
WHO WE ARE
The Paradise Bound Project
"...and they set out from village to village, proclaiming the Good News, and healing the sick." - Luke 9:6
A special Thank You to Soapbox Pictures and their incredible capturing, editing, and donating of this film!
Christ Centered
Guatemala and Latin America
PRAYING - PARTICIPATING - PARTNERING
Donate. Volunteer. Proceeds directly support our Lord's work through PBM.
About Us
Our goal is to do ‘whatever it takes’ to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost and dying in Guatemala. We strive to weave the gospel of Jesus Christ through and through every Paradise Bound program: physically through building relationships by meeting needs, verbally through spoken word, spiritually through much prayer and discernment and everlastingly through distribution of our Lord’s Living Word! Recognizing our dual calling of 100% to the Guatemalan people and 100% to the team members and supporters serving alongside us, we exalt the name of Jesus Christ and challenge our constituents into a deep personal relationship with Him.
”I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 We recognize that we are absolutely nothing and give all the glory and honor to our Almighty God for allowing us the privilege of being a part of His kingdom through salvation in His son Jesus Christ, and as a small part of Him, fulfilling His great commission here on this earth.
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only true infallible, authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
We believe that there is one God, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6).
We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through his blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in his present rule as Head of the Church and in His personal return in power and glory (John 1:1-4; Matthew 1:12; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-4 and 4:15; Acts 1:11 and 2:22-24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful men, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation (Titus 3:4-7; Luke 24:46-47; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit whose indwelling enables the Christian to live a godly life (Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 8:9).
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and the lost unto damnation and eternal punishment (Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57).
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and that all true believers are members of his body, the Church, with equality across race, gender, and class (Ephesians 1:22-23; Corinthians 12:12,27).
We believe that the ministry of evangelism is a responsibility of both the church and each Christian (Romans 10:9-15; Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15).
Paradise Bound Ministries Board of Directors
US Paradise Bound Ministries

Board members receive no financial compensation for their services. Each director has visited Guatemala numerous times with Paradise Bound and fully captures the vision that began in our Lord Jesus Christ, was received by founders Dan and Heidi Smith, and now extends to the thousands who have served alongside them in Guatemala. The PBM board of directors are an extension of Christ’s heart for these precious ones He so longs to hold.
- Brad Lanser
Board President - Steve Bagley
Vice President - Rod Huisingh
Treasurer - Lisa Bauman
Secretary - Darren Herweyer
- Scott Gray
- Cal VanderZwaag
- Troy Billin
Guatemala Asociacion Mision Paraiso

To receive the benefits of a nonprofit ministry in Guatemala, it is necessary to be registered with the Guatemalan government and have a resident board of directors, thus Asociacion Mision Paraiso.
- Martin Chavez
- Jesus Giron
- Yohana Lara
- Estuardo Morales
Guatemala Refugio la Puerta

(Open Doors Children’s Home) - To receive the benefits of a nonprofit orphanage in Guatemala, it is necessary to be registered with the Guatemalan government and have a resident board of directors, thus Refugio la Puerta.
- Martin Chavez
- Jesus Giron
- Elizabeth Hernandez
- Estuardo Morales
- Sonia
Our Missionaries

Dan and Heidi Smith
Founders
What started as a calling of our Lord Jesus Christ in the hearts of Dan and Heidi Smith and only $200/month pledged in support to date has touched over 100,000 lives. From that small seed Paradise Bound’s vision has been embraced by over 3,000 team members serving alongside each other on short-term mission trips.
Dan and Heidi Smith, Paradise Bound’s founders, both grew up near Hamilton, Michigan. They visited Guatemala in 1995 on a mission trip, and out of a deep calling from our Lord Jesus Christ within their hearts founded Paradise Bound Ministries in 1997. They have four children: Malachi, Benjamin, Haven, and Elijah. Go to Our Founders to read more of their journey.
Staff
Anya

Jesus Giron

Pablo Lopez

Estuardo Morales

Yajayra Surin

Nelson Morales
Maureen

Jeff Nienhuis

Lisa Berghorst

Yojana Lara

Elena Lara

Daniel Lara

Daniel Tubac

Maria Yucute

Nehemias Villatoro

Miguel Gaspar

Emigdio Interiano

Isidro Tzay
