News from Martha (Saint) Berberian

News from Martha (Saint) Berberian

March 18, 2014

Great teachers spend time with their students, and point out their skills and talents. – Bruce Larson

PUBLISHING BOOKS IN GUATEMALA. In December we published a new edition of my book: La Mujer y Su Ministerio (the woman and her ministry), and in February a new edition of Cómo Ser Escritor (How to be a writer), just in time to use it in the Writers Seminar I coordinated for Feb. 17-19 with guest speaker Joyce K. Ellis from Minnesota, and about 30 participants (see foto). There are 18 titles in the catalog, and about 160 books are sold each month. Only two are in English: Majorette to Missionary, and Mystery of Stained Glass. Several books are available on www.Amazon.com. You can see the complete catalog on  www.edicionessaber.wordpress.com

FREDERICK CROWE INSTITUTE. Exciting things happen in our institute. In the picture are a mother and son graduating from high school in the same ceremony November 2013. Ruben studied in the weekday program while Janneth studied in the Saturday program for adults. A new academic year began mid January, and we find that 15 students from very low income families need a sponsor. We invite you to sponsor a student, giving $35 dollars a month for 10 months, thus helping a student pull himself up out of poverty. As Prov. 3:27 says: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.” We are very thankful for the 10 sponsors who signed up in October. Thank you! Another exciting thing is the Ministry of Education has given us approval to open a “classroom” in every evangelical church in Guatemala that requests it, to reinsert students back into the educational system to complete elementary, junior high, and senior high. 

FAMILY. Wednesday afternoons is when I pick up Lisa’s four children at school and bring them home for lunch and fun times together for several hours before Lisa picks them up. Table tennis is a favorite. The grandkids are growing up so fast! Love them each one! Four grandkids live in Houston and four in Haiti. We miss them!

PANAMERICAN UNIVERSITY TEACHING: We have 75 new students this year, 35 who study on Thursdays (foto), and 40 who study on Saturdays. My job is to teach them how to write a formal research paper, and I have 13 classes, two hours each, to do it. One student commented that it was the third time she was taking the course but the first time she understood it!   

TRIP TO KANSAS AND TEXAS. During the week spent in Topeka, I was able to reconnect with many prayer partners from our sending church, Community Church, where we were members before leaving for Guatemala. I was able to make many visits, and share in several meetings, including Sunday morning worship (see picture with pastor Tommy Scott), with a combination missionary message and a challenge to “Get out of your rut, find a new mountain to climb” using power point for the first time, with pictures of the Saint family, who in some way got out of their routine to follow God in new adventures and challenges. I stayed with Meg Atwood, a dear friend, whose mother (age 94) we visited every day, and I would give her a daily massage which she loved. She passed away Nov. 6. In Houston I spoke at a ladies meeting in Lluvias de Gracia church Oct. 26. Then Steve delighted us by giving us boat rides on Lake Houston, bringing back memories of Word of Life Island where in 1961 I had my first formal job waitressing in the cafeteria, and my definite call to serve the Lord at a campfire meeting. In the foto I am with three sweet granddaughters in Houston.

FACEBOOK. We keep in touch with family and friends via FB where I have posted interesting items, such as when my parents, Phil and Ruth Saint, sang in trio with me years ago. I use the name Martha Berberian in case you want to look it up. The picture is the active vocano Pacaya, taken from our house.

Yours because of faith in Jesus Christ,

Martha Saint-Berberián,   

BerberiansInGuatemala@gmail.com         www.BerberiansInGuatemala.blogspot.com

News from Samuel Berberian

News from Samuel Berberian

IFC, 4 Ave. 9-66, Zona 1, 01001 Guatemala

March 17, 2014

Samuel.berberian@gmail.com

Time has gone by since our last letter, so I have to cover activities from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. One of the things I have noticed in recent months is the need to have more flexibility for activities which had been planned one way, but as you get there, you discover that changes have to be made so we can be more useful and ready to bless the people. For example, Martha and I went to a couples meeting where we were planning to team-teach, but it was obvious that it wouldn’t function, so I landed up speaking by myself. On another occasion it was just the opposite, I was going to speak alone but they were expecting both of us to share, so we did. God has been gracious with my wife and myself, to be able to adjust to different situations, and when the meeting is over, on our way home we talk of the mercy of the the Lord to use us in several couples’ events in recent months.

On a personal basis, God lays on our heart to visit some people who are ill, never knowing that would be the last visit with that person, because in a week the Lord called her to His presence. More and more, we are experiencing leaning on the Lord and allowing Him to guide our steps in a practical way. When we look back we understand what the Lord was doing.

I am thankful for the members and Board of Doulos Foundation (see foto) who participate actively in our Frederick Crowe Institute and Dr. Núñez Library. In November we graduated another bunch of high school students, some of them in their 30s and 40s who studied on Saturdays. 40% are from very low income families and are able to study because someone was generous to help with their tuition. We are proud of our students, most of who go on to university studies. (See the picture on the left, and right.) In our computer room (see picture) several computers are almost obsolete. We were offered the chance to buy 10 computers for $130 dollars each, arriving in April. Perhaps you would like to cover the cost of one computer.

The Frederick Crowe Institute has completed 25 years, and the staff and students prepared a special program to celebrate God’s goodness on March 14^th. We just praise the Lord for being faithful to us, permitting us to train many low income Guatemalans.

My Sunday column continues to appear in Prensa Libre on page 21, called “Si me permite” (if you permit me) and no matter where I go, someone will make a comment about the column, which encourages me to be careful and faithful in this opportunity. In the local church where we attend, Iglesia Nazaret Central, more than once the pastor, in his sermon, comments on what I had written.  

Since we came to Guatemala in 1977, looking back, we have been ground-breakers in matters of academics, from the most elementary level to a doctoral program, which enables the people to reach their educational goals without having to leave the country. They are getting their training without disconnecting from their families or ministry. That way they can hold positions of high responsibilities which require academics as well as leadership in what they do. Pastor Fermin Cuyuch, age 70, received his masters in theology (foto), as well as Magnolia Mendez, and others of the Panamerican University where I have been Dean of Theology for 15 years. We don’t know what the future holds but we know Who holds the future.  In the lower foto I am with two of my theology professors, Fernando Mazariegos and Ramiro Bolaños.

 

As to preaching, I have been speaking an average of three times a week, which can be a leaders meeting, an evangelistic event with a breakfast in a restaurant, or a Sunday service in a church. My goal is to help the people where their needs are, adjusting to their confession as well as the kind of program. If it is a graduation of students, a pastors’ retreat, or single young adults, I am conscious that each group is very different, that I have to know what needs they have so I can minister accordingly. When people tell me to preach whatever topic I want, I tell them no, tell me what the needs are so I know what to preach. I can often face the local needs easier than the local leaders.

Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauty of holiness.

Thanks for your prayers, that is your greatest gift,

Dr. Samuel Berberian                My cell phone: (502) 5202 4763 

For a tax deductible receipt, write your check to Community Church, 1819 SW 21 Street, Topeka, Kansas 66604, with a note “for Berberian projects”. Thank you.