Use this resource page to learn more about what we are doing in Guatemala, and how you can help us meet spiritual and physical hungers …
The Mayan civilization had its beginnings in Guatemala about 2,000 years ago. During the second half of the 20th century, Guatemala experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.
Guatemala is slightly smaller than the state of Tennessee. Most families heavily rely on subsistence farming, and natural disasters and weather conditions can cause food shortages and lost income. FH began working in Guatemala in 1976 after a devastating earthquake that killed more than 23,000 people.
Short-term Teams Problem: Provide avenues for supporters to pursue a deeper awareness of the realities of poverty.
Solution:
Encourage communities in partnerships with sending churches and through special projects.
Sending churches build relationships with communities where we work.
Encourage FH staff with new ministry ideas.
Team members gain a more complete understanding of Vision of Community and FH. They become better advocates for the communities in which they have worked.
Education by Extension Problem: Pokomchi has the highest rate of illiteracy in Guatemala, and 76 percent of school-aged children do not attend school. There is no access to education beyond the sixth grade.
Solution:
To assist the Pokomchi children as they receive a holistic education that will help shape their worldview and provide training in skills that will equip them to be future leaders, families, pastors and professionals.
To provide the children access to education beyond the sixth grade.
Vocational Education Problem: Guatemala has the second-lowest education level in the hemisphere. Children in rural areas seldom have an opportunity to further their education beyond elementary school. This area has the highest illiteracy rate in Guatemala.
Solution:
Provide youth an opportunity to pursue a quality formal education guided by biblical principles to equip them to lead their lives, their families and their communities in a biblical lifestyle.
Extension Education Program students receive orientation about available options and assistance to further their education. They receive supplementary training in the biblical worldview while they attend educational centers in the cities to get their education.
Scholarships pay for items such as tuition, housing assistance, transportation and school supplies.
;){kind=spacer}
