Pray for Guatemala

Guatemala was the birthplace of the ancient Mayan civilization. In Tikal National Park, towering limestone pyramids stand amid a protected tropical rainforest full of toucans, jaguars, and spider monkeys. More than 40 percent of Guatemalans are Indigenous, and many have mixed Maya ancestry. In the 1500s, Spanish conquest destroyed many remaining Maya kingdoms and reshaped the region through colonization, forced labor, and the spread of Christianity.  Mayan culture was partly preserved through the 22 Mayan languages that are still spoken today. Nestled in the heart of Central America, just south of Mexico, Guatemala is called the “Land of Eternal Spring,” because of its year-round mild temperatures. Warm temperatures and Guatemalan handicrafts such as clothing, pottery, and woodworking attract tourists who are met with a welcoming culture.

In 1996, the Guatemalan government signed a peace treaty ending a civil war that had raged for 36 years. The end of the war signaled progress for the nation, but Guatemala still has a high murder rate compared with the rest of Latin America. Countless children are victims, and young girls are subjected to sexual abuse as well. Thousands of girls ages 14 and under have become mothers. More than half of the nation lives below the poverty line, including about 75 percent of the Indigenous population. Indigenous and Garifuna communities face discrimination that limits their access to jobs, education, and healthcare. Those who speak out against injustice toward minority groups are harassed and threatened into silence.

More than 90 percent of the population identifies as Christian. Though Catholicism was introduced by the Spanish and mixed with Maya religions, Protestants make up over 40 percent of the population. Early in the 20th century, Protestant churches started to make an impact, and the evangelical church has been growing in influence since the 1960s. Many Maya communities seek guidance from spiritual guardians and offer them food, incense, or flowers. They hold ceremonies at sacred mountains but also attend Mass and may identify as Roman Catholic or Protestant. Even though there has been a revival of the Mayan culture and its religious rituals, there is a rise in church planting among Indigenous groups. Almost all tribes in Guatemala have been reached with the Gospel, and major Mayan languages and Garifuna have Bible translations. Pray for the Word of God to be translated into the Xinka language and the minority Mayan languages.