Lauren Estes
Special to the Enquirer

At Falkville’s Fairview: The Grace Place, many take notice of the congregation’s heart for mission work, and specifically the country of Guatemala where former youth pastors Danny and Kim Lopez are serving as missionaries.

Church members and co-ordinators Nikki Miller and Andrea Brown have helped raise thousands of dollars for Guatemala through multiple fundraisers, including the most recent 3rd Annual Holiday Auction which brought in $35,000 for Guatemala’s feeding center.

“We have a heart for Guatemala; We have a passion for serving, loving and feeding these beautiful people, particularly in the San Pedro Las Huertas area,” Miller said. “The connection with Guatemala didn’t happen by accident. Fairview’s former youth pastor and his family, Danny & Kim Lopez, started a ministry in Guatemala four years ago. Both Hartselle natives, the Lopez’s live day in and day out teaching the love of Jesus to the children and families in their area.”

Fairview church shared the vision that the Lopez’s had over three years ago to start a Feeding Center in their area, providing meals to the children of the community six times a week. In 2011, the church hosted the first Holiday Auction at Fairview with the goal of raising the $12,000 it would take to staff and fund the Feeding Center for an entire year. In that first year, the auction raised just a little more than that amount! “Needless to say, we were ecstatic,” Miller said. “In the second year, we needed to raise $15,000. The auction raised just over double what was needed. What changed from the first to second year? Mission trips to the area took place and people caught the vision of the ministry. Four trips of 15 persons each were able to visit and service in Guatemala between the two auctions and those people came back excited and eager to raise funds and make sure the children would continue to receive that warm meal each day for another year. We just held the 3rd Annual Holiday Auction on November 15th, it consisted of around 20 live auction items and over 100 silent bid items, and we were absolutely amazed with the results. We more than doubled the goal of $15,000 and exceeded the amount raised last year.”

The Lopez’s are now able and ready to open a second Feeding Center in January 2014. Located in the adjacent community, this location alone will provide meals for more than double the number read today at the original Feeding Center.

“Thankfully, Fairview doesn’t do this alone,” Miller said. “Neighboring churches and other individuals who support this work in Guatemala supported and attended the auction. We want to thank our business sponsors this year: Hartselle Urgent Care, Drake Eye Center, upstartHR and Valley Rubber.”

Brown said the success of this event is based on the community’s accomplishment and involvement and everything that is given and raised is put back into Guatemala.

“It’s important to note that 100% of the profits from the event go directly to the Feeding Center and other important ministry needs (the purchase of land) – no overhead, no salaries,”Brown said. “We feel without a doubt that this is our calling to be part of something so special, so important, that literally changes so many lives. Although the food that is provided is absolutely necessary, it’s about more than that. It’s about providing hope.”

To learn more about his ministry, visit www.fairviewthegraceplace.com and select Guatemala Missions or learn about other opportunities to help by visiting the ministry directly on facebook at Buena Vista Ministerios.