Dear Friends,

March-April 2012

We are so excited to share all the things that have been taking place here in Guatemala! God has been blessing us and opening doors left and right! April 29th was the first church service of Iglesia Bautista La Gracia (Grace Baptist Church). That service was a culmination of years in the making. It would not be possible without many churches and people diligently praying for us and faithfully supporting the work. I have been working with two families specifically since we moved here to Ciudad Vieja, and both of them attended the first service! One man, Jos, is a very faithful Catholic who does not have the slightest idea about salvation. He has a precious family, and they are all very involved at their church. I have been praying for him and witnessing to him for months. About 3 weeks ago I told him that we were starting a church the next week, and he made the mistake of asking me what my first sermon was going to be about! That was an open door to plant a few more seeds. We have had them over to our house several times for lunch and have gotten to know them pretty well. It burdens my heart to see such a wonderful family be so lost. They know about Jesus, but they lack the knowledge of salvation and grace through Him alone. Thats one reason I named the church Grace Baptist Church. If it were not for Gods grace, that unmerited favor, there would be no reason for Him to save undeserving sinners like us. The sermon I preached the first Sunday was on Ephesians 2:8. It is our number one priority to present the gospel and let people know about our wonderful, gracious God who has provided a way for us to have eternal life. We handed out over 300 tracks and invitations the week before the first service. Many people seemed stunned that we actually came to their house to invite them to church. Others were puzzled about what a Baptist church actually is. However, several people did show interest in coming and wanted to know more. We had a total of 9 people for the first service. It was a very good start. Amazing Grace was sung for the special music, and everyone was very attentive during the sermon. When the invitation was given, Joss wife almost raised her hand for salvation. But she looked over to Jos, and he had a death grip on his chair. I know the Holy Spirit was working on their hearts, and well continue to show them Gods love. After the service, we had the whole church join us for lunch! We had a great time of fellowship. We are thrilled about the wonderful service we had and cant wait to see it grow. Im certain that if we plant the seeds, God will give the increase. Please continue to pray with us for Jos and his family. We pray that the church will be a blessing to the people of Ciudad Vieja and that God will be glorified.

Your Missionaries, Rhyan & Lauren Ashcraft