About the Workers
Latino men, primarily from Guatemala and Mexico, work as temporary foreign agricultural laborers on local farms, often laboring for up to 13 hours a day, 6 days a week! This leaves little time to cook, do laundry, or go grocery shopping. Although, they earn significantly more than they would in their countries, they do this to support their families back home where they send most of their earnings. Despite the financial gain, they experience isolation due to being away from loved ones, communities, and support systems, a separation that can last around a year. Cultural and language barriers contribute to their sense of confinement, making it difficult to connect with both the local community and fellow workers on the farms.
How do we support
LWSS (Latino Workers Support Society) builds pathways that connect isolated foreign workers with a supportive community. By improving the quality of life for those struggling locally, we create a ripple effect that carries the message of Christ to faraway nations and forward to future generations.
LWSS exists to alleviate emotional suffering and provide a path out of social isolation. By creating a means to a well- balanced life outside of work we impart the love of Jesus and plant seeds of faith. We are an organization through which the Gospel message is shared.
Our heart is for spiritual and emotional health, but also physical wellbeing of the workers. They are often ill-prepared for the colder climate and living conditions. Proper apparel, bedding, and self-care products can be difficult to obtain. Working in a foreign country while not speaking the language creates many obstacles to a good quality of life; organizing medical or dental appointments is nearly impossible. LWSS works to provide these basic needs and amongst other critical support services. Our efforts focus on the local Latino workers, but there is a ripple effect. Future generations around the world are impacted as these men are able to provide for their families and impart God’s love to their kids—passing forward what they have experienced here in our community.
LWSS exists to alleviate emotional suffering and provide a path out of social isolation. By creating a means to a well- balanced life outside of work we impart the love of Jesus and plant seeds of faith. We are an organization through which the Gospel message is shared.
Our heart is for spiritual and emotional health, but also physical wellbeing of the workers. They are often ill-prepared for the colder climate and living conditions. Proper apparel, bedding, and self-care products can be difficult to obtain. Working in a foreign country while not speaking the language creates many obstacles to a good quality of life; organizing medical or dental appointments is nearly impossible. LWSS works to provide these basic needs and amongst other critical support services. Our efforts focus on the local Latino workers, but there is a ripple effect. Future generations around the world are impacted as these men are able to provide for their families and impart God’s love to their kids—passing forward what they have experienced here in our community.
Who are Kim & Jon
Kim and Jon Pelen are a couple who serve the community in Delta, B.C. Kim, originally from the Lower Mainland of B.C., trained as an accountant and had a strong desire for missionary work, which eventually led her to Guatemala. Jon was born in Villa Nueva, Guatemala, and grew up in a children's home where he developed a passion for serving God and his community.
The two met in Guatemala during one of Kim's trips, and after several visits, they got married in 2015. They planned to serve together in Guatemala, but due to Kim's health issues they had to stay in Canada. There, they discovered a ministry for Spanish-speaking migrant workers from Guatemala and Mexico in Delta. This ministry allows them to continue serving the Guatemalan community in Canada, offering support, spiritual guidance, and help with integration.
“When we couldn’t go to Guatemala, God brought Guatemala to us”
The two met in Guatemala during one of Kim's trips, and after several visits, they got married in 2015. They planned to serve together in Guatemala, but due to Kim's health issues they had to stay in Canada. There, they discovered a ministry for Spanish-speaking migrant workers from Guatemala and Mexico in Delta. This ministry allows them to continue serving the Guatemalan community in Canada, offering support, spiritual guidance, and help with integration.
“When we couldn’t go to Guatemala, God brought Guatemala to us”
