John & Marilyn Guido

Shortly after accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior I received the call to the mission field. Marilyn however, wasn’t quite so sure and it took fourteen more years before we both received clear confirmation that the time had come. I quit my job at the Nuclear Power Plant, we sold our home and most of our earthly possession and filled 6 yellow 55 gallon drums with essentials like books and toys for our three children, Lisa, Jonathan and Joel, and arrived in Cuenca, Ecuador on July 9, 1988.

We began working with about 15 new believers who were meeting in a home.  We couldn’t speak Spanish, had no formal theological training, no denominational affiliation and no financial support, but the Lord’s call was clear and He was faithful. The church grew slowly but steadily doubling every year during the first 3 years.  Today there are over 1700 who attend our Sunday morning meetings. We currently have 44 home fellowships throughout the city meeting every Tuesday night.

We established Family Health Foundation during our first year in Cuenca.  The 10 bed medical clinic provides low cost surgical procedures, physical therapy and medicines to the poor, serving over 30,000 patients a year.  We also sponsor 7 medical missions each year in different parts of the country.  Doctors, dentists and nurses from the US come for 1 to 2 weeks and provide medical treatment and surgeries for the poor. During these outreaches members of the local church work in evangelism.

Our after school program (established in conjunction with Compassion International) has been functioning in the local church during the past 11 years.  This ministry provides a hot lunch, help with schoolwork, vocational training, Bible teaching and medical attention to 120 underprivileged children.   We also have a Christian School with grades 1 through 9. 

In 2002 we established the first Christian F.M. Radio Station in Cuenca.  It is having a wonderful impact on the spiritual atmosphere of the city.  Hundreds are hearing the Gospel Message in a non religious format and many are responding.

Our community outreach program ministers to several small villages around Cuenca.  We distribute used clothes, toys and household items, provide medical care and share the Gospel message while building relationships with members of the communities.  We now have small groups meeting weekly in 4 different rural areas.  We also have planted six sister churches in Manta, Guabo, Gualaquiza and Naranjal, Ecuador and in Lima and Ayacucho, Peru.

After 6 years in Cuenca, Marilyn and I moved to Riobamba, a smaller town in central Ecuador, for 1 year.   We were sent there by our mission to strengthen 4 churches in the area - 1 Mestizo church in the city and 3 churches in Quichua Indian villages.  After Riobamba we were sent to Lima, Peru where we worked from February 1994 to June 1997.  While in Peru we helped established two churches, one in Lima and another in Ayacucho.  We still maintain a strong relationship with these churches and others in Southern Ecuador.  We regularly travel to present seminars on marriage, finances, and leadership development.

There is a mighty move of God taking place in Latin America.  The doors are wide open to a great variety of ministry opportunities including: evangelism, church planting, medical outreaches, leadership development, rehabilitation facilities, schools and children's ministries.  We invite you to share with us in this ministry.  We need and appreciate your prayers and financial support and we'd love to have you come for a visit, or work with us on a short or long-term mission.  You can email us at:  jguido@verbo.org  

In December of 1995, I earned a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development and Leadership Studies from Azusa Pacific University, Marilyn is a Registered Nurse.

Our ministry focus is on leadership development, pastoral ministry, and medical missions.