Otto Perez Molina, a retired military officer who has been president of Guatemala since January 14, 2012, made a bold public statement of his faith at Guatemala’s first national prayer breakfast in August.
“Today we name Christ as Lord of Guatemala and we declare in His name that each of our generations will be generations that will live in a prosperous Guatemala,” said Molina, according to the Hispanic news outlet acontercercristiano.net. Molina joins other political leaders (presidents of Kenya and Uganda, mayors of cities in Mexico) in declaring their nations and cities to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The prayer breakfast was modeled after the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast (observed since 1953), and attended by Congressmen Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and Randy Hultgren (R-IL). Aderholt commended the group for their efforts to begin an annual observance.
Guatemala has been plagued with corruption in government, civil war, and one of the highest violent crime rates in Central America. President Molina acknowledged the violence and poverty as difficult issues facing Guatemala. “In the morning it’s hard to see the news of how many Guatemalans died the day before because of violence,” said Molina. “In those moments what gives me strength is knowing that I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.”
Protestantism is growing rapidly in Guatemala, with this nation now having the highest percentage of evangelicals of any Latin American country. The Sentinel Group featured the story of Almolonga, Guatemala, in one of its Transformation videos. This mountainous village of 20,000 people has experienced radical transformation, with estimates of more than 80 percent of its residents practicing evangelical Christianity.
Taken from Prayer Connect magazine. Click for subscription information.
