"For us to go out and minister to that many villages, the cost would be astronomical," says Paradise Bound's Dan Smith. "But through this [leadership conference], we're putting missionaries all over Guatemala for next-to-nothing in cost."

He's talking about leadership conferences for lay pastors conducted with Timothy Leadership Training. One starts today for 35 lay pastors.

"We're not talking about just one village being impacted," says Smith. "We're talking about an entire country being impacted, and that's the incredible part."

It costs about $250 USD to bring one of these lay pastors from their village to Paradise Bound's facility for the four-day conference. Along with transportation, that amount covers training, materials, and accommodation needs.

"We offer this free to all of these pastors, because most of them are living off the land and they have no resources whatsoever," explains Smith.

"We'd be excited to have people come on-board financially, but really if they could come on-board prayerfully first, that's what we ask most of all."

At the conference, lay pastors learn skills they need and methods to teach their fellow leaders.

"First and foremost, we work on their own personal relationship with Jesus Christ," says Smith. "But then, they start learning how to call on other people, other villages."

Pray that Paradise Bound will stay centered in God's will. Pray that pastors will become more effective in their ministries.

"Come alongside us prayerfully. If God later leads [you] to give, that's wonderful, but we need prayer. These pastors need prayer."