Our Mission

The Mission of God’s Helping Hands (Sanatorio Manos Ayudadoras) is to offer high quality health services at the lowest possible price, in order to mitigate the health ailments of the human being, and to improve the quality of life regardless of race, religion, or social status.

Our Vision

To maintain and improve our position as the first option in the area of health care for patients with less economic resources in Guatemala.

Our History

It began in 1978 the mind of Dr. Elden López, when he went to the northern part of the jungle of Petén in Guatemala to do his social service and complete his last requirement by the government to extend full privileges to practice medicine in the Republic of Guatemala.

It was a challenge to serve low-income communities (0.50 cents a day to support a family at the time) on the banks of the La Pasion River in Sayache County, with no equipment or supplies but only the desire to help. It is where he realized how great the needs of his people were.

They lacked food and education and the only food that was offered at that time, as an acceptance for their community was monkey soup. Dr. Lopez realized that he had to ... at least pretend to eat the food for acceptance in the community. "Monkey Soup" (Dr. Lopez said "It was difficult to taste the soup after seeing the Monkey heads floating in the soup and the two small eyes that look at you." At that moment he realized the great need facing this community and promised to return someday and teach them to live a more abundant life with Jesus as their hope. Dr. Lopez also realized that the most effective way to reach this remote population was through the medical-volunteers approach.

He returned in 2002 and with the help of many volunteers and the dream of having a medical clinic became a reality in the town of Machaquila, Poptun, Peten Guatemala.