Cochrane Alliance Church

A youth team from Cochrane Alliance Church returned to San Raymundo to carry on the long standing partnership established between the church and the community.

"This trip has made feel spiritually full again."  

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Only six months after the last team, Cochrane Alliance sent a group of seventeen to visit their friends in San Raymundo. While there, they helped families in the area and built community bus/taxi shelters on behalf of the Jesus Vienne Church in the town of San Raymundo. They also did some work on the school.

"I'm reminded of how big God's church is and that we are all a part of it."  

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Cochrane Alliance Church has a long-standing partnership with Pastor Victor and the Jesus Vienne Alliance Church in San Raymundo, Guatemala. The objective of this trip was to continue supporting the church and its work within the community. The team served in many ways; they built stoves for people in San Raymundo, taught English classes at the school, hosted a sports day and prepared and delivered food hampers to members of the community.

"It's very encouraging to see the school doing so well. I'm encouraged to keep pressing forward with the task of supporting them."  

A group of 14 from Cochrane Alliance worked in the community of San Raymundo. While there, they rekindled relationships with families in San Raymundo, helped out with school supplies, visited teachers and families, and painted the school they have been instrumental in establishing.

A team of 5 leaders cast vision with Pastor Victor on how to best develop sustainability for the School. They looked into economic and micro-enterprise development with families in the community.

"[This trip has impacted me] to give time and money that is helpful and not providing or contributing to the problem."  

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The youth from Cochrane Alliance headed down to San Raymundo in February 2014. Previously, Cochrane Alliance had sent 5 other teams to this area to work on a school project. This youth team continued construction on the school, as well as held afternoon soccer camps and VBS camps.

“An event that affected me was when we were at church and all singing the same song except in two different languages. It was like God was saying that He created all these people to worship Him and we can all do it in different ways.”  

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A team of 13 people from Cochrane Alliance Church in Calgary travelled to San Raymundo, Guatemala alongside HFL Team Leader Harold Hiebert. Cochrane's fifth trip to this area was for the purpose of furthering relationships by continuing construction on the school building and spending time with local families.

Read the trip blog.

“I’m seeing the fruit of a longer-term relationship with a church. (It was) cool to see where our financial investment is going and to see the development of inter-personal relationships over many years.”  

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Cochrane Alliance sent their fourth team to San Raymundo to continue building relationships with the people of San Raymundo and Jesus Viene Church as well as to build a house for a family from the church and work on the 2nd floor of the school.

Read the team blog.

"[One highlight I experienced on this trip was] when we were invited out to a couple different birthday parties and we were really immersed in the local culture."  

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A team from Cochrane Alliance Church in Calgary traveled with church leader Yolanda Bosma and Hungry For Life leader Kelly Edgeley to San Raymundo, Guatemala. Cochrane's third trip to this area was for the purpose of furthering relationships by building a house for a family from the local church, continuing construction on the church/future school, running a basketball camp, running a VBS and spending time with local families.

“I love the people here. It makes me think I can help more at home in Canada.”  

Cochrane Alliance Church sent a team of 14 adults, families and leaders to San Raymundo and Chivoc, Guatemala from October 9 - 18, 2025.  The team spent time supporting a church construction project in Chivoc alongside Pastor Victoriano. This team also lead a kids program and provided and distributed food hampers. They were so excited to be back in the field and deeply enjoyed spending time serving alongside their partners in Guatemala. Please pray for the ongoing impact of this ministry! 

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The Cochrane Alliance Church has sent many teams to San Raymundo, Guatemala to work with their field partner pastor Victor and his team at the Jesus Vienne School. Since their partnership started in 2010, they have focussed on the construction of the school building. The school opened its doors for the first time in January 2015. The school currently serves over 140 students from kindergarten to grade 9 during the January – October school year.

This February a team of youth and adults from Cochrane Alliance will be traveling to assist with VBS, home repairs, church construction and community outreach. Please be praying over this team as they travel, and the impact of their time serving.