Eric and Debbie Stone
Family Biography
Eric was born and raised in North Carolina. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with distinction, earning a BS in Business Administration. After working in business for four years, God called him to serve for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zacapa, Guatemala. While there, he met his wife, Debbie. During 20+ years of marriage they have served as missionaries in Guatemala. They have two sons, Eric and Danny. While serving in Guatemala Eric has completed a MA in Bible Studies from the Central American Seminary in Guatemala City (an affiliate of Dallas Theological Seminary).
Debbie is a native Guatemalan from a committed evangelical Christian family. She has served for over 20 years in children’s ministry. She graduated as a bilingual secretary from a local Lutheran school. Debbie loves to cook and sew.
Eric and Danny are bilingual/bicultural. Eric is pursuing an education degree at Mars Hill University while Danny is searching for a university with a solid math faculty. He also plays the piano and the guitar. Both are fans of the Barcelona soccer team. They are great sources of pride for their parents.
Guatemala – a Mission Paradox
The mission field in which they serve, Guatemala, is a mission paradox. While being one of the most evangelized countries in the world statistically, Guatemala is continually ranked as one of the most violent, especially against women. The Stone’s ministries are designed to promote a Christian culture via education and practical training that help folks make decisions that facilitate an orderly, God ordained existence in the face of growing social chaos. Their ministries prioritize women and children.
With a group of volunteers from the local Guatemalan church, the Stones have taught a Bible based values class to over 500 students weekly at a local, public elementary school since 2013 thus forming a generation conscious of Kingdom values that transform one’s life and society. This type of outreach needs to grow given that half of Guatemala’s seventeen million citizens are under 18 years of age representing a potential demographic catalyst for transformation. Since 2019, the Stones have partnered with Hopechest to administer a care point at the school where they teach. The partnership has allowed them to serve breakfast two days a week and offer periodic parent’s workshops.
Since 2015, Debbie has taught sewing to various groups of women. Aside from learning a marketable skill, these women have experienced increased self-esteem and restoration of their dignity which is constantly vulnerable in the male-dominated culture characterized by violence against women. They are taking steps to form a cooperative and market their products both nationally and internationally.
Eric has taught Bible and theology to rural pastors and lay folk since 2005. He teaches in partnership with Church of God, Full Gospel. His teaching focuses on an incarnate Christology i.e. Christ living through us to establish His kingdom on earth, so badly needed in a Christian country characterized by violence, corruption and a measure of apathetic fatalism. He emphasizes the Kingdom already amongst us in contrast to the cultural norm of identifying the Kingdom primarily with a distant heaven that awaits us.
The Stones ask that you might prayerfully consider supporting their work in Guatemala. If you would like to receive our newsletter, please drop us a note via e-mail and we’ll gladly add you to our list.
TO DONATE BY CHECK
TO ERIC AND DEBBIE’S SUPPORT:
Make checks payable to The Antioch Partners, write “Preference for Stone Support” on memo line and mail to:
7132 Portland Ave, Suite 136
Richfield, MN, 55423
