More about AMG Guatemala - Cubulco

AMG Guatemala - Cubulco Ministries


Many of you know that AMG Guatemala operates Christian childcare centers and schools in different locations around Guatemala. And while this comprises a large percentage of our ministry here, there are several other parts to the ministry. Today I'd like to share about another part of AMG's ministry in Guatemala. For the past 20 years, in the remote town of Cubulco, located north of Guatemala City (four hours by car), AMG has been ministering to thousands of people each year. You may recall part of AMG's worldwide mission statement - "to express the compassion of Christ as the Lord gives us opportunity and means to do so".

The ministry in Cubulco, which is really four-fold, is one of the ways that this is done.

1. Señorita Elena Hospital - located in the center of this town of 5,000 people with thousands more located in the surrounding remote towns and villages, AMG's facility serves as the only hospital in this geographic area. It offers general health care services, emergency services and 24 hour 7 day a week operating hours. More than 15,000 patients a year are seen at the hospital.

Our staff includes four full time doctors, a team of nurses, a radiologist, lab technician, a pharmacist and several others who have support and administrative roles. A few times each year, we host visiting surgical teams to help perform needed surgeries. By year end 2008, we will also be starting a part time surgical program to help fill in the gaps when surgeries are needed at other times of the year.

For nearly two decades, the Otten family(John, Connie and 5 children) lived in Cubulco and John served as our administrator for the hospital and other ministries. In May of 2007, after their years of exemplary service, the Ottens moved back to Canada, their home country. Since December of 2007 a national couple, Julio and Veronica Cárdenas(along with their son and daughter), now live and serve as leaders of our ministry. (pictured in top photo)

Here are some more photos of the hospital and staff:


Four of the nurses with newborn babies:


The night before our visit, twins were born at the hospital. Two girls! Ruth, from our central office, enjoying the newborns.




Front of Hospital/Waiting Area


2. Nutrition Center - alongside the hospital facility is our Nutrition Center. Each year malnourished children are enrolled into our program along with their mothers or caregivers. The enrolled children are fed nutritious meals and together with their moms are taught many things. The moms are trained in how to properly feed and care for their children in order for them to overcome their malnutrition and other health issues. Each time they come to the center, they are taught things like:

- how to prepare healthy and nutritous meals

- how to properly care for their children and home

- how to grow some of their own food at home

- how to be a godly wife and mother

The staff at the Nutrition Center also conducts home visits each month to check on the conditions of each home.

Here are some pictures from the Nutrition Center:

Celestina and Maria, employees of the Nutrition Center


Mothers assisting in food preparation


Some of the prepared vegetables


One of the moms with her 3 year old daughter, Evelyn. Evelyn came to the program at 2 years old, very underweight and prone to sickness. She has gained 8 pounds and is doing much better.



3. Agriculture/Livestock Program - AMG owns a large tract of land in another part of Cubulco. Using this land, AMG hosts an agriculture program for local farmers. Each of them rents one or more "cuerda" of land (12 meters squared) and is taught how to properly farm their land. Currently we have 20 renters. Each one attends to their land and also attends a training once each month given by our staff. A "model" plot is located at the entrance, is cared for by our employees and is used as an example to the other farmers. One plot is now also used to teach the moms from the Nutrition Center how to grow certain types of crops. They care for their crops and the food is used to prepare meals at the center and also for them to take home to cook for their families.

Also, several portions of our land are rented out to cattle owners to keep their livestock. Currently, we have 34 animals that graze on the property. Here's a few pictures of the property:


Sign at entrance


Working the crops


Along with the above programs, one of our employees travels to 7 different rural towns in the mountains surrounding the Cubulco area. He meets with local families, vaccinates their animals, helps them with their crops, and shares Bible devotions with them as well.

William, our agriculture promoter


I'd like to finish the post by thanking the Otten Family for their years of dedicated service to the Lord here in Guatemala with AMG in Cubulco. Many of the programs and ministries described above were developed and implemented by them. They lived in Cubulco and were a powerful testimony for the Gospel for many years. One day they will undoubtedly hear the Lord say "well done, good and faithful servants".

The Otten Family several years ago

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Bob & Robin,
Thanks for the blog and we are grateful for your dedication to the work in Guatemala. Thanks also for the appreciative comments about the Otten Family! We pray for you all often and hope to see you again in February. Love & Prayers, Paul & Laurina VanderSloot

August 23, 2008 at 9:09 PM

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