Guatemala

Overview

While Guatemala may be known for incredible Mayan ruins and aromatic coffee, it is a country that struggles with deep poverty and tragic social issues. While not typically considered a “third-world nation”, Guatemala ranks 3rd worst in the world in child nutrition and has become a leading participant in human trafficking. In both rural areas and cities, thousands of children are victimized through abuse, forced labor and absolute neglect.

Facts

Fifty-six percent of children live on $2/day or less and suffer from chronic malnutrition.
Over 31% of children never start school and less than one-third of children will complete 9 years of school.
More than 29% of all children in Guatemala are involved in child labor before the age of fourteen.
Guatemalan girls are frequent victims of trafficking, sexual abuse and neglect.


Featured Staff Corbey and Janie Dukes	Featured Program Source of Hope Care Center Sponsorship

Helping the Children

In response to these needs, Kids Alive has developed integrated ministries focused in two distinct areas. Kids Alive Guatemala has a unique ministry as part of a system for rescuing, healing and restoring girl victims of sexual and physical abuse. We provide residential care through the Oasis and extended care through Keeping Families Together and Casa Ester. All three ministries work together to provide the emotional, spiritual and physical care girls need to recover from sexual trauma. We also partnered with a local Guatemalan church, Iglesia Galilea, to bring nutrition, Christian education, and family discipleship to the remote village of Zapote through the Source of Hope.

Ministry Sites

The Oasis
Source of Hope Care Center
The Oasis Keeping Families Together
Casa Ester

Missionaries

Corbey and Janie Dukes
Doug and Sara Johnson
Patricia Hoeksema
Jenny Johnson
Addie Ridgeway
Debora Rock
Josh and Susan Ma
Renae Wolf
Betsy Baker
Sarah Eddy

Support The Oasis

The Oasis

The Oasis is a residential home for Guatemalan girls. None of the Oasis girls are true orphans but have been abandoned or abused. Most were forced into child labor, experienced physical and sexual abuse, and, unfortunately, all too often all three. They come to the Oasis with the scars of exploitation.

At the Oasis, they reside in an environment where they can live in family units with Guatemalan house-parents. They also attend school (many for the first time) and have access to therapy to heal emotional scars. Central to their home at the Oasis is the knowledge that they are loved, protected and introduced to Jesus - who can provide the true healing they need.

Support Source of Hope Care Center

Source of Hope Care Center

The Source of Hope Care Center opened its doors in July, 2006, in the town of Zapote – a remote area where food, work, and education are scarce. This ministry is a partnership between Kids Alive and Iglesia Galilea, a local church. It began with forty preschoolers and has since grown to 100 children from preschool to fourth grade. Here they receive a solid education, health services and a nutrition program – often the only meals they receive each day. A new building has just been completed where we plan to expand to sixth grade and develop community outreach programs. Kids Alive and Iglesia Galilea are working to develop nutrition, education and discipleship programs for the children and their parents as we believe that the Gospel can transform this village.

Support Corbey and Janie Dukes

Corbey and Janie Dukes

Corbey and Janie Dukes first came to Kids Alive Guatemala in 2000 by leading numerous short-term mission teams from their home church, where Corbey served as Administrative and Missions Pastor. In 2009 Corbey became our Kids Alive Field Director for Guatemala, providing leadership for all Kids Alive ministries there, while Janie works in nutrition management and staff care, and supports medical mission clinics.

Corbey has a degree in Computer Engineering and an MBA from Clemson University as well as a Masters in Religion from Liberty University. Janie has a Master of Science in Nutrition from Auburn University and is a registered dietitian. They have two daughters, Carlie and Maggie.

Support Doug and Sara Johnson

Doug and Sara Johnson

Doug and Sara Johnson started their ministry with Kids Alive International in 2000 when Doug volunteered his construction skills to help with an expansion of the US office. A year later, the entire family was heading to Guatemala to serve as long-term missionaries. Doug now heads up the Construction-Maintenance of the children’s homes and other facilities while Sara works as the sponsorship facilitator and team coordinator.

A graduate in Christian Education from Moody Bible Institute, Doug previously provided construction supervision to Helps International Ministries. Sara also attended Moody Bible, is a Licensed Practical Nurse, and worked as a crisis pregnancy counselor. Doug and Sara have five children: Scott, Emily, Bryan, Neal, and Jared.

Support Patricia Hoeksema

Patricia Hoeksema

Patricia Hoeksema has served in Guatemala with Kids Alive since 2002. She is currently on loan from Kids Alive to Galilea Church in San Lucas, Guatemala where she serves as the Education Director of the church's "Fuente de Esperanza" (aka Source of Hope) educational program. Patricia's role includes leading teacher trainings and working alongside the Guatemalan school directors of 3 Guatemalan Christian schools to ensure that the 200 children enrolled in this program receive spiritual guidance, nutritious meals, medical care as well as academic education.

Support Jenny Johnson

Jenny Johnson

Jenny is from East Greenbush, NY. She felt called to missions at an early age. Jenny received a degree in secondary mathematics education and a minor in Bible from Cedarville University. It was during this time at Cedarville that she was able to go on several short term missions trips (to Guatemala and Ecuador) and fell in love with the culture and people of Central America. Since graduating from college, Jenny spent a year teaching high school math in Guadalajara, Mexico and several months working in Belize. God used these experiences to further clarify her calling to missions and her call to work with teenagers. Jenny is currently preparing for a two year commitment of service working with teenage girls at the Oasis in Guatemala. She will be working with the girls ages 15 and up and with the transition program. Through this ministry she hopes to build relationships with the girls, help with tutoring, and disciple the girls showing them God’s love in action.

Support Addie Ridgeway

Addie Ridgeway

I received the opportunity to serve the Lord with Kids Alive soon after graduating from North Greenville University in 2010 with a degree in early childhood education. While at North Greenville, the Lord called me to overseas missions. I went on a mission trip to Ecuador where the Lord led me to serve children in Latin America by showing them His love. I will be serving in Guatemala at the Oasis tutoring girls to become ready to enter school.

Support Debora Rock

Debora Rock

The Lord has led me to Guatemala in order to serve my people and His children. I am originally from Guatemala and lived there for 7 years, until I was adopted. I have a heart for missions, and have been on several trips with my churches. I will be living and working at the Oasis Center in Guatemala for two years as their communications coordinator.

Support Josh and Susan Ma

Josh and Susan Ma

Josh and Susan both have a desire to help the spiritually and physically poor through Christ's love. After their marriage in 2007 they began looking for opportunities to serve over-seas. They were attracted to the holistic approach that Kids Alive International takes in their ministries, and are now looking forward to serving with the Guatemala Kids Alive team. Josh will be working on outreach projects in Zapote. Susan will be working at The Oasis in the transition program with the girls ages 18+.

Josh has his Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from the University of Texas and received a certificate of Theology from the College of Biblical Studies. Susan also went to CBS and received her Bachelor's Degree in Biblical Counseling, and an Associate Degree in English from Blinn College. Both are excited to join the ministry in Guatemala soon.

Support Renae Wolf

Renae Wolf

Renae is a 2011 graduate from Cedarville University where she earned a BA in Spanish and minored in Bible and Psychology. She especially loves watching the Lord reach the hearts of children and work His redemption in their lives. Renae is excited to show His love to the special children she is about to meet in Guatemala!

Support The Oasis Keeping Families Together

The Oasis Keeping Families Together

The overwhelming majority of Kids Alive Guatemala Oasis girls have come by court order because of abuses suffered in their home. A significant percentage of Oasis girls will be sent home before their families are healed. Without our continued support, the girl will likely return to a home of poverty, emotional pain, lack of education and, most importantly, spiritual darkness.

Our Oasis Keeping Families Together initiative helps provide the needed continued support. Soon after a child is rescued and arrives at the Oasis, our team of Christian social workers and therapist begins an assessment and plans for family reconciliation. We’ll then begin a ministry toward healing, working with both the Oasis girl and her family. Our goal is to make significant progress, introducing the entire family to the healing power of the Gospel through Christian family therapy.

If the girl is reunited with her family, Keeping Families Together will continue by supporting her education, and monitoring the physical, emotional and spiritual health of the family.

Support Casa Ester

Casa Ester

Casa Ester was borne from a need to provide safe transitional housing for children who grew up in the Oasis. We found that though our legal responsibility ended when they reached 18 years of age, our moral responsibility had not.

Casa Ester is located on a separate campus in San Lucas and provides supervised independent living for our residents. There is an option to be enrolled in the program or live with family. In either case, Kids Alive provides support for continued higher education and discipleship support. To enter Casa Ester, a young lady from the Oasis must have a life plan and letters of recommendation. During her time in Casa Ester she will also have a minimum of 40 hours of combined work and school. The goals is to help them move into a life independent of Kids Alive support, but still dependent on Jesus Christ to meet all their needs.

Support Betsy Baker

Betsy Baker

I had the opportunity to serve as an intern with Kids Alive in Guatemala one summer while I was in college. After graduating from Clemson University in 2011, I felt that Guatemala was the place for me. For the past two years I've taught 2nd and 5th grade in a small school in Myrtle Beach, SC. Through much prayer and support, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work further in Guatemala with girls and to prepare them for a successful academic future!

Support Sarah Eddy

Sarah Eddy