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. 

Family Pics and Luke's Birthday

We had some recent pics taken by our friend Jose Fares.  Here are some of the pics below.  Our first family pics without Levi. It still seems weird to not have him here but he seems to be adjusting well to living stateside. These were taken earlier this month:

Here are a few pics from Luke's birthday! (We failed and didn't take many pics)  I can't believe he turned 20! I can't be that old!

We did a little video call with family.

Luke asked for a Bibleman cake ;-) Not even sure where he came up with that idea but as always Jennifer came through!

Serving the Community during COVID19

We have been mobilizing our team here both at Love Guatemala and Iglesia Nueva Vida to serve our community in this time of great need. The situation here is much like that in the states however here people have no savings, no extra, no credit cards to use, in most cases no family to lean on and so there are many going hungry. We have partnered with our friends the Steeds at Project for Hope as well and we have fed hundreds of families, given out bread, masks, eggs etc. You can check out more info and give here if you wish.

Here are a few pics of some of the things we have been doing:

 Some of our staff made some banana bread and delivered it as well to some of the kid in our feeding center. We are also using the funds that normally run the feeding center to buy food and divide it up and deliver to the families in the feeding center.

Thanks for supporting us and Love Guatemala so we can continue to serve the community in this way! 

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Big News from the Kunkel Family

We have some very exciting news! Many of you have known that we have been in the process of adoption for about two years. Well a few weeks ago we got the phone call we had been waiting for and they presented us with a sweet little girl named, Jimena Sofia. They shared about her story and what she has been through. They shared her age and physical condition which is all good. She is almost 3 years old.

They gave us 10 days to think and pray about it but we knew pretty quick that this was the little girl God had for us. We called them back within two days and said we wanted to proceed.

 This past Friday we got to meet her for the first time. This was our first time meeting her.

She likes to read books and play. So far she has been fairly timid with us. Today she began to show more of her personality. They have told us that she is spunky and very active.

This is the little bed and lavender girl room Jennifer has always dreamed of having!

She seemed to warm up pretty quick with boys. They told us she does not usually connect with people so quickly so we are very grateful!

She enjoyed my sunglasses today.

This Wednesday she will come home with us! We are very excited but also nervous for the transition and praying that she will connect and adjust quickly.

Would you pray with us for this transition?

Also there are a few financials needs that we wanted to share:

• One time financial needs for bed, clothes, car seat, booster chair, etc. She will also have a lot of different needs for government paperwork etc. in the near future. All this adds up to about $1,000.
• We will also have some ongoing financial needs with adding another child. This will be about $200 a month.

Thanks for your prayers and support! You can give here and mark as Kunkel Support.

Thank You!