Isolated by Insurance

Crissy Brooks — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:50:00 -0800

This week my neighbor, Karina, borrowed some money so she could pay a physical therapist. This summer she fell into an unmarked, open trench where our city had been doing street construction and broke her arm. It still doesn’t straighten out despite her surgery so she’s seeing a physical therapist.

Karina doesn’t have insurance so her community has rallied around her. Some neighbor ladies watched her kids during her recovery and appointments. Her husband has stepped it up at home. A friend of a friend prays with her. A doctor comp-ed his fee. I help her fill out all the paperwork. Another friend gave his law expertise toward the claim with the city.

Don’t get me wrong- I’m all for insurance. It’s just that my dependence on insurance is all part of the lie telling me I don’t need others. When I get sick, I have health insurance. When my car is wrecked, I have car insurance. When I die, my family will use my life insurance to wrap it all up. If I play this American dream right, I’ll never have to ask anyone for anything.

There are two primary results I see coming out of this isolation: I become so independent and self sufficient that I miss out on the joy of being cared for and receiving from my community and/or I become so proud in my self sufficiency that I resent when others need help and refuse to engage, also missing out on the joy of giving and serving my community.

The fact of the matter is that I am not self sufficient and the more that I think I am, the harder it is to be led by the Holy Spirit and receive God’s grace and love. Helping Karina reminds me not only that I have something to offer and contribute, but that it is all right to be the one in need. I’m confident that my community will rally around me when I need it. Karina’s grace and patience teach me how to receive love well. Working toward healing and justice together has developed a friendship that never would have evolved if all she did was send in some paperwork.

I wish Karina’s accident had not have happened. I wish we had gotten to know each other at a block party or in the park. But I’m glad that when it did happen she had more than an insurance policy to help her through.