Exceeding Our Expectations
Dear Ministry Partner,
“God has far exceeded our greatest expectations.” That is the phrase I heard repeatedly as our team made an intense trip to teach our seminar Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way last month. We taught this seminar four times in three countries over a ten-day period. It was amazing to watch as God spoke to the participants about the Biblical way to resolve conflict and how to mediate conflict in their churches.
 
But what is most amazing is the hunger people have to learn how to study God’s Word. We were received with open arms everywhere we traveled on this trip. Let me share with you a couple of our experiences.
 
In Xenacoj, Guatemala I taught a seminar on Saturday and preached on Sunday for Pastor Adrian Hernandez. Adrian is presently teaching a CCI class at his church and he has about 16 students.
Class of 18 in Xenacoj, Guatemala for the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar (January 14, 2023)
A new work began in January in Rio Hondo and Morales, which are both in far eastern Guatemala. Pastor Hugo Lopez is leading this effort. Pastor Hugo started his new class in January and three more classes are scheduled to begin before March in Morales.

In Morales on January 16, I met with three of our new teachers and spouses, then taught the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar on January 17.
We had 19 participants for the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar in Morales on January 17, 2023. Hamid and I answered questions about CCI and BTCP (Bible Training Centre for Pastors) after the seminar.
Two days after Hamid and I conducted the seminar in Morales, we joined up with the rest of our team and headed to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where we met with pastors for a CCI orientation and the following day we taught the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar. When we left Honduras, we had 30 people sign up to attend a Teacher Training Workshop. Pastor Hamid will return in March to certify these new teachers.
We had 100 participants for the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar in San Padro Sula, Honduras, on January 21, 2023 and below is also a picture of our team at the seminar in Honduras that same day.
Pastor Otto, Pastor Hamid, and I all three preached in different churches on Sunday, January 22 before we left that afternoon headed for El Salvador.

We arrived in Santa Anna, El Salvador on Monday January 23, 2023. There we conducted another CCI orientation and another Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar. From these presentations, we have 15 pastors signed up to be trained as teachers in April. Pastor Otto will return to Santa Anna in April to train these new teachers. We had 38 participants attend the Resolving Conflict in a Godly Way seminar in Santa Anna, El Salvador on January 24, 2023.
This trip yielded so much fruit for us in these new regions of Guatemala and these two new countries. God is blessing this work far greater than we expected or anticipated. Please pray for our Guatemala Coordinators who will be training all these new teachers over the next three months. Pray that God will provide them with wisdom, physical energy, safety, and the funds to travel to Honduras and El Salvador.
Prayer Points
 
Personal
1. Pray for Sandra and her brother Dan as they make decisions regarding the care of their mother
2. We continue to praise the Lord that my health is good, but please ask Him to keep me healthy and provide the needed energy for this ministry
  
Ministry
1. New classes in Rio Hondo and Morales, Guatemala
2. Pastor Hamid as he conducts a Teacher Training Workshop in San Pedro Sula, Honduras in March
3. That God would bless the work as it begins in Honduras and El Salvador
4. For God to raise up individuals to oversee the equipping ministries in each of these new countries
5. We are asking The Lord to provide us four teachers to teach classes in Guatemala City
6. We have received a request to send a teacher to teach course #6 in June in Guatemala. Pray that God would burden someone to step up and accept this assignment.
Sandra and I are so grateful for the partners God is providing to walk along beside us in this ministry. We have such an amazing privilege of going to Central America to teach, train, and equip church leaders. But, the only reason we can continue with this ministry is because of all of you who have made a decision to partner with us in this task. Thank you for your faithfulness to pray and to help fund this effort.
Ray McKenzie
CCI Central America Regional Director
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