Our Story

I was updating our story for the website and grateful for what the Lord has done and is doing in our family and ministry and thought maybe some of you would be interested in reading. This is the short version. Thankful for God's Grace! Thanks to each of you who pray for and support us! We are so grateful for our team! Much love from the Kunkel Family!

Ben & Jennifer serve as General Directors with Love Guatemala and Pastor of New Life Church Guatemala. Ben & Jennifer have 5 boys and 2 girls and have been married for almost 22 years. Before serving with Love Guatemala, Ben served as a Pastor at Indy Metro Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jennifer first took a short-term trip to Guatemala in January of 2011. Through this trip God opened her eyes to the needs and opportunities to serve the people of Guatemala. But more importantly she fell in love with the people there. This love and passion was a constant thing even after returning. Through this process the Kunkel’s knew that God had a role in serving with Love Guatemala in some form. Ben then took a trip to Guatemala in June of 2011 and sensed the Lord leading us to be involved in some way with Love Guatemala as well. After much prayer and counsel they decided that God was leading them to move to Guatemala and serve with Love Guatemala full time. Through a yearlong process of many challenges God continued to make clear this was the next step for the Kunkel family.

They have now been serving for nearly 8 years with Love Guatemala. God has taught and grown the Kunkels in many ways during this time. God has made many changes with Love Guatemala as well during this time. The Lord has grown the trade schools and expanded the ministry. The Lord has provided for a 10,500 square foot Vocational Training Center where the vocational schools now operate.

In 2018 they were able to plant Iglesia Nueva Vida (New Life Church) in partnership with New Life Network. The church has grown to over 50 people with close to 70 people in discipleship groups. They have seen over 40 people baptized and many decisions for Jesus. In 2020 a Bible Institute was started in partnership with New Life Network to train future church planters and pastors. They plan to continue planting churches and training pastors and church planters in Guatemala in coordination with New Life Network.