Medical Clinic

Each year Sojourn Community Church holds a free medical clinic for the Shelby Park community. Now, I know that for you economist out there that just read that first sentence you're thinking "there is no such thing as free lunch." You're right, the medical clinic was not entirely free. People gave up their time that could have been spent doing something else or getting paid for the services they offered that day. God called each volunteer to serve at the medical clinic and they were obedient. That obedience allowed for the Shelby Park community to have needs met that day that otherwise may not have happened.

Let me give you a little more of an idea of what exactly the medical clinic had to offer.

1. There were advocates who walked each individual through the medical clinic and offered a listening ear and friendship.

2. There were nurses and Doctors who attended to the needs of these individuals.

3. There were people who offered hearing and vision testing.

4. There were Dentists who attended to the needs of these individuals.

5. There was a room full of food, toiletries, and other household items people may need as well as an over-the-counter pharmacy.

6. There were massage students who offered ten minute massages

7. There were people who help set-up and break-down the entire clinic

8. There were people who helped serve a hot lunch, fill out medical papers and contact cards, and making sure things went smoothly

9. There were people who preached sermons and shared stories to rooms full of people who may or may not be listening

This list only shows a small portion of what the clinic covers. I myself was an advocate and was blessed with the opportunity to walk a local woman through the clinic. This woman was so kind and sweet. She continued to repeat to me how nice it was that we were doing this for the community. I was appreciative of her appreciation but found myself thinking "This is the church doing what the church is supposed to do....why should we be thanked?" I'm still not 100% sure what the answer to that question would be or why it kept popping into my head that day, but I will say that it has me constantly thinking and asking myself whether or not I am being obedient to the call God has given each Christian to be like him and to reach out to even "the least of these," to those that are hard to love, and to those who are easy to love. This woman that I walked through the clinic was such a blessing to me. I'm curious to know what it would look like for each church to be obedient to God and actually be the church rather than just some building where people meet once or twice a week. Imagine the amount of love that would be poured out among people and how many needs would be met. How much grace would we see? How much would we learn from these experiences? Oh, to know and see the answers to these questions!