Orlando's Project Information

AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND OBSTACLES THAT MUST BE OVERCOME

The available resources.
Always we have resources, the main of it are people. Added, we have some organization like: families, local congregations, church denomination, local communitarian committees and not-for-profit organizations (NPOs).

The family.
In Guatemala we have a strong familiar identity and relationship. Parents and children can work together. They accept be addressed and involved in communitarian projects that help in their development and success. Many big business, big enterprises, big factories, and big farms started with a family and a vision.

The local church and denomination.
We can have the help of the pastor, his leadership and de congregation, around 100 people. Occasionally or as a part of a calendar we can have the help of other congregations and regional, territorial or national leadership.
Church of God is a very organized church in Guatemala. We have around 2000 local churches organized in 8 territories; every territory is organized in regions and districts.
We can involve one district or/and one region if is necessary, under the approbation of the Territorial Overseer.
The Local Pastor in Pensamiento, Chuvá is Rev. Hugo Escobar. Cel. 5198 6279
The Territorial Overseer in South-Western Territory is Rev. Eliú García. Cel 5703 3088
The National Overseer in Guatemala is Rev. Heberto García. Office 24762446.

The community.
In the community there are several committees which can help. These are in charge of security, health, education and others; some members of the church are part of it. Many of this people can be involve in the projects and activities. Some of them can be contacted directly or through the municipal or governmental organization that they pertain.
Obviously, we can use the roads for transportation, some times, governmental buildings for meetings and other municipal or state resources located in the community.

Other resources.
We can investigate and get the cooperation of not-for-profit organizations (NPOs).
The Republic of Guatemala recognizes three basic types of (NPOs):
• Civil Associations;
• Foundations; and
• Non-Governmental Organizations for Development (NGOs).

At the beginning we can seek help from Non Government Organizations (NGO’s).
There are many of these organizations working in different areas like: health, education, economic development, environment, and others. Some of them have a political interest, others personal interest but others want to help the people.
We can get information about some NGO’s in the Spanish site: http://www.congcoop.org.gt/ or in the English sites: http://www.partners.net/partners/Default_EN.asp
http://www.usig.org/countryinfo/guatemala.asp
Then, as a direct and proper resource, we can establish a foundation or a NGOs for support the works and projects.

The obstacles.
At the beginning or in the process, every work and project have difficulties. Many times are caused by deficient or inappropriate communication. Some times, those obstacles are by nature.

In the family
One obstacle in the family can be some of the members live in the community but work far all the day, six days a week or study. For that reason, the family is not complete, except on weekends.
Some times, the father and any other member of the family are not at home because they are working out of the community and the country.

In the church.
Many churches in rural area have meetings and services every night in the week for pray, worship, praise, teaching, preaching, and others. Time is needed. Is difficult to introduce other activity into the weekly calendar.
Is hard, also, than the members of the church work in communitarian activities because in other time this were used for subversive purposes or one of the leaders abused and took money for himself or use the communitarian organization for politic purposes.
Many pastors doesn’t want to realize other work that not be praying, teaching, preaching or some members don’t want their pastor leave his pastoral attributions.

In the community.
Some times, in the community there are rivalries between committees or groups. In other cases, there are persons, families or group of persons that has been the control or they have profited of others and they opposite to development projects.

Other obstacles.
It can be the low level of education of the people or difficulties to access the place by landslides on the road or the action of thieves.
Some times the problem is the governmental bureaucracy which does slow the process of authorizations.