As Joy reflects back on her life, she feels that God had been preparing her for Foreign mission work her entire life. She was adopted into a family, that was preparing to go to the mission field when she was 3 months old.

Her parents, Richard & Rebecca Gring, spent the next 7 months in Northern Guatemala. Her parents then returned to the states in order for her father to complete his Doctorate, but every year they would visit friends in the mission field. In 1976, after a major earthquake in Guatemala, her family returned to Guatemala to help with the reconstruction. Amazingly, the small town where they chose to work was San Raymundo. After a year of working there her family returned to the states and Joy completed her education, choosing to go into Nursing after High school.

 

Nursing is Joy's passion, especially in Surgery. After a series of events, that were no doubt orchestrated by God, Joy ended up back in San Raymundo in 1995. She has worked with a local Dr. through out the years & various Medical Mission groups that come to the Clinic in San Raymundo through out the years. The Clinic/Hospital currently host 8-10 medical clinics a year. 35-50 Surgeries are preformed at each clinic with some having as many as 90 Surgeries.

 

In addition to Joy's medical work, God had another plan for her-a School! What started out as a Bible Class on someones front porch has turned into a school with over 250 students, going from 4 year old Pre-K thru 6th Grade. The School (Christian Education Center-Rainbow Connection II or Conexion Arcoiris II) has recently 2019 finished phase 7 of its building plan. There is now a total of 15 class rooms offering daily Bible Classes as well as Computer and the local dialect. The 1st official graduating Class in 2012 was with 5 students, has now grown into 23 students graduated in 2019, 

 

A planned 2 year stay is now approaching a 25 year commitment. What a Blessing it is to be doing God's work!.

 

You can follow the school on Facebook @ Conexion Arcoiris II

 

Contact Joy @ joygringkelly@gmail.com

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Please makes check out to Central Christian Church and in the memo area note Joy Gring Missions.