, for being a church that believes in mission, invests in people, and follows Christ’s call to build His Kingdom—near and far.