Mennonite Air Missions (Guatemala)
Mennonite Air Missions, Guatemala, was envisioned by Harold Kauffman while serving as a missionary with the Conservative Mennonite Fellowship in Guatemala. Its purpose was to establish churches in the unevangelized areas in the interior of Guatemala which had no access roads. The mission was organized in 1972 and had a board of directors in the United Sates and an Official Board incorporated in Guatemala with all national members re-elected annually under the name Misiones Aereas Menonita. A plane and pilot were hired initially until Harold acquired his own plane and flying license. In addition to the congregation at the base on the western side of Guatemala City, 10 other congregations and established missions were located in seven departments of Guatemala. Harold Kauffman served as bishop along with 14 leaders. Five Guatemalan ministers and one deacon were ordained and the other nine were commissioned lay leaders. Missionary nurses and teachers in church schools were a part of the congregational witness. A Bible institute was begun in 1983. The total baptized membership was about 180 in 1987. In 2003 there were 345 members.
In 2010 the Mennonite Air Missions had 17 congregations with 262 members:
| Congregation | Location | State | Founded | Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aposento Alto | Nahuala | Solola, Guatemala | 1983 | 6 |
| Aposento Alto | Los Achiotes | Jutiapa, Guatemala | 1987 | 6 |
| Betel | San Andres | Quiche, Guatemala | 1973 | 15 |
| El Aposento Alto | La Pastoria | Santa Rosa, Guatemala | 1994 | 3 |
| El Buen Samaritano | La Sorpresa | Santa Rosa, Guatemala | 1975 | 22 |
| Emanuel | San Cristobal | Guatemala, Guatemala | 1995 | 17 |
| Galilea | Por Venir | Santa Rosa, Guatemala | 1998 | 18 |
| Getsemani | El Chal | Peten, Guatemala | 1975 | 15 |
| Iglesia de Pital | Pital | Santa Rosa, Guatemala | 4 | |
| Jesus es El Camino | Hierba Buena | Guatemala, Guatemala | 1985 | 12 |
| La Neuva Jerusalen | Joya Grande | Chimaltenango, Guatemala | 1986 | 8 |
| Lirio de los Valles | Guatemala City | Guatemala, Guatemala | 1972 | 40 |
| Monte de los Olivos | San Bartolome | Quiche, Guatemala | 1973 | 35 |
| Monte Horeb | El Novillero | Solola, Guatemala | 1974 | 6 |
| Rios de Agua Viva | Santa Rosita | Peten, Guatemala | 1999 | 6 |
| Rios de Agua Viva | Oratorio | Santa Rosa, Guatemala | 1994 | 25 |
| Sinai | Mixcoloja | Quiche, Guatemala | 1976 | 24 |
| Total | 262 |
Bibliography
Horsch, James E., ed. Mennonite Yearbook and Directory. Scottdale: Mennonite Publishing House (1988-89): 156, 164.
Mennonite Church Directory 2010. Harrisonburg, VA: Christian Light Publications, Inc., 2010: 79.
ennonite World Handbook Supplement. Strasbourg, France, and Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1984 : 76.
Mennonite World Conference. "MWC - 2003 Caribbean, Central & South America Mennonite & Brethren in Christ Churches." Accessed 3 April 2006. <http://www.mwc-cmm.org/Directory/carcsam.html>.
| Author(s) | Amzie Yoder |
|---|---|
| Date Published | September 2010 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Yoder, Amzie. "Mennonite Air Missions (Guatemala)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2010. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Air_Missions_(Guatemala)&oldid=167498.
APA style
Yoder, Amzie. (September 2010). Mennonite Air Missions (Guatemala). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Air_Missions_(Guatemala)&oldid=167498.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 557. All rights reserved.
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