In Guatemala, PRUMC partners with Catalyst Resources International (CRI) to provide Guatemalans with homes, including ventilated stoves and bathrooms. The area we work in is rural, where people have limited access to water and electricity. The need is great, and we are seeing an impact within the Santa Maria de Jesus community.

At the beginning of 2025, our 20-person family trip built three houses with bathrooms and stoves in the community. This year, our women’s trip added 8 stoves and 4 bathrooms to existing homes. PRUMC has helped build dozens of homes, stoves, and bathrooms within the community over the years.

A long-time employee of CRI, Carlos Coroy, lives in the Santa Maria de Jesus community – as does his extended family. He is the pastor of a CRI plant church there and the on-site coordinator for construction with teams. On July 8, more than 150 earthquakes and aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 3.0 to 5.7 were recorded, causing landslides, leaving walls crumbled and roads blocked. Homes were destroyed.

The only way to reach the community was by foot. Carlos walked miles tirelessly delivering food and supplies to his people. Through the generosity of PRUMC, we were able to help financially with a $10,000 gift to help repair damage to the homes and also to help with the delivery of fresh water to the community.

We are happy to report that the road is back open, the community is healing, and CRI mission teams are back in the area – bringing hope and homes to a very deserving community.