"Three of my workers couldn't come to work today," writes Lutheran Center Director Nury Milian, due to flooding and mudslides.

"My cook lives in Jocotenango," continues Nury, "and her home and belongings are now under mud produced by flooding."

The Lutheran Center itself appears to have escaped major damage, but two large fallen trees make it impossible for Nury to leave the premises.

While the rains are hindering efforts to clear the trees, they have not stopped the center's ministry: Christian Hospitals Management in Guatemala is holding a seminar right now.

Larry and RuthThomas served in Guatemala during the 1990's coordinating various work and service projects. They have also coordinated several missionary service teams from the states to Guatemala and elsewhere.

This is the second time doctors have found cancer in Luis Jose, the ten-year-old son of Pastor Luis Jasinto.

Since surgery and chemotherapy treatment over a year ago, Luis has monthly checkups. It was during a checkup last month that doctors discovered the cancer had returned, including one in the medulla.

It has been a struggle for the family whose home is three hours away from the hospital in Guatemala City. Pastor Jasinto drives back and forth caring for both his family and his congregation.

Lutherans in Guatemala City are very supportive of the family, spending time with Luis and his mother at the hospital, taking meals to the parents, and even washing clothes for them.

Pastor Ernani Kufeld, and wife Teresina, are with the Lutheran Church in Brazil where he graduated from the seminary this year.

Castillo Fuerte, Mighty Fortress, Lutheran Church is welcoming its new shepherd with an old-fashioned "pounding," providing basic goods for the couple's new home.

"Once again, thieves entered our school and stole a great amount of notebooks, pencils, rules, and other materials," says Guadalupe Zamora, school administrator. "Thank God it was all only in the closets."

An estimated $200.00 in various school supplies was taken late Saturday night. The burglars did not break into the computer lab, located on the second floor of the school, nor into the other offices.

While school supplies may not seem of much consequence to some, even a supply of paper and pencils can keep some children out of school. The school does not have funds to replace the stolen materials, so they must cut back on what students use for the remainder of the school year, October 2005.

The school has an electronic burglar alarm, but it can not use it because it needs repairs amounting to $600.00.

This is the fourth annual conference for Children's Christian Concern Society (CCCS), an organization that helps children in more than a dozen countries recieve an education. CCCS began in 1968 with a handful of students at the Divine Savior Lutheran Boarding School in Zacapa, Guatemala.

The conference will include Rev. Robert Roegner, former missionary and curent Executive Director of LCMS World Mission, as the Bible study leader and Nury de Milian from Guatemala as a special guest and luncheon speaker. 

The story script has been translated earlier into Uspanteco and now a team of video technicions are recording for dubbing the video.After the first day, 20% of the recording had been done and the remainder may be completed within a week.

The Lutheran Center, or el Centro Luterano, is owned and operated by the Lutheran Church in Guatemala. It is available for retreats, conferences, mission groups, and individuals.

Various Christian organizations enjoy the colonial-style facilities and the spacious grounds.