In 2003, Ron Morin founded Manos de Jesús after 20 years of ministry throughout the United States and Central America. During one of his trips through Guatemala, he arrived in Chichicastenango, where God spoke to him and called him to stay and set down roots. Ron often said, “I would rather be obedient than right,” so he obeyed and followed God's call to Chichi.

Guided by James 1:27, caring for orphans and widows, Manos de Jesús began its work in a community deeply scarred by 36 years of civil war. The ministry started with nutrition and discipleship programs for children and widows, along with practical projects like building homes, installing stoves and water filters, and constructing sanitation facilities. Over the years, as the work grew, God provided for the purchase and restoration of Monteflor, a 60 acre campus located just outside the center of Chichicastenango. Today, Monteflor serves as our main home base hosting impact teams, housing missionaries and volunteers, and providing a retreat space for like-minded churches and organizations.

From the beginning, Manos de Jesús has existed to walk alongside children, families, and communities with the love of Christ in both word and action. Our desire is not simply to run programs or complete projects, but to build long-term relationships where people are known, loved, encouraged, and supported in practical ways.

That legacy lives on today through the everyday work of Manos de Jesús: children learning in classrooms, families being visited in their homes, students growing through soccer and mentorship, local leaders being equipped, and practical needs being met through partnership. Much of the work happens in ordinary moments that may not always look dramatic, but over time become deeply transformational.