What preceded the  "Tree of Life" Training Center in Tlancualpican?

When the GYTTE program was established in 1977 there were no funds for land or construction.  Fortunately the project was loaned the use of part of a structure  owned by the Gospel Relief Mission where they hosted a school for rural youth.   GYTTE used that facility, on the outskirts of the City of Puebla, for livestock production for thirteen years.  The animals produced were distributed to village families trained in llivestock management by the GYTTE staff. That facillity was a blessing to the program and those served. 

Formal training courses were held at facilities belonging to the state and townships when available.   Informal education was shared directly with village groupings of families right in their own communities.   Once the city grew out to the livestock facility, subdivisions and schools were constructed.  At that point the location was no longer appropriate for raising livestock and the Gospel Relief Mission decided to convert their property into an orphanage/school and church facility.

Consequently the Methodist Church of Mexico had to determine what decision they would make regarding the ministry of “Give Ye Them To Eat”:  Discontinue it or purchase property to continue and possibly expand the ministry.   The latter was the decision.

It was decided that the purchase of land and the construction of a Training Center would most benefit the limited-resource families of rural Mexico.  Mission funds were raised through the Advance Special program of the GBGM of the UMC for land purchase and in 1990, a piece of property was bought a few miles out from Tlancualpican, in the state of Puebla.  Even as the land was being developed and structures built the training program continued under trees and tarps, in rented adobe rooms and hundred year-old structures.

Although the facilities for the "Tree of Life" Training Center were dedicated in October 2000, ten years after the ground breaking ceremony, there never was a break in training and ministry as that is what GYTTE is all about.   The structures just make it that much easier for teaching and training as well as provide housing and dining facilities for the training events.

The donation of funds by families, churches, districts, and conferences as well as schools and clubs brought the pieces together to make a functional structure to serve Mexico.   The energy and hard work of individual volunteers and work teams, who joined the GYTTE staff in the actual construction of the Center, have given the Center its heart.  The “Tree of Life” Training Center for Integrated Development has been a family effort, the family of Christ!