The Pettinger Family

 

Missionaries to Guatemala

Fellowship Baptist Church is the sending church of the Pettingers
 
 
 
 
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
 
Matthew 25:35-37, 39-40
 
 

 

Mission Statement

To be obedient to Christ and His missonal example to us, as we work to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the people of Southeastern Guatemala

OUR STORY AND CALL

God called us to the mission field as a family throughout this last decade as we cared for our oldest son Elijah who went to be with Jesus in December of 2022 at the age of 10. His life forced us to rely on Jesus in such a beautiful way as he was very sick and throughout his decade here, suffered progressive decline from multiple brain hemmorhages until he died. 

 

With the reality that our son had an inoperable brain aneurysm that continued to rupture, we knew that his life would be short and God deeply burdened us for his salvation. God used this urgency that He developed in us, as a passionate call to the mission field.
 
After God took Eli home, he led us on a missions trip to Zacapa Guatemala and then 8 months later, back again, to the place we will call home in Chiquimula, Guatemala. He created a deep desire in us for this people to come to know Christ. We always loved the Spanish language and the culture of Central America. 
 

Over the years, God grew within us the desires to homestead as we gardened, preserved vegetables, and raised chickens for eggs. 

 

Ruth is a registered nurse for 15 years and we cared for our son who was a quadriplegic and was malnourished for many years. We have an extensive background in feeding tubes and nutrition as a result. 

We built a home this last decade. 

 

We fell in love with the game of soccer and started coaching it. The sport that is the language of this culture: Futbol 

 

Randy graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in Historical theology and has a passion for the word of God. 
 
God led us to homeschool our children these last few years and begin teaching them Spanish.
 

Over the last year and a half, the pieces of the puzzle in how God has and is equipping us to minister to this rural area came together.

Our Mission

The Lord has grown desires and passions within us to come alongside an existing ministry called Servant Ministries in a long-term manner. For over 35 years, this ministry has existed and the Lord used it to lay a foundation, making contact with over 80 mountain villages!
 

A large part of our ministry will be to a people of Mayan descent called the Chortì. There is a very large population of this indigenous people group who inhabit the many mountain villages surrounding two small cities, Camotàn and Jocatan. Tucked away in the Sierra de las Minas mountain range, in the district of Chiquimula, these people live in an area known as the “Dry Corridor.” This area is known for extreme drought for at least three out of every 5 years. This lack of water brings about famine and poor crop yield, which is the traditional way of life for these people. Their culture is built on subsistence farming and growing and harvesting coffee for a few months of the year. 

 

Scripture says in James 2:15 -17

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 

There is great physical and spiritual poverty in these villages. This is one of the poorest areas in all of Guatemala with lack of access to clean water and food. The malnutrition rate is at some of the highest rates in the whole country here.

 

There are many different arms to this ministry, so what we will be doing will have many facets.

  • School sponsorship
  • Child sponsorship
  • Evangelism
  • Samaritan project
  • Medical / dental clinic
  • Planting churches
  • Training national pastors
  • Short-term teams
 
Our aim as a family is to come alongside this ministry as we help alleviate physical needs and share the Gospel to meet spiritual needs. To be able to take the Gospel into these many mountain villages where contact has been made. Our goal is to be the boots on the ground and assist with each arm of the ministry; developing new ways to evangelize, planting churches in more villages; discipling people; and ultimately leading the people of Guatemala to the well of Living Water that will quench their spiritual thirst.
 
Will you partner with us in prayer in this call to the Great Commission cross-culturally?

 

 

 

 

Give to support this mission

 
On our give page, select Guatemala from the drop down menu to give to this ministry!