In the Spring of 2005, Hospitalito Atitlan, the only inpatient medical services facility in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, a community of more than 40,000 indigenous Tz'utujil Mayan people, reponed its doors 15 years after military occupation had closed them.  Located in Panabaj, the poorest 'barrio' of the city, the Hospitalito was staffed by dedicated local and volunteer doctors and nurses. 

Dr. John Nelson, a recently retired obstetrician and gynecologist and his wife, Rita, a biochemist and veteran of a career in research, also certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, visited this largest Mayan City in the world in August of that year as part of a Hope Alliance medical journey.  They fell in love with the place and its people, and committed themselves to returning for ongoing volunteer service. 

Five months after re-opening, Hospitalito Atitlan was dramatically shut down once again by a massive mudslide resulting from Hurricane Stan’s torrential rains. The mudslide also wiped out much of Panabaj, killing hundreds of its citizens. 

Less than a month after the disaster, the totally committed medical folks and leaders of this community had identified a rental house in a safe zone of Santiago, and the services of Hospitalito Atitlan became available once again.  The Hospitalito Atitlan continues to serve the people of Santiago with 24 hour emergency and obstetrical care, including caesarian sections, still in that converted rental house.  The support for the program has been very gratifying and, through the generosity of donors, a new hospital is in the works.  A continuous stream of wonderful and selfless doctors, nurses, and other volunteers, as well as jornadas such as those from Hope Alliance, have helped to make Hospitalito Atitlan the best staffed and best equipped medical facility of its kind in rural Guatemala. There is no question that a tremendous amount of good work has been and continues to be performed by the Hospitalito and its staff.  But there is so much more which could be accomplished.  A majority of the citizens have not recognized the benefits of Western medicine, and the primary health care for most continues to be provided by the traditional shamans and comadronas (lay midwives), along with a few undertrained medical doctors.

Major health related issues such as a clean municipal water supply, a sewer system and treatment plant, and garbage pickup and a city dump remain unaddressed.  Most rural folks cook meals over open fires which burn inside the chimneyless houses, and so family members breathe smoke all day long, every day of their lives.  Respiratory diseases such as asthma are rampant, and low birth weight babies are the norm.  In addition, a great many health practices are based on superstition and ignorance.  Further, the major decision making is always in the hands of the grandmothers, who are usually the most set in their ways and distrustful of the forces of change.     

John and Rita Nelson

John and Rita have now spent the better part of two years volunteering their services at the Hospitalito, and have had the chance to become very familiar with the issues which compromise the health and quality of life of the fine people of Santiago.   As a result, they have become convinced that by far the best way to serve these fine folks is by fostering the education of the young people of the community.  This is a conclusion which has been reached by just about everyone who has volunteered here for more than a few weeks.  A training program or school course would be, by our standards, extremely inexpensive in Guatemala, but is almost always beyond the means of the indigenous young people. 

As have many others of the volunteers, the Nelsons have privately supported several deserving persons whom they’ve gotten to know, and the results have been very gratifying.

However, as they approach a time when their service to Santiago may be completed, it will become increasingly difficult to identify the deserving.  It is for this reason that John and Rita have, through The Hope Alliance, set up the Atitlan Education Resource for Opportunity, or the AERO Fund.

It is their fervent hope that this financial resource can grow and become the mechanism by which many talented and ambitious young folks, who would not otherwise have the opportunity to gain an education or training in a trade or craft, can become successful and contributing members of their society. 

 As educated young folks mature and become the decision makers in their pueblo, they will begin to demand such amenities; better schools, a safe water supply, sewage treatment, and better medical care which this community sorely needs and absolutely deserves. 

 It is the Nelsons’ firm belief that education is the key.  Jornadas of well-meaning folks into underserved locales, such as those which The Hope Alliance provides, are helpful without question.  But the primary benefit of those excursions is to open the eyes of those who are so relatively privileged to the conditions in most of the rest of the world.  Yes, much good is accomplished by those jornadas, but a change of their attitudes and expectations is what will ultimately give these folks real and lasting benefits. 

 Change will come with education of the young people.

Contributions to the AERO fund are tax deductible, and will go 100% towards the education of these very deserving young people in this wonderful town.   A committee of three selfless Santiago citizens has accepted an invitation to sign on with AERO, accepting no compensation whatsoever except the pleasure of participation in the betterment of their community. They are providing a process for the selection and supervision of qualified candidates.  The ultimate decision regarding distribution of funds is made by a special AERO committee of The Hope Alliance. 

The plan has been to establish a permanent principal which will be invested, hopefully to grow with additional contributions, so that the proceeds can be made available each year for qualified candidates in appropriate education programs.   It is the Nelsons’ vision that, as a result of AERO, Santiago Atitlan will enjoy the services of trained teachers, electricians, plumbers, and business people, as well as nurses and doctors, all of whom will become concerned citizens, far beyond the time of Rita and John Nelson.

Frequently asked questions
Memorandum of Understanding

 For more information, contact info@thehopealliance.org, or John and Rita Nelson at chemed@comcast.net.  More information regarding Hospitalito Atitlan and the community of Santiago Atitlan can be found at www.hospitalitoatitlan.org

To donate, please note on your payment that you would like the donation to go towards the AERO Fund. Donate Now