Ministerios Buena Vista: Tabitha House

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."
-Matthew 18:2-5

I recently published a blog on our latest visit to Guatemala about the city dump. This was only one part of our week of missions. Now I must tell you about the other part: "Tabitha House".

For those of you that do not know, the Tabitha House is a ministry started by Pastor Jorge Morales and Carol. It was Carol's vision to start a ministry for ladies and children of the dump community. Today, Tabitha serves as a daycare for children whose parents need to work in the dump. The parent(s) can drop their children off at Tabitha and go out to work inside the dump without having to take their children with them. Tabitha is also a place that teaches these mothers different trades to bring in income. Sewing, craftsmanship, and jewelry making have been the main particular trades taught to these women. Carol and her staff of teachers are God sent and a vital role to the changing of lives in the dump. Anyone that is part of Tabitha must follow guidelines set by Carol. She holds them accountable for their actions and disciples them in Biblical truth. The Tabitha House also holds a weekly Wednesday night prayer meeting. Tabitha is in need of more teachers, as it has around 80 children today. They cannot afford to pay anyone else, so this can only come from God. Tabitha is also in need of a pastor as Carol has a vision of it becoming a church in the future.

A new trade taught by team from Indiana

During our week a team from Pathway Community Church out of Indiana taught the ladies a new trade. Fernando, Michelle, and Kim taught many ladies how to cut hair. The ladies were intent and focused as these three showed them many different styles and ways of cutting hair. Fernando is fluent in Spanish, and without this it would have been much more difficult and taken one of our 2 translators away from other areas needed. God provided this team with great talent. VBS was also taking place at Tabitha and New Jerusalen Church throughout the week. The other members of the Pathway Church team, one lady from Brook Hills Church in Alabama, one lady from Bible Church in Indiana, and the 8 One Way Ministry interns all gave everything they had in them and then some to share Christ to the Guatemalan people throughout the week. It's hard to imagine that so much was accomplished in only one week. The team was scattered across three and four places at once each day. Hair cutting, home visits, Tabitha, Jerusalen Church, and construction of homes were the places God made himself known through this amazing team.

A few of the many children of Tabitha

The average income for the families that send their children to Tabitha is $1 to $5 a day. Many of the children have been abused, been around or on drugs, seen and been through things that we, ourselves, could never imagine. Tabitha House provides for breakfast and lunch each day. This is meals that these children would more than likely not get if they were not coming to Tabitha. The Tabitha House needs more teachers and more space. Please continue to be in prayer for Tabitha, the children, the families, the teachers, Carol, and Pastor Morales that God will provide.