Casa Bethel Hogar (“The House of God”) opened its doors in August 1996 without water service, electricity, or furniture. A friend of the dedicated couple who founded the orphanage to house children living on the streets of Matamoros, Mexico, told the couple about Feliberto's ministry.

"When I visited the orphanage that first time in December 1996,I found a young couple with a three-month-old baby of their own, living in a place with no windows and doors, only a partial roof, in terrible conditions, caring for needy children. I knew immediately God called me to this place to support this young and dedicated couple who had given up everything to care for orphans," Feliberto said.

"The children were so skinny. On some of them, I could count the ribs. I know what starvation means. I made the decision on that first visit that I would be involved with the orphanage from that day forward. With winter coming on, I knew time was of the essence."

Since that time, volunteers from Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries have been active at Casa Bethel.

SWGSM coordinates various programs and distributes monetary gifts that help provide school scholarships, uniforms, and supplies, food, clothing, and toys.

"The door I asked God to open for this place was opened the day Feliberto came. Everything changed. Everything became different. I am so grateful to God for how he has worked through Feliberto and others to make this place possible," said Ismael Sifuentes, who with his wife, Lorena, founded the orphanage.

In 2003, Casa Bethel moved to a new facility on seven donated acres about ten miles closer to Matamoros, nearer its schools. The new campus includes separate dormitories and bathrooms for boys and girls, laundry and kitchen facilities, an office and director’s house, and a large cafeteria area that can be converted into a worship space. The orphanage is home to about 50 children (the population fluctuates) ages six to eighteen—orphans who have been abandoned, abused, neglected, and are from extremely impoverished households. The new facility was built by volunteers who continue to actively support the orphanage with children's ministries and periodic building maintenance projects.   

See more photos of the children here.