Home Page

Ministries

Children
Chinese
College Campus
Missions
Prison
Spanish
Women
Couples
Youth

Congregational

Web Bulletin
Prayer List
LIFE Groups
Internet Links
Event Calendar
Photo Album
Multimedia
Pictorial Directory

Contacts

Richard Mitchen
Shelby Stewart
Chuck Morris
Susan Collins

Ciudad Guayana

Our Target City

Ciudad Guayana is situated on the banks of the Orinoco River in eastern Venezuela. It was created in 1961 from the union of the twin cities of Puerto Ordaz and San Felix. The first European settlers came in 1595. Ciudad is the Spanish word for "city" and Guayana means "jungle region".

At the present time it is one of the most important industrial centers of the country, with a future of immense possibilities on a short term basis. The city has been technically planned for urban development, having a perfectly outlined network of streets and modern throughways which permit rapid communication with Puerto Ordaz as well as with San Felix, over the River Caroni bridge, which connects the two parts of the city. It has a population of 325,000.

Ciudad Guayana is the center of the large iron, aluminum and steel factories. It has a good airport located on the road to Ciudad Bolivar, near the industrial zone of Matanzas.

The following is a quote from a Venezuelan tourist book: "The Guayana Region (Amazon Federal territory and Bolivar State) has the largest expanse of territory in the country, occupying nearly half of Venezuela’s total surface area. It is sparsely populated, or at least it was before the recent surge in industrial development that has transformed it into the area of most significant and promising growth in the country, other than the oil related zones.

Although almost all Venezuelan states have areas of rain forest, the real Venezuelan Jungle is found in Guayana and the Amazon. Many of the country’s national parks are in this region, whose exceptionally beautiful scenery is famous throughout the world and attracts many foreign visitors."

It is interesting to note the proximity of Ciudad Bolivar and Ciudad Guayana, very similar to the distance between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Even though Ciudad Bolivar is the capital of that state, Ciudad Guayana’s population is more than double and therefore would serve as the principal city of that area.

The same tourist book points out that Bolivar state offers five different and fascinating areas for touring: Canaima, Salto Angel (Angel Falls), Grand Sabana, Guri Dam, and the Jungle. Posters and pictures from these variouis areas are posted, along with information specifically regarding Ciudad Guayana.

A History of our involvement (South Baton Rouge Church of Christ) in Venezuela

• Baptism of Guillermo Londoño (our first Venezuelan contact) in July,1983. Guillermo is one of many Venezuelans who have come to study at LSU, and also found Christ.
• Guillermo Londoño taught and baptized Daniel Mata in April, 1985, while both were LSU students in Baton Rouge, LA.
• The Mata family returns to Venezuela (Caracas) in February, 1987, to continue ministry training under Bob Brown.
• "Our Target City"; the Matas move from Caracas,Venezuela to Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela in February 1989 to begin the Church of Christ.
• Campaign, Summer 1991
• Greens join the mission effort in February 1992.
• Campaign, Summer 1995
• Campaign, Summer 1996
• Phillips join the mission effort in July 1996.