2006 Jan Feb The Church Based Health Fair As Loving (and Threatening) Presence Craig Wong

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by  Craig Wong

ON BEING
THE CHURCH
CRAIG WONG
The Church-Based experiencing back pain and suggested On the Sunday morning leading up
corrective exercises. Others received imme- to our health fair, our pastor gave us
Health Fair diate massage therapy or acupuncture. this simple and profound charge: “I want
Health professionals were on hand to to draw a distinction if I can, between a
as Loving (and answer questions about prescription drugs, project and a presence. It’s tempting to
breast cancer exams, smoking-cessation do something like this as a project, but
Threatening) programs, and community clinics. Lastly, God has called you to be a presence. In
individuals brought their concerns to relationship with our brothers and sis-
Presence church ministers who provided prayer ters...we have the opportunity, the rare
and counsel. All of this took place in an privilege, of being the presence of the
old urban church building, in a few living God in a community that needs
short hours, involving a good-sized band what we are offering them... not merely
of uncompensated congregation mem- healthcare, but God’s love. So I charge
At a church-based community health fair bers, professionals, and partnering com- you in that direction and commission you
that our congregation recently cospon- munity agencies. to go and be the presence of God.”
sored, it struck me that a $600 monthly With no illusion that church-based Freed by the gospel to love as God
insurance premium (and $25 co-pay- health fairs are the answer for the nation’s loves, the church asks an entirely differ-
ments) could not buy the kind of care growing number of uninsured, the event ent set of questions: How will God be
that folks were experiencing free of was nonetheless a picture of what care experienced when people enter our
charge that day. Amidst Latin rhythms looks like when the gospel is the starting doors? Are we receiving those that our
and colorful balloons, visitors were warm- point. To illuminate this, it is perhaps government views with suspicion, that
ly greeted at the door, given a medical helpful to consider some questions that the state deems an economic liability?
clipboard, and oriented in their native our society has raised: How do we make Am I working side by side with my broth-
tongue. Sending their children upstairs sure that health benefits are not going ers and sisters, and collaboratively with
to the adult-supervised activity room, to those who are a “drain to the system”? secular agencies, in a manner that judges
guests were personally escorted to the Are those receiving services legal resi- the territorial reflexes of a competitive
primary screening area to measure body dents? Can they provide documentation culture? Will our approach to health-
mass, blood pressure, and glucose levels. to prove it? If not, are they at least capa- care serve as an indictment of a system
With minimal waiting time, medical ble of making an able-bodied contribution of care held captive to the unredeemed
personnel administered the screenings, to the economy? How do we provide logic of capitalism and individualism?
answered questions, and documented the healthcare for the less fortunate without Does our ministry among the poor and
outcomes on each person’s chart. Each compromising the best possible care for sick reflect submission to the reign of
patient then met with a registered nurse those who can afford it? Shouldn’t those God, over and against all other powers
who, upon reviewing the chart, provid- who have succeeded financially have access and authorities?
ed immediate counsel, directed them to to the most advanced technologies? Are With the gospel as our starting point,
a diabetic specialist, or sent them directly the medical services being provided going we will relate to people in ways diamet-
to an onsite physician to address high- to get reimbursed? Which folks pose the rically opposed to that of the systems
risk cases. Those experiencing pain, greatest insurance risk? How do we min- and structures that claim to serve them.
shortness of breath, or other alarming imize our exposure to malpractice suits? Thus, in the simple act of hosting a health
symptoms saw the doctor immediately. Are market forces given the freedom nec- fair, the church can be a presence as pecu-
With initial examinations completed, essary to enable the healthcare industry liar in its love as it is threatening in its
guests then had their teeth checked and to thrive? How do we provide drug allegiance. ■
eyes examined. Patients evidencing tooth benefits while assuring pharmaceutical
decay received counsel on hygiene strat- companies the ability to continue invest- Craig Wong is the executive director of Grace
egies and then met with a low-cost ing in research for new drugs? Urban Ministries, a congregation-based
clinic representative across the room. Driven by the bottom line, kneeling nonprofit located in San Francisco’s Mission
Nearsighted individuals were referred to before the idol of personal entitlement, District that serves low-income families through
a local optometry school to apply for America leads the world in healthcare academic tutoring, youth job-training, adult
free prescription glasses. Physical thera- spending while leaving 44 million (and education, health services, and advocacy. He
pists analyzed the posture of those growing) without any health insurance. invites response at [email protected].
PRISM
2006
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