We want to be like Pastor Veronica
What’s the best part of a Filter of Hope trip?
Many trip participants would talk about the home visits and watching someone drink clean water in their homes and sharing the gospel.
But there’s another thing we often hear. “Working alongside some amazing Filter of Hope partners in the country.”
Many in Guatemala mention Pastor Veronica.
She’s not an angel, but perhaps better. She’s another co-laborer who is always looking for opportunities to spread the gospel.
A Mutual Blessing
Pastor Veronica spent years working with a focus on children, but then became a co-pastor a few years ago with her husband Jorge. And she loves to partner with Filter of Hope. “Filter of Hope has been a great blessing to my life and for my ministry.”
Pastor Veronica says the church has grown through Filter of Hope. “The ten women I disciple help me with the Filter of Hope teams and take the gospel to the kids in the communities we go to with the teams.”
For Filter of Hope staff member Lisa Santee, the feeling is mutual. “I love taking mission teams to Guatemala. I love the people, the mountains, the cooler temperatures and the beautiful city of Antigua. But most of all, I love working alongside Pastor Veronica.”
Preparing the Way for Mission Teams
Lisa says Pastor Veronica is the model pastor for our work. “She carefully prepares for each mission team. She works hard to connect with pastors and helps them choose the homes to visit.”
When Veronica goes into a community, she always has her notebook with every name of every person in every home. And, she keeps track of what happened when a Filter of Hope team visited that home.
It’s a key element of Pastor Veronica’s plan. “It helps me a lot spiritually to prepare for the teams to come by going into each community and be ready to receive the teams.”
Service Beyond a Smile
To say that Pastor Veronica serves others is putting it mildly.
Jason Coorts, another staff member, tells about a time in 2023 when a sick teenage girl in a Guatemala community needed a significant number of treatments for leukemia in Guatemala City, but had no car or money to pay for transportation.
“After leaving the house, I found Pastor Veronica and told her the story. Without hesitation, she said, ‘If you raise the money for gas, I’ll take her.’” The money was raised, Veronica took her to treatments for several months, and the girl recovered.
Lisa loves how Pastor Veronica connects with people on a heart level. “It is as though you can feel Jesus reaching through her to them saying, ‘I love you and I long to be in a relationship with you!’”
Jesus and Veronica Love the Children
This is especially true with children. “Often kids stand off to the side while the gospel is being shared. Every time, Pastor Veronica goes to them and shares the gospel.”
Recently, Lisa was leading a mission team and on the way back to the hotel for lunch after morning filter distributions, Veronica saw an opportunity to share the gospel.
“Students were leaving school and Pastor Veronica started sharing the gospel with them using a Gospel bracelet. One by one, each child listened with open hearts and prayed the prayer of salvation.”
Veronica is not an angel, but she is a saint. “Pastor Veronica is a powerful reminder of what happens when a life is fully surrendered to serving others in Jesus’ name.”
