The Rev. Mark Ostgarden, pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Valley City, and Father Ariel Gonzalo Leal De Leon, worship together in Guatemala in 2007.  Ariel will be coming to Valley City next week with the group. (Submitted photo)

By Jean Schlegel

Valley City Times-Record

Bienvenidos! In Spanish, bienvenidos means welcome! And that's just what the congregation at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Valley City is doing as they welcome eight guests from Guatemala to Valley City.
Pastor Mark Ostgarden said for several years their congregation has sent Sister Parish delegations to Guatemala, and “we have been welcomed with open arms and celebration.”
The purpose of these trips was to represent Our Savior's in the forming of a relationship with the people of Seritquiche Central and the nine other chapels in this area. “We want to help their physical and also spiritual well-being, without an adverse affect on their way of life,” Ostgarden said.
Our Savior's will welcome and celebrate the arrival of eight guests to Valley City on Aug. 12. Ostgarden says he would like the whole community to welcome them, and Our Savior's has some events planned where everyone is welcome to attend and get to know the guests from Guatemala.
Seven of the guests are from a village, and Ellen Moore is from a Sister Parish and lives in Guatemala City. She will help them with history and translation.

Read more in Wednesday's edition of the T-R.