“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”
As I read this passage, I was reminded that we need to hear about the marvelous stuff God does! As the Executive Director at Lahai Health I have a front row seat and see God do His marvels daily. One of them is right outside my door: a beautiful 40-foot mobile medical clinic named “HOPE.” Have you heard how she came to be here?
In an amazing way, God orchestrated getting the vehicle to us. One spring morning more than a year ago, I received an email advertising a mobile medical clinic for sale from the manufacturer in Ohio. It was 10 years old with 17,000 miles. The price: $25,000.
That had to be a typo, right? New vehicles like HOPE are typically $250,000-$500,000! I called immediately to ask for the correct price. It WAS the correct price. The representative explained that since it was used, they could not hold it. The first person to arrive, with check it hand, would get the vehicle.
We wasted no time! Early the next morning, a volunteer and I were on a plane, flying to Ohio. God even arranged thunderstorms for us. Due to the weather, flights were delayed for several hours in Chicago. It was the perfect time for me to call each Lahai Health board member, tell them of the situation, and make sure we were all in agreement. I was even able to call a mechanic in Ohio to arrange to get the vehicle checked over. By the time I finished all the phone calls, the storms had subsided and we were able to board our last flight, arriving in Ohio about midnight.
Morning came quickly, but I was too excited to feel tired. We arrived at the manufacturer and in no time were on board a beautiful mobile medical clinic. The floor plan was almost identical to what we had mapped out as the best layout for the patients we would serve. We toured the factory and saw how the vehicles were put together. By early afternoon, we were ready to make the purchase. I handed over that check representing gifts from so many of you, and the vehicfle was ours!
That summer, the manufacturer made minor changes in the floor plan and added the graphic design. By July, HOPE was ready for her cross-country trip to Seattle. She arrived July 29, 2010, God’s miracle and gift to the people of Puget Sound.
Since then, several churches have come forward to partner with us to provide health care to low-income people who do not have health insurance. More than 400 volunteers have joined our volunteer corps.
Primary health care is being provided in Snohomish, Bothell/Kirkland, Bellevue, Shoreline, and soon—Edmonds!
But the need is great! Did you know that more than 30,000 low-income Washingtonians lost Medicaid coverage this year? We’ve all heard about the proposed state budget cuts. Washingtonians in need may lose the state’s Basic Health Plan, Children’s Health Insurance Plan, Maternity Support Services, and more…
While it’s too soon to know which programs will actually be eliminated, we know that some will, at a time when so many have lost jobs and insurance. The need continues to increase.
God, because he knows the future, has provided a beautiful tool in HOPE, our mobile medical clinic. It is available to serve so many who need health care. But we need you! This is a big job, one that requires God’s people to work together and with others in the community. Can you help?
We’d love to hear from you if you have ideas or want to join with us, helping meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs of so many who cannot afford health care. Share your thoughts here or send me an email at dianes@pschristianclinic.org.
