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the indigenous people were received and accepted into their Evangelical communities. They were recognized as brothers in Christ. The researcher has observed during the last ten years how indigenous families have been accepted in the Evangelical churches, while at the same time expressing a persistent paternalistic attitude towards them. The inclusion of the indigenous people in the community of faith has been a constant source of giving them self value.\u000AThe studies of Benjamin Paul (1987), Andr\u00E9s Fajardo (1987), Sheldon Annis (1987), Goldin & Metz (1991) and Anne Hallum (1993) carried out in different indigenous communities in Guatemala show the contribution of the Protestantism among those communities. They affirm that their belonging to faith communities and the adoption of certain Protestant ethic values were important elements in their promotion as persons and in their search for economic development. Suazo underlines that \u2018it was Protestantism which up to a certain point rescued the indigenous peasants from being totally marginalized\u2019 (1988: 9). [In Chapters four and five the attitude of the NPCs towards the indigenous communities will be analyzed].\u000A(2) Concern and social reflection\u000AThe earthquake of 1976 awakened the Evangelical interest for the social concern. Suddenly they found themselves involved in service projects to help the members of their families and neighbours who had been affected and needed to rebuild including in some cases their own church buildings. Approximately 20,000 people died, and 100,000 families were left homeless and several towns were totally destroyed in the East of Guatemala. Many local churches with the support of Foreign Service agencies worked shoulder to shoulder to rebuild church buildings, houses and villages. The earthquake \u2018shook the church out of its lethargy as far as working for benefit of others [...] a new vision for service came into the church\u2019 (Suazo 1999:103).The earthquake functioned as a catalyst in this respect. It awoke social concern in several churches that launched for the first time programmes of social aid\u000A57\u000A