GUATEMALA, CENTRAL AMERICA

When did the workers first arrive?  1962

Who were the first brother workers? Wilbur Walker and Lyn Walker

Who were the first sister workers?

Who was the first to profess? Lesvia Dominguez's abuelo (grandfather) was the first fruit of Central America

Who was the first native to go in the work? Lesvia Dominguez and her cousin, Benigno Morales 

When & Where was the first meeting? 
When & Where was the first baptism?

When & Where was the first convention? 
Where have subsequent conventions been held?
Where is the convention currently held? 

Who have the Overseers been?

Additional or corrected information on this country will be very welcome. 

Guatemala, 1989, Author Unkown

If Lesvia [Dominguez]'s grandfather could have seen and experienced what we did last month in his native land of Guatemala, he would have rejoiced as we did to see the work of God prosper and his people being fed at the two Special Meetings that numbered around two hundred each.

In 1962, when closed doors in another (Island) country forced the workers to leave in search of open ones, Wilbur and Lyn Walker were directed to northern Guatemala with the hope of getting in touch with people who had once professed in the neighboring country of Mexico. Nestled in the lush coffee tree covered hills and among the gentle Indians, the brothers found the village of Ixpeten and their contacts who were involved with the Central American Church and had a prayer meeting in their home.

Needless to say, they were greatly disappointed. They did not realize that this closed door was leading to an open one. The next day a man in his 60s, Lesvia [Dominguez]'s abuelo (grandfather), was informed by a daughter who had been in the meeting that two gringos had been there, but had not been allowed to speak. This upset Abuelo. Visitors should be allowed to have a word, he thought. To him, that was another difference of opinion he had with the Church that, added to others, made a list that kept growing during the 32 years he had been religious.

The next time the workers attended a prayer meeting, Abuelo was present and did something that was contrary to the beliefs of the Church: he invited men of a different doctrine to his home. After the meal, one question led to another, one hour grew to several, and that first visit was the beginning of many more like it during the year that followed. As a little girl of 11 years of age, Lesvia remembers those visits and her grandfather's growing conviction that this was the Way of God.

When Abuelo sold his firewood, instead of preaching to people as was his custom before, he delighted in talking about these two men who had left all to bring the Gospel to them.  At the end of that year, now free of doubts but full of regret, he asked, "After all these years of being religious, how is it you waited till now to find me? For 32 years I have been climbing a ladder lying on its side. Now all those years aren't worth even one day in the Way of God."

Wilbur replied, "No one came because the fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few." Later, when the brothers asked if any wanted to start all over again and become a part of the Way, Lesvia saw Abuelo stand to his feet and heard him speak words that confirmed that the work of God had begun in His life. Abuelo became the first fruit of Central America. Four months later, Abuelo died of a sudden illness. This was a shock to all, but time has proven that his life was, as Wilbur said, "A seed falling into the ground."

During the next 15 years or so the brothers had the satisfaction of seeing some of the fruit that Abuelo's life produced, among them Lesvia Dominguez and her cousin, Benigno Morales, in the Harvest Field. In more recent years, four other Guatemalans have followed their example.

Several months ago, for the first time, Lesvia had the privilege of visiting the (island) country, whose closed doors led to the Gospel coming to her people. She gives thanks for the living fellowship she enjoyed with our people there; some have become as grandfathers to her now. But most of all she gives thanks for closed doors that have led to open ones and the hope through the Gospel that has been brought to her people, the Guatemalans, and to all of Central America.

TTT Editor's Note: In the absence of a written account, the above information has been compiled by the TTT Editor from various sources. Corrections or additions are most welcome; as well as other historical accounts for this country Email TTT