Meeting Urgent Needs - no strings attached

Chuck Bomar — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:04:46 -0700

On Saturday we put on a free clinic for under-insured people. There were over 1000 people that showed up. Appointments started at 8am, but the line began way before that! When we opened the doors, the energy was amazing! So fun to be able to bring a hot cup of coffee to these people and just hear why they came. We had to completely transform a high school to make everything happen (picture of one of 3 dental rooms on right), but by doing so we were able to offer:

Medical examinations (including X-rays and free prescriptions)
Dental Work (cleaning, extractions, fillings – also included X-rays)
Vision Testing (including free eye glasses to anyone in need)
Podiatry (foot care)
Immunizations (gave out over 600 shots)
Lunch (hamburgers, hot dogs, turkey sandwiches, pizza)

It really was amazing. Our social service fair and all-day childcare proved to be a huge success too. But it wasn’t just about the one day event. We followed up with every person at the clinic to take careful note of any of their ongoing needs. We met their urgent needs (Titus 3:14), but we knew there was much more. So, we took all of those needs and placed them on a brand new website we developed for this type of thing. Now there is a way for Christians to follow up and make more sustainable relational connections with the people that showed up to get served. If you want to check out this site, it’s: www.iampeople.org. We are in the very beginning stages of this and plan on continuing to develop the functionality and breadth of what we can do through this site. But you might want to consider using it for your community as well….it’s also free to use.

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.