User:I.Samaniego0830/sandbox/Hands of Luke Medical Ministries, Inc.

Hands Of Luke Medical Ministries, Inc.
Hands of Luke Medical Ministries is a 501(c)(3), Non-Profit organization, that was founded in 1988 when a vision was planted in the mind of Dr. Marco A. Samaniego. With the Lord's guidance Dr. Marco, as he was called, with the assistance of Buddy Ball and Dave Reagan was able to realize that vision. Dr. Marco had a vision to provide for the underprivileged children and families of Cuidad (Cd.) Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Cd. Juarez is the sister city of El Paso, Texas and at one point was labeled as the most dangerous city in the world. Dr. Marco served as Director of the Hands of Luke Medical Ministries for 28 Years, until he was called to the presence of the Lord on April 10, 2016. Shortly after his death, the Board of Directors voted to appoint Mrs. M. Carmen Samaniego, Dr. Marco's wife and partner of over 45 years, as Director of Hand of Luke Medical Ministries, Inc.

Hands of Luke Medical Ministries (HOLMM) mission is to provide for the underprivileged as defined in the Gospel of Matthew 25: 35-36. HOLMM was started as a Medical Ministry that provided housing and medical care to children with no parents and/or family that could care for them. House of Hope or "Casa De Esperanza" provides 3 meals a day and a warm place for these underprivileged children to reside in. Aside from Casa De Esparanza (The Orphanage) Dr. Marco used his medical training to provide healthcare to the men, women, and children of Cd. Juarez, at little or no cost, who did not have enough money to pay for medical services at the Hospitals or other Medical clinics in the City. Hands of Luke Medical Ministries has many community outreaches in the outskirts of the city. These outskirts or "Colonias" are the poorest areas in Cd. Juarez and most of the people living in these areas lack electricity and running water.

"The Colonias"
The Colonias are the poorest areas in Cd. Juarez. Hands of Luke Medical Ministries, through the Grace of God and the assistance of church youth groups and other mission groups throughout the U.S, was able to build Community Centers, Nutritional Centers, and Churches for the people of these areas to enjoy. At these centers they feed thousands of Men, Women, and Children monthly that would otherwise not have a warm nutritious meal. The community centers are used to provide classes to the Women and children of the Colonias. Throughout the years Hands of Luke Medical Ministries has teamed up with hundreds of churches throughout the United States. These churches would send Mission Groups that assisted in building structures, improving old structures, and renovating Casa De Esperanza to what it is today. These mission groups also helped build the churches and community centers in the colonials. These mission groups do not come as often as before as the violence has deterred many youth groups, as they understandably do not want to place their teens in harm's way.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Outreach
The biggest annual outreach for Hands of Luke Medical Ministries began in 1994 when the Lord gave Dr. Marco a vision to feed 1000 Men, Women, and Children a Thanksgiving lunch with Turkey and all the fixings. That first year 1,500 people were fed. Every year the vision increased, and for the last 10+ years Hands of Luke Medical Ministries has been able to feed 20,000 underprivileged people a warm Thanksgiving lunch annually. In 2017, by the Grace of God, Hands of Luke Medical Ministries was able to feed 22,000 over Thanksgiving Weekend.

After successfully exceeding the goal of feeding 1000 Men, Women, and Children for Thanksgiving, Hands of Luke Medical Ministries began Operation Gift of Love, with a goal of providing 500 Children, who would not otherwise receive a gift, with a gift bag for Christmas. These gift bags contain an age and gender appropriate toy, socks, underwear, toiletries, candies, fruit, peanuts, and a Bible tract. Today, these gifts are still being provided and over 5500 underprivileged children annually are receiving a gift.