Tributes have been pouring in to recognise the life of Mary Tepper (1944-2012), who sadly passed away earlier this week.

Along with her husband, Elliott, and friend Lindsay McKenzie, Mary Tepper is most prominently known for establishing Betel, an organisation that seeks to encourage every person to be effected and transformed by the power of Jesus Christ and to receive the benefits of his love; and to do so without prejudice against, or in favour of, any religion, race, sex or collective group in society. Betel is a Christian association, who places emphasis on the restoration of the personality through the gospel.

Dedicated to restoring substance dependent and marginalized people to productive and independent lifestyles, Betel maintains an ethos that is founded in historic, mainstream Christianity. Emphasis is placed on developing a holistic programme that encourages the complete physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual restoration of a personality; grounded in the Everlasting Gospel.

Betel was founded in 1985, in the inner city barrio of San Blas, Madrid, Spain when a small group of WEC International missionaries became increasingly aware of the drug problem that existed in 1980s port-Franco Spain. Providing meals, fellowship and meetings for a few drug addicts and marginalized people that lived in their neighbourhood, quickly turned into the development of rehabilitation communities across the city.

From an initial passion to respond to a localized social need, a coherent, practical and proven programme is now operating on a global level. To date, Betel is operating in over 60 urban areas in 21 nations: From Europe to Asia and Russia to the Americas. The programme has born witness to the deliverance of over 100,000 individuals from cultures around the world, who have struggled with substance abuse and addiction.

More information about the life of Mary Tepper and the work of Betel can be found by visiting the Betel website and by reading Guy Chevreau’s book We dance because We Dance Because we Cannot Fly.