Base Ministries
Outreach to Guachupita
“Don’t go to Guachupita,” they told us, “you’ve been warned.”
The reason for the warning: it’s one of the toughest spots in San Juan. Poverty, crime, violence, and abuse are a few of the words used to describe this small area located just outside the city. Guachupita (pronounced Wah-choo-pee-tah) was one of the villages flooded by the river when hurricane George hit in ’98. People do not live there because they want to, it just happens to be the cheapest place to find a house, or better said, a shack. Tight streets wrap around a collection of 300 or so homes. To this day, there still isn’t a church ‘inside’ Guachupita, but we have been working with a Pastor right on the outskirts. Walk a block, cross the bridge over the filthy stream, and you’re in.
Poverty, sickness and hunger are just a few of the
needs you will come in contact with while navigating the twisting paths that work their way through the community.
There is little presence of the Gospel and there are very few attempts by local churches to reach out.
Our heart is to spread the message of Christ throughout the area through building relationships and meeting felt needs. Trust is a foreign thing in this community, and it will take much prayer and commitment to truly reach Guatchupita for the Lord.
We have been able to form relationships with several families and continue to prayer walk and serve in the area. Our vision is to plant house churches and raise up spiritual leaders in the community.
Outreach to Las Cañitas
We came upon this mountain village purely by accident. While scouting out a road heading up in the ‘Cordillera Central’, we stumbled upon a hidden little campo at the base of some serious mountains. The scenery is breathtaking as you look down at the mountain lake, steep granite cliffs rise in front of you, rolling hills of pine forests lie to the north, and a group of men are harvesting beans on the rugged slopes.
The people of Las Cañitas live off the land. Early in the morning the women head down to a small stream to fetch water while the men load up the donkeys for the day of work ahead. Upon the very slopes of these foothills they cultivate, plant, and harvest beans, corn, and peas. It’s a hard life, but with a nice view. Besides the solar paneled phone, the village is pretty remote. No electricity, no running water.
After a few treks up the mountain, we are becoming less suspicious in the eyes of the locals. One family in particular has opened their home and has expressed interest in getting to know us. There is no church in Las Cañitas and we are praying that one of the 20 houses will open up their doors and become the first house church in the village.
Scenery from Las Canitas
