San Juan, Guatemala
Acción Médica Integral San Lucas
Good health isn’t only obtained inside a doctor’s office, it’s also a function of improving the community outside the clinic walls.
Those are key components to the medical model of Acción Médica Integral (AMI) San Lucas in San Juan, La Laguna, Guatemala.
“I thank the Lord for allowing me to have contact with people on a clinical level, and also to be able to go out into the communities and live with them in their community,” said ministry director Dr. Israel Hernandez. “We do all our work as an extension of the Kingdom, where people can hear, see and experience the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Since 2003 AMI San Lucas has been fulfilling its call to strengthen and enrich the mountain communities around Lake Atitlán through health and economic initiatives. Some of the areas include: food security, church involvement, youth development and empowering women ― all taught through a Biblical perspective.
In 2024, the ministry opened a new medical clinic to improve health care options in San Juan for the vulnerable population. Clinic services include general consultations, visits from specialists, lab testing, pharmacy and soon dentistry.
Dr. Israel Hernandez
About the ministry:
Name: Acción Médica Integral San Lucas
Location: San Juan, Guatemala
Director: Dr. Israel Hernandez
Partnership: 2004-present
Staff: 10
PMT: Paul and Sue Soper; Dr. Peter and Ann Dieleman; Joy Berends (alumni).
Our mission:
“As instruments of God, we long for the integral transformation of communities, seeking their well-being, accompanying them and enhancing their development process.”
Why I love being a director:
“I like to serve people, listen to them, accompany them and to be used by God to heal their physical and soul wounds.”
About Guatemala:
Population: 17.4 million
Size: 108,889 sq. km, or slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Capital: Guatemala City
Borders: Mexico to the north and west; Belize, Honduras and El Salvador to the east; Pacific Ocean to the south.
Religious groups: Catholic, 41.7; Protestant-evangelical, 38.8.
Primary language: Spanish
Literacy (age 15+): 80.8%
Physician density: 0.36 doctors per 1,000 people.
Population below international poverty line: 59.3%
Life expectancy: 72.6 years
Infant mortality rate: 26.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Major exports: Sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits, vegetables, precious stones and metals
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid in the lowlands; cooler in the highlands.
Terrain: Mostly mountainous with narrow coastal plains.
