Our Health Care System...

Something profound was said today (Wednesday the 19th) at Post Conference that I have at Loma Linda. My prof said that she believed that our generation and the one beneath our generation are going to make significant changes to our health care system. It is profound to me because, well...I have been thinking about how something really needs to change with regards to "heath care".

The other day, while I was frantically trying to get an immunization that I needed for my clinical rotations, I had made an appointment at a local county family health care facility. I am quite accustom to Kaiser and the private health facilities with all of the amenities; this place was nothing like Kaiser. Not only that but everyone, from the staff to the patients just looked different to me. Not different like, "Of course Mike they are not like you," but, "Wow...I have seen where 'The Least of These' are going to the doctors!" I do understand that these are people that can at the very least afford some medical benefits but just staring into the faces of these people got my brain moving beyond what I saw.

In my minds eye I began to visualize those on the streets, those who have lost everything, those who have lost hope and love and shalom. Even today (Wednesday the 19th) I got another lesson on the health care system while waiting for my TDaP shot. The facility was ran down in a three story building that looks like it needs to be imploded. All of the same people that don't "look like me" where there; the guy that paces to much do to some form of drug, the single mom with two kids that won't stop screaming (you know...the one where everyone around is judging the mothers parenting style); the gangster and his homies that are staring down everyone but all they want is an immunization. God has continued to open my eyes to those who have (me) and those who have not.



What makes me better than the least of these that I should get better health care? What makes me better than the rest of the world that I should receive or feel like I deserve better health care than the least of these? What makes me think that I am NOT apart of the least of these? or that I am NOT apart of the problem. What will our generation do for our family of human kind? Social Health care seems to be a common answer but it has shown to many holes in how it works in other countries.

So today (Thursday the 20th) I have seen a bit of my challenge to say the least. As someone apart of the heath care system I am obligated by God, no less, to turn my education around and make right what we have done wrong in God's wonderful cosmos.
Open your eyes and stretch yourself to visualize what can be fixed and that which will allow God's Kingdom to reign here on earth as it is in heaven.