aboutus

Harvesting in Spanish (HIS) was founded in 1977 by Don and Rose Ann Benner. HIS started out as a literature ministry and support to help children with their education. At the beginning of the 12-year El Salvador Civil War, the Benners saw that many children had needs beyond just education. Many had been left homeless and orphaned when their parents were killed in the war, or fled the country as refugees, leaving their children behind. They started by helping 13 children and the number of children slowly grew to more than 65 children in 1998. Children in the Shalom Children's Home in the town of Santo Tomas, located 30 kilometers from the capital city of San Salvador, receive food, clothes, housing, medical attention, loving care, and a Christian education. Children over 6 years old are not admitted to the Home, and there is no age requirement for leaving the Home. HIS cares for 70 children in their Shalom Children's Home (Hogar Infantil Shalom), located in the San Salvador town 1/2 hour from the capital called Santo Tomas. The children range in age from newborns to 21 years old and receive shelter, clothing, food, medical care, education and life skills training, in a Christian environment. The home is supported by the HIS child sponsorship program.
	The first Christian Bookstore opened by the Benners in 1977 was located in a shopping center in San Salvador.
	HIS is an independent, non-profit interdenominational evangelical mission committed to advancing the gospel in El Salvador through literature distribution, church planting, and the investment in young lives by instilling Christian values and hope for a brighter future than what they had known before. The expectation is that these young people will be the agents of change for their nation as they grow up. Opportunities for missionary service are open for teams, couples, families, and individuals to serve in areas such as construction projects, maintenance, teaching english, physical education, child care, secretarial and clerical positions, evangelism, medical and dental care, and many more. Service opportunities can range in length from 2 weeks to career service, and orientation materials are provided for preparation before coming to El Salvador. Through the help and support of people like you, a difference is being made in the lives of hundreds of children. As these children grow, they are being equipped to bring a lasting change to their country, El Salvador.

In 1996, the Benners opened the Shalom Children's Home, near the capital, San Salvador.