July 16, 2011 by Elizabeth Brill 0 comments

"But the Church in America must confront the uncomfortable challenge of being endowed with an abundance of blessings in an extremely poor world." -Richard Stearns

Today the Summit Church hosted a full-day health clinic at Samaritan Health Center.  They organized transportation, food, and volunteers in order to offer medical and dental care to 50 patients from three different countries.

Years ago, when I was deciding whether to move overseas, a friend told me that it would likely grow me in empathy because I would be walking in others' shoes as a foreigner, a stranger building a life in a different land.  His words came back to me today as I got a tiny but eye opening glimpse of navigating American health care when you come from a very different culture and language.   

In Matthew 25, Jesus says, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me [...] Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (vv. 35, 36, 40)

We plan to follow up with many of these patients who would like continued health support.  It is a natural response to the mercy and hope we have experienced because Christ came to our world as a stranger.

Huge thanks go to Chris Evans and the entire Summit team--it's a joy to see the skills of different members of the Body of Christ coming together on days like today (Romans 12:4-6a).