(L-R) Laurelle Stoudenmire, IMB Missionary, Guatemala; Norela Ramirez, WMUPresident, Guatemala; Zelma Estruda, WMULeader, Guatemala; Rosia Maria de Perez, WMULeader, Guatemala; and Allen Stoudenmire, IMB Missionary, Guatemala. Guatemalan WMU ladies share the vision for missions. Norela Ramirez, WMU President, Zelma Estruda and Rosia Maria de Perez from First Baptist Church, Mazatenango, Guatemala are shown here with Allen and Laurelle Stoudenmire, missionaries to Guatemala from Thomasville.

Allen and Laurelle are working with volunteer teams from the State with an International Mission Board project called "Operation Gospel Outreach". The missionaries' work alongside volunteers to distribute the gospel in formats every person can understand. People in many of the rural areas of Guatemala are oral learners only. Therefore, the teams not only distribute the gospel in written form but also audio tapes of Old and New Testament storying.

During the week of Sept. 30 - Oct. 7, Laurelle and Allen worked with a team from Georgia in San Lorenzo, a village near Mazatenango. The team was assisted by Pastor Oscar Corleta and several of his church members including the WMU ladies. The pastor and church leaders will be going back into San Lorenzo weekly to teach bible studies and to follow up with new believers.

The team distributed 927 cassette tapes of chronological bible stories. Fifteen people prayed to receive Christ and 22 families agreed to open their homes to Bible studies. Eight policemen requested that the church leaders conduct a weekly Bible study at the police station in San Lorenzo. Hopefully these Bible studies will lead to church starts in the area.

The team was also able to go into two schools where team members, assisted by translators, shared the gospel with the students and teachers.

Since Alabama Baptist are partnering with Guatemala Baptist, many of the volunteer teams that the Stoudenmires will be leading for the next two years will be Alabama Baptist teams.

They are excited that their home church, Thomasville Baptist, will be sending a team in November. They will lead this team in working near Santa Barbara, Guatemala.