San Lucas Tolimán – More than just a Medical Doctor

Dr. Tun, a gentle man, soft spoken, very gracious, hardworking, and the most humble person I have met in my life.

Dr. Tun’s story began at the hospital in San Lucas Tolimán 19 years ago, he had been sent to medical school after his older brother, who was the one studying to be a doctor, passed away in a car accident. He originally wanted to go to law school, but his brother’s goal to help others was an inspiration for him to change careers and figure out how to do the same. And he has been working hard since then.

As the only physician attending to the hospital on a regular basis, he has conducted very basic clinics every day since 1997. He explains doing this as “an assistance to what people cannot get from the government hospitals in Guatemala.” Solola, where the nearest government hospital is located, is at least an hour away—making it hard for many to get the hospital, especially the elderly.

I remember so well 10 years ago, when we visited the hospital on that initial mission scouting trip. There was nothing that Dr. Tun could not make happen to have our team come and use the facilities. We were his first team, and he has delivered not only us, a working medical team, but in large to his community by coordinating, assisting and adding six other teams from all over the United States to use his hospital through the year, providing much needed assistance to a region now, not only his small town.

“I cannot explain how I feel,” says Dr Tun, “I have seen the evolution of this place. Everything has changed, the community has grown and that has made the needs greater. That has pushed us to grow! Our greater purpose is to help as many people as we can in this hospital.

Mission team like Medical Missions Foundation, are doors to obtain that help for the community. Teams like this one, do so many things for this community besides the medical work, that is why we call them miracles”.