El Salvador: Sonsonate, October 17 - 25, 2025
Mission Purpose – To bring compassionate care and the message of the Gospel to the people of Sonsonate, El Salvador.
Mission History: The first mission trip to Sonsonate, El Salvador was in 2001.
To date, HHMM has conducted 19 missions to this region of El Salvador. Close to 681 missionaries have attended to the needs of over 41571 patients. Over 892 surgeries have been conducted and over 268 people have been treated by our dentists.
We have been able to develop good relationships with many people in the region with the support of the local HHMM-Committee. Our future plans include continuing to work in the region of Sonsonate. Our team has been well received by the communities in need. With the support of Msgr. Constantino Barrera, Bishop of Sonsonate Diocese; we set up makeshift clinics in parishes of the communities in need. The Health Board Ministry continues to grant us the necessary permission and grant us the permits to practice medicine in El Salvador.
Local Needs – The mission setting is both Urban and rural. Local maladies include: Hypertension, diabetes, respiratory and gastric infections, skin diseases, etc.
Additional Items needed – Medications, wheelchairs, crutches, and other medical equipment. These items are needed to ship two months ahead of the mission.
Vaccination: Routine vaccines, Hepatitis A and Typhoid
Surgical: This is a surgical mission.
Types of specialties needed for this mission:
- Family Medicine Providers (Physicians, Physician Assistants (PA's), Nurse Practitioners (NP’s)
- Surgery: General surgeons
- Anesthesia: Anesthesiologist and CRNA's
- Dentistry: Dentists and Dental Hygienists
- Optometrists
- Pharmacists and pharmacy Techs
- Nursing: RN’s and LVN’s
- OR personnel: Scrub and Circulating Nurses or Techs
- Physical Therapist and Chiropractor
- Counseling
- Natural Family Planning Instructors
- Non-medical volunteers
Climate
The average temperature in San Salvador in October is warm at 22 °C (71.6 °F). Afternoons can be hot with average high temperatures reaching 27 °C (80.6 °F)
Mission Chaplain
Thank you for your interest in serving as a Missionary Chaplain. Upon commitment to a mission, you will receive a list of responsibilities and duties, which we require of each Chaplain. If you have any questions regarding the program please contact Lupita Assad.
See the application page for more information.
Mission Leadership
Medical Director: Michael O'Donnell, MD
Home State: Nebraska
Missions attended: 25
Years serving as Mission Director: 3
Meet the Medical Director
Michael O'Donnell, MD
Home State: Nebraska
Missions attended: 25
Years serving as Mission Director: 3
Meet the Missionaries
The reason why I love doing service work is because of the fact that I know I have tried to improve this world. I can‘t cure cancer but I can put a smile on a face."
There is something so contagious about giving back to the community, but I am not here to blab about myself, I am here to send forth the message that great things are happening in this troubled world. Read more
Ana Caballero
Meet the Missionaries
It has truly been a life-changing experience for me... I always return from the missions with a renewed energy."
My favorite memory while on a mission was in San Juan Sacatapequez, Guatemala in October 2007, I believe that God placed us there for a very specific reason. We were set up in a remote clinic in the hills... Read more
Michael Brezinsky, MD