Notorious for the vibrant colors and Spanish architecture, Guatemala is also known for being home to the largest urban slum in Central America and for being the fifth most dangerous country in the world.
The “land of trees” is especially dangerous for anyone living within one of the nation’s “red zones,” the term for an area in which violence and crime are widespread.
In these red zones, the average age of a child entering into a gang or drug cartel is twelve. Although, kids as young as nine are recruited and can be seen openly grasping Glocks instead of toy cars. By thirteen, many of these children have already committed murder. It is heartbreaking. Moments before a small team from SEAPC visited one of these red zones to prayer walk, eight boys were shooting throughout the narrow streets intentionally creating chaos in an attempt to encourage submission. They were no older than fourteen. Let that sink in for a second. There were eight young boys wielding automatic weapons. Eight boys no older than fourteen. This isn’t okay.
These aren’t just children “over there.” They are our children and they are your children because they are His children. These eight boys are someone’s babies. These precious children are the heart behind The House of Faith and Hope, a new initiative to provide education and a way out for at-risk children in Guatemala before it’s too late. Ultimately, the goal is to see Corinthians 5:17 come alive in these neighborhoods:This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
The Guatemalan people have already lived through one of the longest and bloodiest civil wars within Latin American history, it is time for Guatemala to arise with a new hope; starting with the children living within these red zones.This generation is meant to live and not die. As we pray, we are claiming Psalm 118:17 over their lives and would love for you to join us.
I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done.