The Children's Malnutrition Center of
San Juan, Guatemala
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Pictured above are some of the children having lunch at the Children’s Malnutrition Center in San Juan, Guatemala. The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes is working to mobilize mission teams throughout the year to help make repairs and improve the quality of care at the Center.
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Watch the video about the Children's Malnutrition Center
About Guatemala
Guatemala has a population of approximately 12 million people, with more than 70% of the people living below the poverty line. It is estimated that there are over 370,000 orphans in Guatemala. Many of these children come from families burdened with extreme poverty.
Historic buildings in Antigua, Guatemala
About the Children’s Malnutrition Center
The Children’s Malnutrition Center of San Juan, Guatemala provides temporary care to infants and young children who are severely malnourished. The children range in age from infancy to 10 years of age.
The children come from homes where they did not receive proper nutrition, primarily due to their parents’ lack of means to provide the necessary food and care. Some children are even near death by the time they are brought to the Center. There are also young children at the center who have been orphaned and abandoned at the Center.
The children receive housing, daily bathing, medicine, and three meals a day. There is also a doctor who volunteers time every week at the facility. A child is discharged from the facility once the doctor determines that that they have regained proper health and that there are proper assurances that the child will receive proper nutrition on a regular basis once they leave the facility.
There are approximately 35-40 children living at the Center. However, they will have the capacity to house and serve up to 200 children once the many repairs and improvements have been made, and additional resources are acquired to hire additional staff to care for the children. Unfortunately there are only about three staff available to care for the nearly 40 children during the day, which doesn’t give them much time to provide individual attention to the kids.
The History of the Malnutrition Center
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The girls’ room at the Malnutrition Center.
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The Malnutrition Center was built in the 1950s as a tuberculosis hospital, but was converted to a care center for children in the 1970s. In the 1970s, under the direction and funding of the Lion’s Club of Guatemala, it flourished as it housed almost 200 children.
However, since that time, funding from the Lion’s Club has been decreasing over the last several years and has fallen into disrepair. The facility is in need of significant work in order to improve the living environment and quality of care that is provided to the children.
Our Goals
The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes identified the Children’s Malnutrition Center of San Juan, Guatemala as one of its first international ministry locations because of the extreme needs and because of the potential to improve the quality of services at the Center.
The goal is to elevate the quality of care as well as expand the capacity of the Center in order to serve more children. Mission teams mobilized by the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes will work to make improvements to the facility and spend time interacting with the many children.
Our Needs
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Laundry is hung outside and laid on the concrete to dry. |
The needs of the Malnutrition Center are tremendous. The kitchen and laundry facilities are in great need of repair. Most of the laundry is done by hand and then hung on a line or laid out on the concrete to dry. In the kitchen, the workers cook meals for more than thirty children on propane cook tops.
They only have a small tank, so when it runs out they use an old wood stove. They also need a water treatment system for the center since the water that comes into the center does not meet quality standards.
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The kitchen facilities at the Malnutrition Center. |
Pictured at left is the kitchen area in the Malnutrition Center where food is prepared for nearly 40 children every day. The staff have to use an old wood stove to prepare the meals when the small propane tank that heats their regular stove runs out.
Testimonials from Mission Trip Participants
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Tracey Russell
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Within the first five minutes of walking into the Malnutrition Center, this little fellow ran up to me and reached his arms up to be held. My heart instantly melted. He had a precious face, beautiful dark hair, and was wearing tiny gray pants. I gave him my best mommy snuggle and held him like I used to hold my little boys. What an experience!
Tracey Russell
Lakeland, FL
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Grant Carlson
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The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes did a fantastic job organizing our family mission trip to Guatemala. It was the perfect balance of work and play. I also felt that every precaution was taken to make us feel safe and protected. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone considering serving with their family on an overseas mission trip.
Grant Carlson
Lakeland, FL
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Tanis Kuntz
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Traveling with the Florida Baptist Children Homes to Guatemala was much more than I imagined it would be. The Guatemala countryside and community was a rich cultural experience. The needs of the children are heartbreaking, but we were able to do a lot for them. I thank God for this wonderful opportunity.
Tanis Kuntz
Lake Country, British Columbia
Canada
Get involved -- You can help!
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Ron Gunter with one of the children
at the Malnutrition Center.
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Also, to learn even more visit our mission trip blog at www.fbchinternationalchildcare.blogspot.com.
Click here to apply for a mission trip today!
Pictured below are participants in a recent family mission trip to
the Children’s Malnutrition Center in San Juan, Guatemala.
