Our Team
Vincent J. DiPippo
President of Frontlines
Vin joined Frontlines on the field for the first time a decade ago and fell in love with the people, land, and language of Campur. Only a few years later, Vin and Rachel met on the mission field in Campur and added a love of each other to that list! They were married in 2011.
In 2016, Vin joined the Frontlines board and was subsequently voted in as President in 2018. Frontlines' then-president Rev. Tony Palow and its board tapped Vin to lead Frontlines into the next era as it reaches its 25-year anniversary.
Raul & Dr. Sarita Herrera
Resident Missionaries
Raul, originally from Mexico, studied at the Seminary in Guatemala City, and Sarita, a native of Nicaragua, studied Medicine at The University of San Carlos in Guatemala City. Dr. Sarita is the resident medical doctor for Casa Heidi Compassion Center - Frontlines Missions Guatemala.
Dr. Sarita and Raul along with their two daughters, Denise and Suri, have made Casa Heidi their home since 2009. The Herrera family serves the community of Campur with love and compassion. Together they meet urgent care needs as well as preventative health teaching and outreach campaigns. Frontlines is blessed to have the Herreras as part of our ministry team.
Pastora Isabela Cahuec de Valle
Senior Pastor, Vida Abundante
In 2000, Rev. Dick Pelley sought to travel deeper into the remote mountain terrain of Guatemala, ultimately connecting with Vida Abundante, an Assemblies of God church in Campur and forming a lasting bond with Pastora Isabela Cahuec de Valle, the senior pastor and missionary-in-residence of Vida Abundante. For over a decade, Frontlines has concentrated its efforts in Campur and in support of Vida Abundante and Pastora Isabela
In addition to being the senior pastor of a thriving church, Isabela is well-known for her tireless work evangelizing the most remote parts of her home, Alta Verapaz. She travels -- sometimes for days -- into the mountains with the amazing people of Vida Abundante to bring His word and love to those who have never heard it.
Rev. Dick & Iris Pelley
Founders of Frontlines
While most think of Frontlines Missions as primarily a mission to Guatemala, the Pelleys, Dick & Iris, have been on the "frontlines" of ministry for the past 40 years, both at home and abroad.
They have often helped others build God's Kingdom by coming alongside and offering their services for a season to a floundering church, an ill pastor, or by loving and caring for children in the social service system. Their arms have reached around the hurting for decades, and their passion is to finish the work of the Commander in Chief.
Most of what has been built in Guatemala, in both a physical and spiritual sense, has been birthed in the heart of Richard Pelley. Prior to the call to Guatemala, “Pastor Dick” pioneered and pastored a non-denominational church in Hopkinton, MA. During that time he was the main speaker at a Missions Convention in Bogota, Columbia. He then worked as the head of the Maintenance Department at North Point Bible College, where he led short term missions trips to the orphanage of Mama Workman in Maraguane, Haiti.
Whatever church Pastor Dick has attended, he has always become involved in some kind of construction project, such as building a "coffee house" ministry, as well as teaching and preaching.
Over the past 20 years he has overseen the work of Frontlines in Guatemala. He has organized numerous training seminars in addition to the work of the Evangelism, Construction, and Medical Teams. He arranged for the purchase of land and then the construction of "Casa Heidi Compassion Center".
A permanent base of operations has been constructed in Campur which includes two dormitories - together able to house 50 people, and a dining facility capable of seating 100 people. Through this base, Frontlines is able to reach out into the surrounding mountains of Campur to bring the Good News, via the "JESUS" film in their native language, Kekchi,and preaching, to the thousands who live in tiny villages yet unreached by the Gospel and the outside world.
Iris has been on the "frontlines" of women's ministries in New England for over 40 years. She has had the opportunity to speak at numerous area retreats as well as Women's Aglow local chapters.
Congregational, Episcopal, and Charismatic churches have invited her to encourage and instruct their women in the ways of God.
She has traveled to Haiti, Africa, Central and South America, and most recently, China, to teach and preach. She has worked alongside her husband to help develop and expand their Guatemalan missions outreach.
Evangelistic Team
The Evangelistic Teams go into remote mountain elementary schools (upon the request of the local leadership) to teach Bible stories to the school children utilizing skits, Bible stories, and handcraft. Every year, when Frontlines Short-Term Missions Teams arrive in Campur, one of the ongoing goals is evangelism in the mountain village schools.
We are heartily received by the local leadership who desire us to teach Bible stories through pantomime, acting skits, and handwork. During four days of ministry, as many as 500 to 1000 elementary school children will be exposed to the Gospel.
After the skits and songs are done, team members enjoy playing with the children and teaching them different American activities. It is a joy and pleasure to see their smiling faces as they learn how to jump rope, all the while falling down only to get up and try again, laughing and screaming the whole time.
Interior Team
The Interior Teams go further into the mountains surrounding Campur to show the “JESUS” film in Kekchi, the local language. Such a trip can mean hiking for several hours over the mountains on barely visible trails and at an altitude that can make physical exertion much more difficult and tiring.
We first sent a team into these remote communities in 2008, and continued to do so for each subsequent year. These initial trips have met with success but it is expected that the harvest will be even greater in the future.
Most of these village people have never seen a television or heard a radio so you can imagine the expressions on their faces when they see a movie depicting the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Construction Team
The Construction Teams build small churches in mountain villages, pastors homes where needed, and sometimes small schoolrooms.
Since 1994 Frontlines Missions has worked alongside members of remote communities to assist them in building the much needed structures. This has included over eight churches, two pastor’s homes, and two elementary schools. Frontlines has been based in the mountain village of Campur for the past eleven years. Five of the eight churches we have helped build have been in communities local to Campur.
We have also built two dormitories and a dining pavilion for use by our teams as well as other missions teams traveling through the area. Our largest project to date has been the construction of Casa Heidi Compassion Center, a medical clinic.
Medical & Dental Team
A Medical and Dental Teams comprised of doctors, nurses, and auxiliary help performs various minor surgeries, prescribing pharmaceuticals, and treating skin diseases, parasites, asthma, etc., and provides vitamins to children and pregnant women. The Medical Team often treats over 500 people for a variety of conditions such as scabies, stomach ailments, parasites, arthritis and asthma. Surgeons have repaired numerous cleft lips and removed various body tumors. The dental clinic serves the serious dental needs of the community. Treatments include tooth extraction, cleaning, fluoride treatments, fillings. The dental team also focuses on teaching and preventative methods.
In March, 2015, two dentists and a hygienist officially opened the Dental Clinic of Casa Heidi Compassion Center. We want to thank those who gave towards the purchase of the dental chair; you made this a reality. Our biggest challenge was electricity. We are currently working on the purchase of a transformer and a generator for Casa Heidi. This will keep the ministry and the operations of the medical/dental clinic functional.