Pastor Greg Lorenz is LATINO's first full-time excutive director. LATINO is an acronym for Lutheran Action Team Improving Native Outreach. Pastor Lorenz was installed as executive director in January 2005.

From 1993, Pastor Lorenz and his wife Stephanie lived and served in Guatemala. Their primary ministry was in the remote village of Las Pacayas where Christ the Way Lutheran Chruch was founded in 1994.

For over a decade Trinity Lutheran Church of Richmond, Virginia has sponsored groups who have served in various locations in Guatemala, including Antigua, Santiago Zamora, Puerto Barrios, and Chiquimula.

This year the team is ministering in the Quetzaltenago (or Xela) and Chajabal area. Part of the team is conducting a medical clinic and helping in a construction project in the remote village of Chajabal, home of New Jerusalem Lutheran Church. Others are conducting a VBS at Ascension Lutheran Church in Xela.

Pastors Martin Chan and Ignacio Chan serve Chajabal and Xela churches respectively.

Members of the Guatemala Lutheran Church and CPTLN are also serving alongside the Richmond team, espcially in the area of translation.

LBT missionary Stan McMillen is addressing the issue by introducing “new agricultural technology” of drip irrigation to local farmers.

“Each year because of deforestation there is less and less spring water available to irrigate with sprinklers,” said McMillen.

That's exactly what LBST missionaries and nationals are doing with Scripture and literacy materials in the Uspanteco language.

Faced with a problem of not being able to reach the people in conventional ways, such as a bookstore, a three-wheel bicycle/cart was modified into a mobile bookstore.

Led by Peter Couser (Director of Adult Ministries), ten people made the trip to Redentor del Mundo Lutheran Church and School. During their time they led a Vacation Bible School for the students and spent time with the teachers and families.

X-Tend Ministries of St. Paul-Fort Worth June 4 -13 X-Tend's annual June trip to spend a week among Christian brothers and sisters in Santiago Zamora. The eleven participants also conduct a VBS for Redentor del Mundo Lutheran School students.

Crosspoint Community of Katy June 24 - July 3 Ministering to those living in the Guatemala's sprawling city dump.

Trinity Lutheran of Richmond, VA July 16 - 24 Three teams totalling seventeen will be conducting a medical clinic, construction, and a VBS in the Chajabal and Quetzaltenago area.

The thirteen volunteers from Colorado and New Mexico worked several days at prepping and painting the exterior of the 1950's era home located on the Lutheran Center Retreat Center in Antigua Guatemala.

But what I really learned above everything else on this journey, is that I as a “giver”, became a “receiver” when a little 6-year-old girl in Santiago Zamora (Redeemer of the World – Lutheran School) came up to me and gave me a poster she had made. The little girl said to me, in English, “that Jesus loved me and that she loved me as well”.

The poster, in the picture, shows, “Jesus Es Amor” (Jesus is Love). Now, who was the teacher and who was the student? Now, who was the giver and who was the receiver? Now, who was the least of these?

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40.

Jesus’ through this very young Guatemala missionary had once again delivered His never changing message to me and the entire world. Jesus loves me! We all need opportunities and experiences like these to serve and to be served beyond our own selves or our own communities. We all need these reminders. In each of our families and in each of our congregations we need to tell each other that with the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s love comes to us through service, through giving and through going beyond ourselves. It is not that we earn anything by giving but rather Jesus’ transforming love inspires us, motivates us, and most importantly changes us to give what we have with a clean heart and a right spirit.

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, M.O.S.T. Ministries coordinates volunteer teams to dozens of countries around the world. The teams provide such services as medical and vision clinics, and ESL classes.

Nury Milan was chosen to revive operations at the Center after over a year of decline. Previously, the Lutheran Center has been the site of missionary retreats, volunteer work teams, scout camporees, and weddings. It was also a favorite of NGO, the Peace Corp, and a variety of other organizations for conferences and workshops.

A life-long Lutheran active member of Castillo Fuerte Lutheran Church in Guatemala City, Milan says her first priorities include rebuilding relationships with previous clients and "fixing the rooms in a nicer manner and making all urgently needed repairs."

Other projects include upgrading telephone service with high-speed internet capability, developing an effective promotional program for the Center, and creating activities for the English-speaking local population and visitors.

Milan is a professional bilingual tour guide who has led many Lutheran groups visiting Guatemala.