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María Hamilton Makes Big Plans for Hispanic Outreach

María Hamilton, pastor of the Misión Bíblica Hispana in Simi Valley, expects to graduate with fall with an M.Div. from Fuller Seminary. A pastor for nine years, she enrolled at Fuller in order to prepare herself for ministry with the United Methodist Church.

In May, Hamilton attended the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., where she was recognized for her work with the Simi Valley Community Care Center, an organization she founded last June. During the meeting, which was attended by 600 Hispanic pastors, government leaders, and President Bush, her work was highlighted in a video produced by the event’s organizers. Afterwards she had an opportunity to share some words with President Bush.

Hamilton credits her studies at Fuller with playing a decisive role in her ministerial accomplishments. “At Fuller, I’ve made so many important connections,” she comments. “Everything that has happened in ministry during the past year has been the result of my experience here.”

While attending last year’s prayer breakfast with a group of Fuller students and pastors, she learned about faith-based social service initiatives. During a class with Dr. Juan Martínez that explored the church’s role in the community, Hamilton decided to make the vision God had given her six years earlier of a community center a reality.

With no money and a lot of faith, she opened the Simi Valley Community Care Center in a former beauty salon. With the help of church members and Martín Garcia, whom she met during a lecture at Fuller, she began to respond to the needs of the local Hispanic population, providing food baskets, computer training, and, in collaboration with the local school district, English classes.

The community response has been overwhelming. Within four months, the office was overflowing. Recently the center rented a second building, acquired a bookstore, and began offering additional services such as referrals, document translation, and health fairs. In everything, Hamilton sees God’s hand. “The Lord is the one who is putting everything together and deserves all the honor,” she emphasizes.

Hamilton has big plans for the center, including offering professional training, youth programs, support groups, and marriage seminars. “But I don’t want to only do social work,” she notes, “I want to connect people to God.”

In recognition of her accomplishments, the Simi Valley City Council recently awarded the center a $20,000 grant to further their efforts. In addition, Nueva Esperanza, Inc., highlighted the center in the video they showed at the prayer breakfast with President Bush.

After graduating, Hamilton hopes to have more time to dedicate herself to the church and community center. She admits she is sad to leave friends and even her studies. “I got married when I was 15 because I didn’t like to study,” she notes. “But now that I am older, I don’t want to stop studying!”

Hamilton will be missed. She has been active in Fuller’s Hispanic Student Association, monthly Spanish-language chapels, and making new students feel at home. “Wherever I go, I like to make a difference,” she explains.