Ilopango, El Salvador June 16 - June 24/2018, SR1373

This trip is now closed.  Please check out our other opportunities at www.ghotrips.org.

We welcome physicians, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, first responders, dental hygienists, dental assistants, physical/occupation therapists, students, logistics (non-medical helpers), and a trip photographer/videographer on all of our general medicine and dentistry trips.

Come and join us for this rewarding and delightful outreach to a poor community in a mountainous region in El Salvador. Ilopango lies just east of the capital of San Salvador and is located near Lake Ilopnago. The elevation allows us to have delightful weather even though we are close to the equator. Expect rain and some fog each day. About 50,000 people live in this district and have poor access to healthcare.

Ilopango is a coffee growing region along the sides of a volcano by the same name. Fortunately, the volcano has been inactive since 1917. Many of our patients work in coffee production. The beans are picked mainly November-March each year but there is a lot of work needed to maintain the coffee bushes year round. A bonus for us - we get to purchase some of the best coffee!

Pastor Rene Mejia was the first Pastor to begin hosting GHO teams dating back to 1999. His leadership help expand the GHO ministry to now be hosted by three Oasis de Gracia churches reaching across El Salvador, totaling six GHO teams a year.

A local public school, located about midway up the mountain, has hosted our GHO teams. The school principal feels this medical team brings peace, healing and hope to this under-served community.  One of the pleasures of serving this community will be working with the older students from the Oasis school as translators. They are a delightful group of Christian young men and women. Classes at their school are taught in English beginning in the first grade, which leads to superior English language skills.

The work at Ilopango is busy but at a pleasant pace. We need physicians, PAs, NPs, dermatologist, chiropractor, dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, logistics (non-medical helpers) to serve the needs of this community in the name of Jesus. While we treat physical needs, the goal of the outreach is evangelistic, and the Good News of the Gospel will be shared with all patients.

We encourage families of medical personnel to join us. We are limited to a team of 26 people because of space on our school bus and clinic building. Our hope is that a least half of the team will be medical/dental professionals or students in training. We are looking for students 12 years of age or older; the exception would be the child of a provider.

This ministry follows the command of Jesus in Luke 9:2 "and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." 

Magnify your joy in service. This ministry will be rewarding for you and great for the people of Ilopango. As the Apostle Peter says, "Use whatever gift you have to serve others."

Please email the team leader, Ron Brown [email protected], for further information.

Global Health Outreach
P.O. Box 7500 • Bristol TN 37621
Phone: 888-230-2637
Fax: 423-764-1417