The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isaiah 61:1)
Greetings from Guatemala! 
We have just returned home to Guatemala. For the past three months, we travelled to Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and back to Ontario. We met with many friends and supporters, and spoke in many churches, fellowship halls, and church basements.
It was a time of learning for us, and an encouragement as we saw churches adjust to changing contexts. Many Canadian churches are filling with new Canadians, believers and seekers, who want to understand and participate in their new homeland.
We were privileged and blessed to be in Canada for those few months, meeting friends, making new friends, sharing about the work of the church in Latin America and the Caribbean and enjoying the beauty of Canada in the fall.
Partnership in Latin America & Caribbean (LAC)
As we shared with our Partners in Mission and supporters throughout Canada, we highlighted CBM distinctives and how we work – through the local church and in partnership. Over the past few years, we have been privileged to support existing partnerships in Bolivia and with FIBAC, and start several new partnerships in Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Bolivia.
We have been intentional about slowly growing CBM’s programming investment, allowing our partners to grow in their capacity and commitment to engaging with their local community in a manner that fits their context and culture. Sometimes this approach seems slower than we might like but allowing our partners to determine priorities and the most effective approach to community transformation, we believe leads to more respectful relationships and sustainable activities.
FIBAC
Amid crumbling infrastructure, serious economic challenges, social deterioration and physical darkness, our partner FIBAC continues to be salt and light. We hear difficult stories about the unprecedented lack of food, electricity, gasoline, medicine, and other essentials. Our friends continue to move forward doing what they can with what they have.
Our colleagues Bill and Janice Dyck returned from a week in the Caribbean in October, facilitating a pastor retreat in Matanzas. Bill has a heart for supporting pastoral health through the practice of small mentoring groups and ministering to the FIBAC pastors, especially through these most challenging times. The 3-day event ended a day early as participants needed to return home due to an almost total blackout.
LAC Partner Programs 
All 10 of our LAC partners are finalizing their proposals for 2025 approved budgets. Since many of our partners are relatively new to us, CBM investments in local program support is often modest, but as capacity increases and our relationship deepens, funds also increase. We are greatly encouraged to see our partners lead community transformation efforts through church leadership training and mentoring, creation care training and projects, caring for vulnerable children and youth, and economic initiatives that give hope to youth and families.
Our colleague Byron Velasquez accompanies SENT teams, in addition to working closely with each of our partners in El Salvador and Guatemala to prepare programming that addresses priorities in the local church and community.
National staff (NFS) such as Byron are essential for us to better understand issues and priorities for each partner and learn from them as we walk together.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
Prayer Requests & Gratitude:
- Pray for partner leaders who are giving oversight and direction to local churches, often in challenging contexts.
- Pray for CBM and partner staff as they walk together and implement initiatives in the church and community.
- Pray for Patty Nacho as she prepares for her role as the LAC team leader effective January 2025.
- Pray for us as we shift into contractual roles in January 2025 to support Faith and Work (Bruno) and SENT (Kathleen) initiatives in LAC.
Thank you to all of you who supported us over these past 18 years, received us, prayed over us, and allowed us to be with you over these past few months in Canada. It has been a great privilege and a pleasure to be a part of a community united in loving others and sharing the Gospel in word and deed.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16,17)
Bruno bsoucy@cbmin.org soucy.bruno@gmail.com
Kathleen ksoucy@cbmin.org soucy.kathleen@gmail.com
