05/27/2026
Guatemala Mission Trip
Yorkminster is sending a team of 12 on a mission trip to Guatemala, June 21-28. Led by pastor the Rev. Laura Crihfield, the team will be delivering water purification systems to families and exploring ways to partner with CEDEPCA, an international educational non-profit that works to transform lives.
Ways to Help
For this mission to fully succeed, it also needs help from those who aren’t traveling to Guatemala. Here’s how you can share in it:
• Donate yarn to the CEDEPCA Prayer Shawl Ministry that provides comfort, prayers and encouragement to those in need. Bins are located in the church hallway.
• Donate school supplies – crayons, pencils, notebooks, markers and erasers – for children who can’t afford them. Bins are located in the church hallway.
• Donate clean water. Ecofilter technology, invented by a Guatemalan scientist, is a ceramic filter that uses mud, sawdust, and colloidal silver to purify water. This filter eliminates sediments, parasites, bacteria among other contaminants. The company Ecofiltro was established in 20009 and is currently present in 22 countries around the world, serving as a benchmark for the quality of purified water worldwide. A donation of $50 will provide one family with a clean water filter that will last up to two years. Donate online https://shorturl.at/LSqjZ (under Cause of the Month, choose CEDEPCA Guatemala Partnership) or by check payable to YPC with “Clean H2O” on the memo line – by June 14.
• Commit to praying for the mission and its team during a designated time alongside other ministry partners throughout the trip. Signup here https://shorturl.at/FmOML or at church.
• Become a Prayer Partner with a member of the Mission Team: Kevin King, Deena Obrokta, Teri Reno and Jain Gicker (her daughter), Terry and David Sundy, Eric and Karen Rissling, Vicki Auld, Ana Crihfield, Ceylan Carlton (Ana's boyfriend) and the Rev. Laura Crihfield.
• Join Zoom Prayer with the Pastor. The team will gather with our Guatemalan hosts for prayer and devotions at 12:30 pm on Tuesday, June 23 https://zoom.us/j/95206014678?
pwd=YC1z3imM8SOZkatlZIEzq9Q1TaOKpk.1
Week’s Agenda
• Learn about the evangelical church movement in Guatemala.
• Learn about CEDEPCA's programs including a conversation about partnership, solidarity and friendship with CEDEPCA.
• Prayer, devotions, reflection and worship.
• Visit El Camino Pentecostal Church and their after-school program (Compassion).
• Learn about Mayan Spirituality.
• Visit students of the Biblical and Theological Education Learning about Contextual Reading of the Bible.
• Learn about education in Guatemala.
• Visit the Eco-Filter Factory and learn about clean water access.
• Learn about the women's group and their weaving.
• Exploration.
CEDEPCA
CEDEPCA https://cedepca.org/en/ stands for the Protestant Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America. It is an ecumenical educational organization based in Guatemala City that works to empower communities and promote social transformation through four core programs:
• Biblical and Theological Formation: Providing inclusive and contextual education to train church and community leaders.
• Women's Ministry: Empowering women, challenging harmful cultural norms, and eradicating gender-based violence.
• Disaster Ministry: Providing prevention training, material aid, and psychological/spiritual support during natural disasters.
• Intercultural Encounters: Organizing educational exchanges and cross-cultural trips to foster global connections and learning.
