Westmont Bethel is a Jesus-centered organization whose mission is:
Serving as Executive Directors of the Westmont Bethel Association, Salomón and Mery see the hospital as the fulfillment of a 27-year dream of serving the poor in their need. They have witnessed the countless refusals by area hospitals to attend to the poor and outcast simply because they do not have the resources to pay for the required services. They began studying medicine for that very reason and have passed their vision to their children who now run the daily operations of the hospital. They live a life of loving their neighbors and serving their community through providing medicine, food assistance, water improvement, elementary education, and collaborative housing development to better the lives of the poor around them. The hospital has been a key instrument to provide for the poorest of the poor, assuring they receive love and care without distinction of economic class or ethnicity.
Much like his parents, Daniel Hernández (‘Dany’) has grown in his love for the poor. As a little boy, he would follow his parents through the jungles of Guatemala, witnessing first hand, their love for Jesus “in the distressing disguise of the poor.” He became fascinated with the manner in which Jesus’ love could be communicated to people through medicine and committed his life’s work to sharing Jesus through medicine.
Dany currently runs a private clinic in Guatemala City that allows him to donate much of his time to the Westmont Bethel Hospital as the Chief Medical Director. Having studied in Guatemala’s prestigious La Universidad de San Carlos, Dany obtained his doctorate in General Medicine in 1987, his specialty in General Surgery in 1992 and in Vascular Surgery in 1995. His training has included travels to Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica where he studied under the leading surgeons in Central America. Considered one of the best surgeons in Guatemala, Dany has dedicated his efforts to bringing quality care to the poorest of the poor through the Westmont Bethel Hospital.
During his studies at La Universidad de San Carlos, Dany met his future wife, Rubicely (‘Ruby’) who shares his love for Jesus through serving the poor. She also earned her degree in General Medicine and continued her studies to serve women by obtaining a degree in Gynecology in 1992. Ruby currently also has a private clinic that allows her to volunteer much of her expertise at the Westmont Bethel Hospital.
Shely Hernández (Salomón & Mery’s daughter) serves as the Hospital Administrator and Laboratory Director. She is tremendously effective in the way she provides leadership to those serving with her. Recently, one of the patients recovering from surgery needed to be washed up. Thinking that Shely was one of the nurses, he asked her if she would help him. Graciously, she did, sponge bathing him as well. He asked her to clean his feet; she did. He asked her to comb his hair; she did. And after making him comfortable, she left the room to attend to other duties. After a few minutes a nurse walked in, asking him if he needed anything. He explained that the other ‘nurse’ just helped him very graciously. The nurse replied that Shely was not a nurse, but in fact was the Administrator. A bit embarrassed, he said, "You mean she’s a licenciada (a Spanish title that means one has earned an advanced degree)." The nurse said 'yes.' After a few hours the patient saw Shely again and asked her why she had bathed him. She replied, "Our motto here is that everyone serves. How could I ask someone to serve you if I don’t do it myself?"
Shely has built an extraordinary team of nurses, lab technicians and administrative assistants and has shown them by example that in order to lead, one must serve. The staff members strive to serve and love all of those who enter the hospital – as well as each other. Much like the example of Jesus, Shely has been investing in the lives of these young women, teaching them to love as God does.
Westmont Bethel takes its mandate to care for the poor after the life and teachings of Jesus and from other biblical passages:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matthew 22:37-40)
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)
"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:40-42)
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:34-40)
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:12-14)
In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1 John 3:17)
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27)
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. (Proverbs 28:27)
For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, ‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness* endures for ever.’ (2 Corinthians 9:6-9)
If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near’, and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt. Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
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Rev. Salomón Hernández Dr. Daniel Hernández Dr. Edwin Vásquez Lic. Graciela Hernández Dr. Rubicely C. de Hernández Lic. Carlos H. Muñoz |
Lic. Gustavo Sanchéz Lic. Carlos Antonio Zabaleta Marta de Alfaro Rubén Águilar Alfonzo Rodríguez |
This list represents the team of doctors who consistently dedicate much of their time to the Westmont Bethel Hospital. There are other specialists, not listed, who also give of their time and expertise at a low cost when needed.
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Dr. Marcio Camillo, General Surgery Dr. Noe Malterado, Anesthesiology Dr. Estuardo Raul Morales, Pediatry Dr. Pablo Pacheco, Pediatry Dr. Rina Peña, Nutrition |
Dr. Federico de la Roca, Anesthesiology Dr. Carlos Rodriguez, General Medicine Dr. Edwin Vasquez, General Medicine Dr. Mynor Villada, Neurosurgery Dr. Jorge Wong, Urology |