Tom Heaton

Since 2000, Tom has had a strong connection with country of Guatemala  and has worked to help make a difference in the life of the Guatemalan people.

Tom, who is a United Methodist Pastor from the Indiana conference, has two sons adopted from Guatemala.  For several years, he helped the working poor of Guatemala through the sales of fair trade crafts through a nonprofit he formed called Mayan Traditions.  Profits from the sales of the crafts were returned to Guatemala to help orphanages and children’s related ministries there.  In the fall of 2008, Bishop Michael Coyner appointed him to Mission Guatemala to do work with Project Salud y Paz.

Salud y Paz is a United Methodist related ministry that operates clinics and a preschool in the Highlands of Guatemala.  Tom is currently serving as business administrator of the project.

Tom formed Mission Guatemala in the spring of 2009.  Mission Guatemala has been approved by the IRS as a charity.  Mission Guatemala is currently trying to discern new projects they can start in Guatemala to help improve the quality of life for the indigenous people of Guatemala.  Guatemala is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere ranking fourth in the world for child malnutrition.

Tom is a 1982 graduate of the University of Evansville.  Prior to being called into ordained ministry, he served as advertising office for a Midwest bank holding company.  He received his Masters of Divinity degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.