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 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 assurances that the child will receive proper nutrition on a regular basis once they leave the facility.

There are currently more than 75 children living at the Center. However, we will have the capacity to house and serve up to 200 children once the many repairs and improvements have been made and have acquired the additional resources that are acquired to hire additional staff to care for additional children.

The History of the Malnutrition Center

The Malnutrition Center was built in the 1950s as a tuberculosis hospital, but it was converted to a care center for children by the Lion’s Club of San Juan in the 1970s. Originally the Center flourished, housing and caring for nearly 200 children. However, over the course of time funding from the Lion’s Club decreased significantly and the Center fell into disrepair.

At its lowest point the Center was only serving about 25 children and was on the brink of being shut down. The Center is now serving more than 75 children.

Making a Difference

Our mission teams along with the generous support of many donors have made an incredible difference at the Malnutrition Center. In two short years we were able to accomplish the following:

• Hired two nurses
• Hired an extra cook and cleaning person
• Purchased uniforms for all staff at the Center
• Completely remodeled the kitchen with new stoves, freezer, tile, wiring, and stainless steel tables
• Acquired two new washers and one new dryer for the laundry room
• Installed a new gas tank for the cooking and dryers

Our work is paying off. More children are getting better, faster. Having the necessary resources and medications can reduce the time a child spends at the Center from one year to six months.

You can help!

Help us as we witness the amazing miracle that is taking place at the Malnutrition Center. Go with us on one of our mission teams. We need people who can help us make repairs and improvements to the physical structure. We also need people who can play with the children, change diapers, and help feed the ones that are too weak or too young to feed themselves. We also need diapers, wipes, and nonperishable food supplies. CLICK HERE to make a contribution toward the needs of the Malnutrition Center.
Prayerfully consider becoming part of the amazing miracle that is taking place at the Malnutrition Center. Lives of precious little children are being saved and through it all God’s Kingdom is being glorified! CLICK HERE to see a list of upcoming mission trips to the Malnutrition Center and our other mission destinations.

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.

Testimonials from Mission Trip Participants to the Malnutrition Center

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

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

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