CHURCH PARTNERSHIP

Iglesia Nueva Vida Alfa y Omega

Through the Home Based Care program, this church will help meet the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of 20 families caring for orphaned and vulnerable children.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Iglesia Nueva Vida Alfa y Omega

AbOUT THE CHURCH

Iglesia Nueva Vida Alfa y Omega is located in the community of Kennedy in Zone 18 in Guatemala City, entering into the community of Santa Faz. This area is considered a “red zone,” meaning it is a poor area with an exceptionally high crime rate. This community is made of slums where people live in deep poverty.

The church was founded in 2007. Pastor Nicolás and his family have been with this church since its founding. The church has approximately 80 members and very strong, community-oriented ministries, especially ministries to children.

Despite its small size, the church has responded to the call to minister specifically to children; therefore, each week they have special services for youth. It is a church with a missionary vision, always looking for ways to take the Gospel out into the community.

Pastor Nico is enrolled in a program for pastors at the Central American Theological Seminary (SETECA) in the city. He is currently offering Bible studies for leaders as an extension of the seminary.

The church also addresses social needs by offering economic empowerment to mothers in the HBC programs of zone 18 churches. Pastor Nico and Adela are teaching the trades of leatherwork and sewing to the ladies.

Leadership

Pastor Nicolás Téllez Hernández and his wife, María Adela Donis de Téllez, have three daughters: Ruth Jasmin, Miriam Saray, and Ana Meliza Donis de López (who recently married). The entire family supports the church in various ways, and they are committed to the vision of ministering to street children and gang members.

Currently, the pastor and his wife have five homeless children living with them. They have hosted neglected children for years, usually as a result of drug and alcohol addictions or gangs.

The pastor and his family also manage a shoe business. This business helps them financially, as well as enabling them to assist children and young people. Pastor Nico hires youth in the area, while also guiding them in the knowledge of God and helping them to develop a sense of responsibility.

Home Based Care

Program Overview

The Goal

The goal of the Home Based Care (HBC) program is to equip, inspire, and mobilize churches to build relationships with at-risk families within their communities. Relationships grow through frequent visits to families in their homes to offer prayer, biblical training, counseling, and overall encouragement. To empower this wholistic approach to orphan care, World Orphans and US churches connect with Guatemalan churches to provide Gospel-centered training and funding.

Funding

Funding for the HBC program comes from a combination of church partnerships and fundraising campaigns. This funding ensures that these children receive the following:

Food

Meals served with the families and at school on a daily basis

Medical Care

Access to medical services and monitoring for specific health needs

Education

Assistance with school fees, school supplies, and tutoring

Emotional Care

Counseling and mentoring through relationships with church members

Spiritual Care

Fellowship, prayer, discipleship, and encouragment

How it Works

Vulnerable Children Identified

ChilD Selection Process

The HBC committee works to identify 20 orphaned or vulnerable children in the community who are in the greatest need. From there, they meet with the caregivers to determine if the family is a good fit for the program. The due diligence process includes completing a Child Intake Form, informing World Orphans about each child in the selection process, discovering the family/caregiver history, and providing reasons for the program selection.

Home VisitS Per Family Each YEAR

Home Visits

Each family in the program receives at least one monthly home visit from the HBC committee. These visits ensure each child is receiving proper care and meeting pre-determined milestones in his/her development. Families and children receive encouragement, discipleship, life skills training, financial support, and prayer during these visits.

Impact reports each year on church, child, and community

Program Accountability

With long-term care of each child as our goal, World Orphans is serious about ongoing accountability. World Orphans staff members frequently communicate with the Guatemalan pastors and HBC committee to monitor and assess each child and the overall structure of the program. The pastors are required to provide monthly financial reports on how funds were apportioned, as well as quarterly reports assessing the overall HBC program as it relates to the impact on the church, the children, and the community.

Partner with Iglesia Nueva Vida Alfa y Omega

Why Church Partnership?

Most children living in orphanages have at least one living parent. Working together, we help keep families together, strengthen them, and help them toward independence.

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