“Canada” Escuintla Prison Bible School

 

As part of our ministry in Guatemala, we had the opportunity to visit and minister to the prisoners in the “Canada”

maximum security prison in Escuintla. One of the amazing ministries of Fe Viva began when God opened the doors

to serve the prisoners in the local prisons. As the ministry grew and churches planted within the prisons, a Bible

school began in the churches. The number of students steadily grew and lives were being changed by the presence

of the Gospel within the walls. It grew so much so that there came to be a need for classrooms. The government

actually gave permission for Fe Viva to build a Bible school within the prison itself!

The team in 2004 had the privilege of seeing the land when it was newly acquired by Fe Viva from the government

and we took part in the dedication ceremony. In 2005, we saw the land cleared and the first few levels of bricks

of the wall built up. The team went around the property and prayed for the Lord’s presence to be in this ministry

and for the future students that would learn within the future walls. When the rains fell back in October, there was

great flooding throughout Guatemala, and within the prison much of the Bible school construction was swept away.

So much work was washed away. Trinity Church sponsored a fund-raiser in support for the Bible school and we

sent the funds to Pastor Rafael, the minister to the prisons. After much work and four months later, we see the

great progress of the Bible school in these pictures! Our prayer is when we return this summer to the prison, we will

be able to see it entirely completed – praise the Lord!

 

Here you see the pictures of the walls that are still awaiting a roof. A picture of Pastor Rafael standing in front of the

wall. The latest batch of students attending the Bible classes currently held in the “Church of the New Birth,” one

of the churches in the prison, until the school is completed.